What have you done this week to prep?

[BIGE7.62]

Rotated some bottled water ,traded for a generator and started buying components for aquaponics .
I now have 4, 275 gal food grade totes and 4 , food grade ,55 gal drums which I'll cut half for grow beds .
Need more drums . Well ,I need a lot more stuff but its a start .

 

[spencer rifle]

Stockpiling for major disasters is a waste of time - Your Voice - News-Sentinel.com

I was so tempted to write a rebuttal of this, but OPSEC won out.

 

[bwframe]

Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, self defense firearms. Hardly ever used, waste of time...

 

[bigus_D]

Put money in the kids' 529 plans.

 

[mikefraz]

Put money in the kids' 529 plans.

Told all the family members to do that this year. Got $150 added to it today between 3 people. Not too bad.

 

[BuickGS]

Found a liquid propane tank from a forklift and steel shelving at the recycling center and bought a Bren MKIII parts kit.

 

[cmr13]

Just put together my first aid kit for my EDC backpack. Ready for a lot of stuff now.

 

[BuickGS]

I canned 1.5 gallons of my famous home made Salsa and canned 8 pounds of pickled peppers. Found a nice milk crate for storage too.

 

[Rocdenindy]

Walmart had a clearance on some vodka and whiskey. 2 dollars a bottle. Yeah its cheap stuff but good for bartering/bribery. Bought a Mr Buddy heater and a couple 1 lb bottles. working on setting up small forge to start some real basic blacksmithing. And making a pallet breaker but I need some to weld the pipes. Any suggestions close to south side of Indy?

 

[rhino]

Yesterday I was waiting for a buddy to pick me up, so I used the time to fuzz a stick and then ignited the curls with my ferro rod a couple of times. It was good practice in knife use skills, judgement on the size/thickness of the curls, and proper ferrocerium rod use.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Yesterday I was waiting for a buddy to pick me up, so I used the time to fuzz a stick and then ignited the curls with my ferro rod a couple of times. It was good practice in knife use skills, judgement on the size/thickness of the curls, and proper ferrocerium rod use.

I didn't know you'd been cleared for knife handling.

 

[rhino]

I didn't know you'd been cleared for knife handling.

D'OH!

 

[teddy12b]

Since last post:

Upgraded EDC pocket knife from swiss army farmer, to swiss army fieldmaster. I really wanted the additional second blade on the knife, the scissors, tweezers, and toothpick. Small things, but they're handy.

Did some playing around with some lightweight backpacking stoves using both MSR & Jetboil fuels. These ran just fine and for the price it seems like every prepper/outdoorsman should have a couple. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZA39W6U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I used it on the trail to make the kids hot cocoa a couple times already and I like it much more than my alcohol stove so far.

Had a great conversation with my wife about "tamaflu" and the "flu shot" in general. Lots of facebook discussions with friends about how that stuff is mostly a scam and doesn't work. My wife tends to fall in line with all things modern Amercian medicine, where I tend to think most of it is a lie. Her eyes were opened a little when the medicine was about $300 per sick person with insurance and at best it cuts a day and a half off the sickness, and at worst all the side effects are the same flu symptoms you're trying to defeat.

Repacked the winter bag to adjust to newest mindset and needs.

Bought an M1A scout, because you never know when you're going to need a semi auto 308. So far, it's ran 100% and is so much more gentle to shoot than I'd have ever imagined.

Continue to go to crossfit classes and feeling stronger. Half heartily trying to maintain weight level after my big diet, still down 30 pounds, but could still go down another 15 without much trouble.

I've been reading up on ultralight hiking/backpacking. Lots of good information out there on how to lighten your pack. Most of my gear is mil-surplus, huge, heavy stuff like the military sleep system. Great gear, but not so great if you're trying to move a long distance on foot. I'm going to start doing my night hikes again once the kids go to bed.

 

[Sailor]

You have already done the hard part of ultralight hiking, losing weight.

Elderberry bushes are easy to grow produce a ton of fruit for herbal cold/flu remedy. You can buy it at Walgreens. Worse case scenario you make wine out of it.

 

[teddy12b]

You have already done the hard part of ultralight hiking, losing weight.

Elderberry bushes are easy to grow produce a ton of fruit for herbal cold/flu remedy. You can buy it at Walgreens. Worse case scenario you make wine out of it.

You reminded me of another one; I'm looking into another round of trees to plant this spring. White pines, and now elderberry top the list, but looking at lots of options. Also, researching what's going into the garden.

Also, looking for a bee hive to put out back by the orchard. I don't want the work involved, I just want to help the bee population and them to pollinate stuff. I doubt I even attempt to harvest the honey. I want all the benefits of honeybees, but not the work so they get to live and keep their honey as a fair trade off.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I've been looking into yeast. My chief concerns are long term storage and all the different kinds out there; not only brand names (Fleischman's, et. al.) but types (brewer's, bread making, etc.) so if there are any yeast experts out there, I'd love a good schooling.

TYIA,

Stocks

 

[mom45]

I've been looking into yeast. My chief concerns are long term storage and all the different kinds out there; not only brand names (Fleischman's, et. al.) but types (brewer's, bread making, etc.) so if there are any yeast experts out there, I'd love a good schooling.

TYIA,

Stocks

I buy the Redstar yeast in a 2 pound package. I keep it in the refrigerator or freezer and it keeps for a long time. It takes me about a year to go through it and have had it on hand longer than that.

 

[Sailor]

Yeast is naturally everywhere. Flour + Water + Time and you have your yeast starter.

And sourdough tastes better, especially if you do at least a 24 hour proofing.

 

[teddy12b]

You guys and your yeast for breads. I have bisquick shake n pour, and krusteze pancake mix. All you do is add water, and heat it up. If we're ever in an emergency that lasts long enough where quality bread making becomes a concern I think I'll have other problems to deal with.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017XKIUHY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Krusteaz-Pan...=UTF8&qid=1485808929&sr=8-1&keywords=krusteaz

 

[Sailor]

Lol, one taste of that after the added oil has gone rancid........

Do not keep much more than you can rotate out.

There is survival and thriving. Your Krustys and Log cabin vs sourdough pancakes and a tapped tree.