What have you done this week to prep?

[longbow]

For some reason, added two K31's to the rifle collection. I'll call them a poor mans .308.

Gearing up for spring and planting season. Going to have some serious skid steer time moving dirt around for the garden and other projects when the snow melts and the ground dries out. The rest of my time for the next few months is working on home number two.

 

[auburnpirate]

Not so much this week, but more in the last month, I've put about half my bugout bag together and added a Ruger 10-22 Breakdown, and S&W M&P 9 mm to my collection.

 

[churchmouse]

Making plans for the garden plots. What to put in and how best to defend against the woodland creatures who would feast upon them.

Also looking at Generators. So many to choose from.

 

[teddy12b]

Dry practice with firearms.

Purchased enough lumber for four separate 4'x12' raised bed gardens. Getting the gardening plans in order. Last year was a complete fail, this year we will succeed.

Finishing project in basement to get all preps organized and squared away.

 

[churchmouse]

Dry practice with firearms.

Purchased enough lumber for four separate 4'x12' raised bed gardens. Getting the gardening plans in order. Last year was a complete fail, this year we will succeed.

Finishing project in basement to get all preps organized and squared away.

Our main garden plot is 16'X20' and raised. We did not intentionally plan it that way but a re-grade of the gravel drive way and other areas of the property to assist drainage made a huge pile of dirt that we put behind the garage. We started tilling it up and putting all the grass trimmings on it along with the entire leaf pile in the fall. This went on for about 4 full seasons. Then it was planted and wow, it was really a sweet garden. It sat unused again (but still getting all the grass/leaves) for nearly 7 years. It is some of the nicest soil now. We ran it 2 years ago and let it set last year as the wife was recovering from surgery and other issues. It will be uncovered and used this year. I miss the produce from it.
We have been prepping another area in the bottom of the yard with trimmings and leaves for 3 years now. It should be ready this year but will be a low light plot. It is not raised but we bury the tiller in it when we do the leaf thing. I mean bury it. Should be 18" of tilled mixed soil.

 

[teddy12b]

Our main garden plot is 16'X20' and raised. We did not intentionally plan it that way but a re-grade of the gravel drive way and other areas of the property to assist drainage made a huge pile of dirt that we put behind the garage. We started tilling it up and putting all the grass trimmings on it along with the entire leaf pile in the fall. This went on for about 4 full seasons. Then it was planted and wow, it was really a sweet garden. It sat unused again (but still getting all the grass/leaves) for nearly 7 years. It is some of the nicest soil now. We ran it 2 years ago and let it set last year as the wife was recovering from surgery and other issues. It will be uncovered and used this year. I miss the produce from it.
We have been prepping another area in the bottom of the yard with trimmings and leaves for 3 years now. It should be ready this year but will be a low light plot. It is not raised but we bury the tiller in it when we do the leaf thing. I mean bury it. Should be 18" of tilled mixed soil.

Our garden last year was a huge fail. We didn't think ahead much and put our garden right where all the rain water settled. The garden was washed out and flooded consistently throughout the year. This year we're doing four raised beds that'll be much closer to the house. We'll let the kids do one of their own, one for flowers & pretty stuff, and then the other two we're going to focus on getting some food. We're not going to saving a dime on food this year, but we're going to have better food that we know where it came from. Once I get the boxes setup, I'm going to have to bring in some dirt and compost. Once it's setup, I'll be able to maintain it from there. I'm looking forward to this years growing season.

 

[churchmouse]

Our garden last year was a huge fail. We didn't think ahead much and put our garden right where all the rain water settled. The garden was washed out and flooded consistently throughout the year. This year we're doing four raised beds that'll be much closer to the house. We'll let the kids do one of their own, one for flowers & pretty stuff, and then the other two we're going to focus on getting some food. We're not going to saving a dime on food this year, but we're going to have better food that we know where it came from. Once I get the boxes setup, I'm going to have to bring in some dirt and compost. Once it's setup, I'll be able to maintain it from there. I'm looking forward to this years growing season.

Bag your grass. Use it for weed control. Till it all in at the end of the season. Same with leaves. We put them on top, caver and let percolate all winter. Spring and we pull the covers off, till in the leaves with what ever additives (peat etc) and boom, plant and maintain.

 

[teddy12b]

Bag your grass. Use it for weed control. Till it all in at the end of the season. Same with leaves. We put them on top, caver and let percolate all winter. Spring and we pull the covers off, till in the leaves with what ever additives (peat etc) and boom, plant and maintain.

I'm going to sound like a complete sissy when I say this, but I don't mow my own yard. A year ago we moved and my next door neighbor is a guy I went to high school with who's a professional lawn mower. He does all the neighbors yards/property for such a low price I can't justify buying a mower for what he charges. Everything he mows gets mulched right then. I don't have any leaves to speak of, but when my trees get large enough I'll be tossing them in the garden. I'm looking forward to being able to toss food scraps into the garden and letting them keep a continual cycle of compost. I'm getting excited about the garden this year. Is there a 2014 garden thread yet? I hate to hijack.

 

[jimbobcooters]

refilled 30 of the 1.75 L liquor bottles with water and stored in the basement, & bought 20 more cans of chunky chicken noodle.

 

[churchmouse]

I'm going to sound like a complete sissy when I say this, but I don't mow my own yard. A year ago we moved and my next door neighbor is a guy I went to high school with who's a professional lawn mower. He does all the neighbors yards/property for such a low price I can't justify buying a mower for what he charges. Everything he mows gets mulched right then. I don't have any leaves to speak of, but when my trees get large enough I'll be tossing them in the garden. I'm looking forward to being able to toss food scraps into the garden and letting them keep a continual cycle of compost. I'm getting excited about the garden this year. Is there a 2014 garden thread yet? I hate to hijack.

Sissy.....

No worries. Just throwing out what we do. The soil is so rich that even an idiot like me can grow near anything just add water.

 

[shortbusbob]

Made a big Aldi's run . Changed oil in the trucks . Spent a little money on the wife last Friday .

 

[Cable]

Received another delivery of supplies from amazon.com. I am prepping on auto-pilot using their "subscribe and save" program.

Ordered a lock-picking training package from lockpicks.com

Installed a shatter-proof storm door on front door.

Ordered another set of antibiotics from Cal Vet Supply.

Finishing my attic for extra storage / hiding space.

 

[bigus_D]

I just finished a shatter proof storm door also. More for the energy savings than anything else, but it IS an additional layer.

 

[churchmouse]

I just finished a shatter proof storm door also. More for the energy savings than anything else, but it IS an additional layer.

Are we speaking shatter proof glass.....Just curious.

We have heavy steel framed security storm doors. They are tough as hell and I screwed the jambs into the frame/studs around the door.

 

[bigus_D]

Yea. Not a security door in my case. With windows right next to the door and a sliding glass rear door, we aren't hardened at my house.

 

[indiucky]

Replaced all of the PVC pipes at our weekend retreat with PEX (last week) and put in a couple of outlets to allow me to drain the water...This weekend when we went up everything was frozen..Faucets wouldn't turn...A Tornado shaped ice berg in the toilet bowl etc....But...Four hours of fireplace and two kerosene heaters and when the pipes thawed out...TA DA!!!!!! No burst pipes!!!!!!

I am Happy, Happy, Happy.....

 

[churchmouse]

Replaced all of the PVC pipes at our weekend retreat with PEX (last week) and put in a couple of outlets to allow me to drain the water...This weekend when we went up everything was frozen..Faucets wouldn't turn...A Tornado shaped ice berg in the toilet bowl etc....But...Four hours of fireplace and two kerosene heaters and when the pipes thawed out...TA DA!!!!!! No burst pipes!!!!!!

I am Happy, Happy, Happy.....

You are "Lucky...Lucky...Lucky"

 

[indiucky]

You are "Lucky...Lucky...Lucky"

Shhhh...The wife thinks I fixed the problem...LOL....

 

[smokingman]

Replaced all of the PVC pipes at our weekend retreat with PEX (last week) and put in a couple of outlets to allow me to drain the water...This weekend when we went up everything was frozen..Faucets wouldn't turn...A Tornado shaped ice berg in the toilet bowl etc....But...Four hours of fireplace and two kerosene heaters and when the pipes thawed out...TA DA!!!!!! No burst pipes!!!!!!

I am Happy, Happy, Happy.....

Northern Minnesota here where the average January temperature is -20.PEX is amazing stuff.Have had a few frozen lines and never a leak after they thawed.I know most people up here swear by PEX,and when we replaced the existing plumbing we did it all with PEX(was copper and PVC combined).Place in a few extra shut off valves if you go to PEX it makes changing anything much easier and most the valves have build in drains.Also keep a few extra fittings,rings,and the tools.I have heard of a fitting cracking before during a -35F stretch,but even that is rare.The PEX itself I have never heard of bursting.

 

[55spartan]

I sealed my ammo can gaskets with silicone grease, replaced my silica pacs, while I got a good count on my ammo. Ran a generator test.