This weeks preps check-in

[Silent Earth]

We have a lot of different knots we use around the ranch. Especially those that hold well, but can be undone with the right pull, for tying up horses, etc.



You'd be surprised. After Irma, we were out of power for almost 5 full days. We didn't lose any frozen items at all, and didn't have a generator (a mistake that will be remedied before THIS storm season gets going).... Trick is to really pack that freezer prior to the outage, and then only go into it a couple times each day. Period.

We also had another freezer that just had frozen water bottles, so when we opened the other....we'd stick in frozen bottles to take the items taken out's place.

On a similar vein we keep some precut sheets of 50mm foil covered insulation foam sheeting that we wrap our chest freezer with if their is a power cut thus doubling its insulation, and we also keep a few freezer pack blocks in the little freezer to add to the chest freezer to increase the ice mass.

 

[Maverick]

I made a skills to learn list at the start of this year and one of the skills is to learn useful knots. I made a start today. I figured i would go with ones for putting up a simple shelter. It was a little tricky at first but now I'm getting the hang of it. What are peoples favourite/most useful knots?

Some of the knots we use here

Farmers knot
Halter hitch
Bowline
Carrick bend
Timber hitch

Just to name a few

 

[Petoski]

Upgraded the water pump so it is powerful enough to pump the water up from the river and run a sprinkler over the vegetable plot and save me the bother of using the hose and watering cans.

The old petrol mower packed in so I took the opportunity to offset the extra energy used by the new water pump to buy a push reel mower. I thought it may be a gamble but it works a treat over about 2500m2 lawn area and is a hell of a load easier to manoeuvre. Only time will tell how it well it holds up.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

Upgraded the water pump so it is powerful enough to pump the water up from the river and run a sprinkler over the vegetable plot and save me the bother of using the hose and watering cans.

The old petrol mower packed in so I took the opportunity to offset the extra energy used by the new water pump to buy a push reel mower. I thought it may be a gamble but it works a treat over about 2500m2 lawn area and is a hell of a load easier to manoeuvre. Only time will tell how it well it holds up.

Karloshi, good stuff. If I ever have a lawn again, I will be using a reel mower for sure.

 

[Petoski]

Karloshi, good stuff. If I ever have a lawn again, I will be using a reel mower for sure.

Doubles as my weekly workout during the summer months

 

[jimLE]

Im now,officially up to 10 oil lamps.in which 2 are miniature lamps.and 2 of the regular size was given me this morning.

 

[Silent Earth]

Got the van fully serviced and overhauled, 4 new truck rated tyres, new fuel filter/ sediment filter/ water filter unit installed, fully synthetic oil etc, what a pig of a job finding the bloody pollen filter hidden in the footwell. Sorted out the water tank and rotated the foods and drink stuffs.

 

[Arcticdude]

Been doing a lot of planting in the garden. Started with; peas, cucumbers, asparagus, peppers and lots of herbs. Still have a lot more to plant. I found some wild strawberry plants out in the woods and transplanted a bunch to the garden.
I'm just about done fencing in a 15+/- acre meadow, but ran into a 100' section of solid rock that's going to slow me down a bit. I'll have to build some rock cribs or get a rock drill. Once this fence is finished I can start repairs on the perimeter fence. The cows will be let out on range in a couple of weeks.
Today the builders started construction on the shop. The concrete guy will be up tomorrow afternoon. Once they start framing the shop, the foundation for the house will be excavated, plus the site for the solar panel pole mount will be dug.

 

[SheilaT.]

With the warmer weather finally arriving I am spending this week going through the medicines box and topping everything up, especially the antihistamines,

 

[jimLE]

that reminds e.that i need to go through my medical supplies.reorganize it better.to throwing away anything that needs throwing away..

 

[Brent S]

I got a lot of weeding done in the garden today, although there’s still a lot more to do. It’s a never ending cycle. Still feels good to make some progress though.

 

[Arcticdude]

This morning the wife and I took two of our vehicles down south to the tire store to get our winter (studded) tires off. I decided to buy another set of tires for my truck. I relized that they were 20 years old and had about 40,000 miles on them. Still had lots of tread but just old and could be undependable on rough roads. Made an appointment for next week to have the windshields replaced in two of our vehicles.
Tomorrow we'll take the third vehicle down to swap out the winter tires. We're also going a little further south to look at some Angus cow/calf pairs. It's time to start stocking the ranch. The grass is growing good so far this year and is still green. We've been getting a little rain every day or so. Nothing like down south or east, but good for here.

 

[WGregMiller]

I got a lot of weeding done in the garden today, although there’s still a lot more to do. It’s a never ending cycle. Still feels good to make some progress though.

I need to, but after a week or two of no rain, it’s now gonna rain for the next week....

 

[Danil54grl]

So true Brent. . . It really is a never ending cycle. Did my wedding and picking. 6 patty squash, only 1 yellow squash, 3 slicing cukes, around 40-50 lbs of pickling files and 2 1/2 gallons green beans once process and ready for the freezer. Did enjoy a nice dinner of sauteed cabbage and linked sausage with leftover potatoes leftover from the crawfish boil the family had down at the beach for mothers day. With the leftover crawfish I made a crawfish pie a few days ago but it is almost gone now along with the buttermilk pie I had made to go for dessert. You just can't beat a good pie.

 

[Brent S]

I need to, but after a week or two of no rain, it’s now gonna rain for the next week....

At least the weeds come out easier in the rain.....

 

[Brent S]

Talked to the well guy yesterday. Said he is close to two weeks out to drill ours, as the rain is hurting him too.
We had a mountain of debris from building the sons house here that I kept procrastinating about burning. I finally lit it up since everything was so wet and safer to burn with all the woods close in here. Why is a cold beer and a bonfire so appealing?

 

[MaterielGeneral]

Been cleaning up all the junk and debris that was left here when we bought the place. The incentive was the Township giving away free coupons to the landfill.

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[Proud Prepper]

Been cleaning up all the junk and debris that was left here when we bought the place. The incentive was the Township giving away free coupons to the landfill.

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You have to have coupons? The landfills that I use down in Louisiana are free. I have some good trash and they should be paying me....

 

[MaterielGeneral]

Hell, there frickin expensive. I wish they were free. The township has a annual clean-up promotion where they give coupons for the landfill.

You have to have coupons? The landfills that I use down in Louisiana are free. I have some good trash and they should be paying me....

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[Danil54grl]

It's free here as long as you can show a current bill with address. For anyone not living within their zone has to pay it or you can't show a current bill.