What have you done this week to prep? PART II

[COOPADUP]

It was certainly a big walnut year. Just one tree netted 12 wheelbarrow loads or 72 cubic feet of walnuts. Still have to pick up the last of them today or tomorrow.

 

[Thor]

I use a cast iron hand cranked corn sheller. I know some people put them on the drive way and run over them with a car/truck.
If your worried about staining you could put a tarp down...oh. And wear rubber gloves

I had an uncle that jacked the back of his pickup up so the wheels were about 1.5" off the ground and aimed it into his garage. He then started and put the truck in gear and began throwing the nuts in...his garage and everything in it took on a nice patina; it turned out to be not any easier than other methods by the time clean up was done.

 

[Magyars]

I had an uncle that jacked the back of his pickup up so the wheels were about 1.5" off the ground and aimed it into his garage. He then started and put the truck in gear and began throwing the nuts in...his garage and everything in it took on a nice patina; it turned out to be not any easier than other methods by the time clean up was done.

May not have been any easier but I'll bet it was fun!

 

[BAgun]

Has anyone bought any of those food/meal buckets that's supposed to last like 30yrs? I used to eat MRE's, I'm assuming they're similar?

 

[76Too]

Has anyone bought any of those food/meal buckets that's supposed to last like 30yrs? I used to eat MRE's, I'm assuming they're similar?

They’re not like MRE’s...they’re freeze dried. I have some from my patriot supply from probably 10 years ago and they’re still fine. I rotate them out and use the oldest ones for lightweight hiking food on long treks.

 

[KittySlayer]

Filled an additional 5 gallon can with gas. Sadly I am not confident I will need to rotate it in a few months but rather may need to use it in the near future.

 

[Freefall-91]

Filled an additional 5 gallon can with gas. Sadly I am not confident I will need to rotate it in a few months but rather may need to use it in the near future.

I do the same thing. I have 25 gallons I keep in the shed. When it starts to get old I fill up my vehicle with it then get more fresh.

 

[KittySlayer]

I do the same thing. I have 25 gallons I keep in the shed. When it starts to get old I fill up my vehicle with it then get more fresh.

I have 20 gallons on hand which is a full fill of the truck. Have another 4x5 gallons of containers for emergency top off if things start going south.

Plus 30 gallons of water.

 

[Freefall-91]

I have 20 gallons on hand which is a full fill of the truck. Have another 4x5 gallons of containers for emergency top off if things start going south.

Plus 30 gallons of water.

Always good to have on hand, you never know when it might be needed.

I do need to figure out a better water set up. I have a plastic 50 gallon drum for water, but I need to build a stand and find a place to put it. I dont have enough room.

 

[KittySlayer]

Always good to have on hand, you never know when it might be needed.

I do need to figure out a better water set up. I have a plastic 50 gallon drum for water, but I need to build a stand and find a place to put it. I dont have enough room.

Mobile is important too. How do you move 50 gallons if you have to evacuate? Of course the ability to filter if evacuating is even more important.

 

[Freefall-91]

Mobile is important too. How do you move 50 gallons if you have to evacuate? Of course the ability to filter if evacuating is even more important.

You roll it!

Agreed. You would use it to fill smaller more portable containers.

 

[DragonGunner]

Canned 21 qts. of deer meat from the big buck I got Nov. 3, put the rest of meat in freezer, that was a long day yesterday. First time canning, took some advise from wife and the rest from you tube. Only had one jar not seal on last batch. Kinda fun. Added potatoes to a couple. All had salt, beef bouillon cube, and onions added. Never canned meat before, thinking in the dark cool basement should have a good 2 year shelf life?

 

[dudley0]

Nice job and congrats on the kill.

I would think they should last longer than 2 years, a lot longer.

 

[dprimm]

You can use the bones to make broth so you done need the bullion. Simple to do.

My goal is to get an extra deer this year and can it. Trying to make meals that we can heat and eat.

]

 

[Leadeye]

Back in the 1980s when ISO 9000 was all the rage, one of the requirements was an expiration date for products. A lot of that in my industry was guess work, but I've always figured that the date on canned food was very early.

 

[Magyars]

Been walking the fields after harvest. Collecting corn that was left.
Ill shuck it and shell it. Then grind it and add it to my sweet feed for the goats.

 

[teddy12b]

Since last post. I've had the pleasure of seeing wild pheasants running around the property lately. I stopped feeding them some time ago. They are alive due to their own abilities so at this point I'm considering them wild and it's a beautiful sight to watch a ringneck go running across the backyard.

Finished a book on mini-gardening on a 1/4 acre. Started another book on farming. When those are done there will be another book on it too. My wife is 100% on board and understands the backyard is going to look very different next year. One thing we can grow without much hassle is squash to the point where we can't seem to mess it up, and I told the kids whatever they grow they can make a veggie stand and sell it keeping the money. We'll see how that all plays out, but so far this is the first time where I've got the whole family on board.

Went through the generators, and both had gummed up carburetors. Even my cheapo 800watt from harbor freight only took a $10 for a whole new carb. I got that thing running, and have a spare carb for it on the shelf now too. I am not some master mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, but if you can assemble a lower on an AR-15, you can change a carburetor. Everyone owes it to themselves to buy a spare one for every gas engine they have. Chainsaw, generator, snow blower, and whatever else. Right now they're still available and cheap.

Got everything dialed in for opening day of gun season. All I need now is some deer to cooperate.

Physical training is going well and I can feel that I'm getting in better shape. 4 or 5 mornings at the gym is now my regular routine.

 

[ChrisK]

A great place to purchase canned goods is Bailey Discount Center just east of North Judson on SR 10. It’s not the only thing that is sold there.

 

[teddy12b]

Took a half day and spent my time getting my larger generator running. I took all kinds of parts and pieces off getting to a gummed up carb and found out a few things along the way. #1 the spare carb I had sitting on the shelf was not the right one. Shame on me and lesson learned. #2 the jet in the carb didn't come out like any of the other two carbs I've ever worked on so it was left in and abundantly hosed with carb cleaner along with everything else. That alone didn't get it going. I gave it one last chance and use a technique that's kind of cheating by pulling the spark plug and spraying some carb cleaner in the hole directly, counted to 3 or 5 and then put it back in. Fired up and I left it run for hours. The real test was the next day when I went to start it and it fired right up. Such a great feeling to know I actually got the darn thing running.

Spent Saturday morning and evening along with Sunday morning realizing that living off the land should not be plan "A" or "B" because I didn't see any deer at all and only heard one shot on each day. I did see a new dog that I'd never seen before getting way to close to my chickens and he'd have been a fine meal post shtf.

Last week slacked off and only got to the gym 3 times. This week was starting off right with a pool of sweat and coughing fits from getting my brains worked out.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Amazon sale:

Lifestraws, $10 per in a 2 pack: Amazon product ASIN B07C56LR6NAugauson Farms 10 year shelf life pancake mix, 3lb 4 oz for under $8: Amazon product ASIN B00FTETNIC