what did you do this week to prepare

[grundle]

I've got pea plants about 8 inches high and bean plants about a foot high. If this stupid cold weather will break I'll plant the dang things.

NCO - I've heard rumor that Finnish folks won't eat bacon. Just a rumor, you understand, but if there is any truth to it just send the frozen bacon my way. I'll figure out something to do with it.

Did you plant them in Feb.?

[Rick]

I planted the seeds in planters in early March.

EDIT: 3/16 to be exact. From my earlier post:

Planted seeds for 72 plants this morning. I have the seeds under plastic to help germinate. Quite a mix with tomatoes, bush beans, peppers, peas, Romansco broccoli, arugula, watermelon and butternut squash.

[gryffynklm]

Well prepared a deep bed garden plot 8' x 12 ' for carrots and potatoes and other root vegetables. Started to build compost bins then it snowed 2.5 ". At least its a head start. put up about 1/2 chord of cedar from a fallen tree. Its for fire pit, bad for fireplace and stoves.

[Rick]

Why is it bad for stoves?

[crashdive123]

Most cedars burn very hot and fast due to high resin content.

[gryffynklm]

I agree with crash, I've seen stoves with warped panels and the creosote resins can build quickly in a cold flue, masonry or metal. If the creosote catches on fire you could have an out of control chimney fire. This can cause cracks in masonry and over heat metal flues. If the chimney has cracks or if a metal flue is not installed with proper clearances to combustibles a fire could spread to the building.

[Arsey]

Sold our big 4wd and bought a Subaru station wagon, that could be 4wd if we need it, for $500.
Course it needs a little work.
And it means we're a totally petrol family now as the biggie was diesel. Not sure if that's a plus or not, yet.

[Rick]

Creosote is a result of moisture content in the wood not resins.

I do agree cedar with burn quicker than something like oak but mixing it with other woods should pose no problem.

[Rick]

17.5 BTUs per cord. Rated as a Good firewood.

http://thelograck.com/firewood_rating_chart.html

[crashdive123]

I thought creosote build-up formed from the hot gasses rising from a fire, passing through a cooler chimney causes them to condense and form the creosote build-up. Didn't know moisture in the wood contributed. Learned something new.

[tennecedar]

I have no problem with cedar in my stove. My thermostat/fresh air intake damper works like it's supposed to. Hickory seams to produce more heat if allowed the O2 to let it burn.

[gryffynklm]

Thanks Rick, Good link.
Wood stoves are new for us. I've seen the warped stove and heard stories about fires. I tend to follow better safe then sorry until I learn other wise. Tenneceder makes a good point. "My thermostat/fresh air intake damper works like it's supposed to." I'll give a bit of cedar a try in the stove.

[Rick]

You need to let the wood season for six months to a year so the moisture from a green tree can be reduced. It's the moisture in the wood that condenses as you described. Keep a hot fire and seasoned wood and there is much less chance of creosote building up. Ideally, you want the moisture content around 20% or less. The wood will usually take on a whitish appearances and the ends will begin to crack as it dries.

The more moisture in the wood, the more smoke is produced and that's the moisture laden creosote. Nice dry wood burns hot with little smoke.

But you knew that from your campfire.

[Amazon]

Got the garden at home plowed this weekend and plantings ready to go in Friday. It's probably just an old wives tales but I was taught to plant a garden
on Good Friday for the best results.

Added 30 pounds each of rice, sugar and salt in mylar bags and buckets.
Went to Ft. Worth Saturday and got a good buy on some medical supplies. Dh got a new .45 and hasn't let me near so I dont know the specs. A busy week for sure and I'm so tired

[Rick]

Bought the last 5 boxes of 9mm that Wally World had. They got their shipment in last night and by 11:30 this morning it was all gone.

[04jtb]

Tested to see how well the vaseline and cotton balls worked. They did a pretty good job so I made quite a few up and put them in a 35mm film cannister ready for when I need them. Also bought some more paracord as the other stuff I bought mysteriously went while most of my gear ended up wrapped in the stuff. Coincidence or what?

[laughingbeetle]

Stocked up on sardines and kipper snacks. Picked up more wicks for my lanterns, another bottle of lamp oil, and another of those little waterproof matchstick cases. Rotated drinking water. We have a well and keep a lot of water on hand. As the water gets older we shift newest for drinking and oldest for bathroom usage. The electricity tends to go out a lot up here. Up on Tugg Hill where we are the wind never really stops blowing, and when a storm kicks up we are often in the dark. My uncle is the Boss, and isn't ready to get a generator yet. (They do cost a lot.) So I have shifted focus on preps for working within a lack of electricity. Lots of books and board games. Most of the back up food supply is wet canned goods that do not require any extra water for preperation. Minimal stocks for the freezer. My cousin has a generator and a large deep freezer, so when the odd meat sale comes up I buy extra and store it with her. She has two strong beautiful boys and the meat never goes to waste. ( Not if CousinAuntie has anything to say about it!)

[mountain mama]

this week i joined this forum....i planted tomatoes....i re-evaluated my altoids tin and BOB and added stuff (including the vaseline coated cottonballs, duct tape, a spyderco flatbyrd, and extra paracord)....i got a great suggestion for a 4" folding knife from a member here and will probably make that purchase next week...and i bought the book "camping and wilderness survival" by paul tawrell

[crashdive123]

Picked up a MOLLE pack with several bags, an ALICE pack with several bags, a Load Bearing Equipment Harness with several pouches. Today stopped by a yard sale and picked up 5 old files with a little rust on two of them (for $1).

[nell67]

Picked up 2 generators from work this week,one for$75,and the other for$100,will have to do a little carb work,but other than that,they were returned by customers for being "the wrong size",this happens alot around here after a sotrm goes through,and ofter the power comes back on,they return the item for a refund,other than,"is there anything wrong with it" no other questions asked.