what did you do this week to prepare

[NCO]

I ate well, so I will survive few hours absolutely without eating...

[Mountain Man]

Researched canning more, going to get a few books, then eventually pressure canner.

Added some extra tooth paste, tea, soda, and jam to storage. (Additional storage, not just the pantry).

Tore out the broccoli in the garden Darn things were INFESTED with aphids and everything we did to remove them they were back.. we may have to use some super diluted chemicals next year if they come back. Trimmed/planted/moved tomatoes plants, etc. Watered the black berries.

Hopefully in the next month can add a large water tank, and start working on the pond more.

[Rick]

Aphids and broccoli go hand in hand. What a shame, too. You might try planting your broccoli earlier next year. An early season broccoli can often be harvested before aphids become a problem. You might try an insecticidal soap before you go to full chemical usage. I've actually stopped growing it because of the aphids and the white moths. This is the first year I've grown cauliflower in several years, too. I'm trying a different specie to see if it's a bit more resistant. Good luck!!

[TucsonMax]

I organized and labeled our "candle box" and "lanterns and flashlights box." I got my family to taste test warm powered milk w/ vanilla and chocolate & strawberry (kids) powders, purchased bulk of all, made and stored our "milk" box. Found on craigslist a good used deck box to store my gasoline outside. Bought popcorn, labeled and storred in old cranapple plastic jars and tested making it w/ oil on stove. Bought more misc foods to store.

[Mountain Man]

Aphids and broccoli go hand in hand. What a shame, too. You might try planting your broccoli earlier next year. An early season broccoli can often be harvested before aphids become a problem. You might try an insecticidal soap before you go to full chemical usage. I've actually stopped growing it because of the aphids and the white moths. This is the first year I've grown cauliflower in several years, too. I'm trying a different specie to see if it's a bit more resistant. Good luck!!

Thanks Rick, we did seeds, and used our planter window, and we got snow even after we started them we can't really do any earlier still to cold in the window even.

We did try the soap thing too Bloody waste!

[Rick]

I love broccoli but finally just gave up on it. I was down to trudging into the garden in a Tyvek suit with a chemical bomb on a long stick and I don't like using chemicals in my garden. Leaving out the broccoli just made more room for other veggies.

[Ken]

Love Broccoli. Miss Broccoli. Can't eat Broccoli. Broccoli = Kidney Stones.

[mcfd45]

I hit up barnes and noble. I got a list of books that i want to buy. mostly homesteading books.

[oldsoldier]

found a good source of 6" pvc and caps am making several cache tubes 2' and 3' plan on also bringing some to jamboree to trade.

[typ3]

Practiced working with False Tinder Fungus and amadou. Also, found a True Tinder Fungus, but was completely frustrated when the entire mass was moist throughout.

[toughsord]

ive been training my dog for rabbit hunting, gathering survival gear, stocked up on food and water, and double checked gear for a week long fishing/ hunting/ survival trip which i now have to take a gun that my brother will have to carry because there is a bear in my area that escaped from captivity. i still dont think i did enough and since its up to me to stockpile ..................

[crashdive123]

ive been training my dog for rabbit hunting, gathering survival gear, stocked up on food and water, and double checked gear for a week long fishing/ hunting/ survival trip which i now have to take a gun that my brother will have to carry because there is a bear in my area that escaped from captivity. i still dont think i did enough and since its up to me to stockpile ..................

You may be right. How about going to the Introduction section and tell us about yourself. Thanks. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

[endurance]

I continue with the learning curve with my garden. Jeesh, I really need a garden-mentor neighbor. For the last few weeks I've been trying to figure out what I did wrong because my broccoli appeared to be getting to about three feet tall. I wondered if I should have cut it back when it was small or something. Well, on Thursday I discovered my "broccoli" plant was growning beans. Oddest thing, that. I didn't think I planted bush beans, but my pole beans didn't come up at all...errrm, correct that, they weren't pole beans. Live and learn.

As for preps, as mentioned in another thread, I discovered Costco now has jasmine rice, so I picked up a 50# sack and another 25# of pinto beans, along with my usual shopping. I'm hoping to pick up some more this season, assuming that they won't have it forever. It's only 10 cents a pound more than the cheap stuff they carry, and less than half what I've been paying at the Asian supermarket.

Probably the biggest thing for prepping this weekend was the conversation I had with the GF. I've never hidden my prepping from her, but she also doesn't want to know too much about it either. Well last weekend we had a little spat because I was looking at BOL/vacation/retirement property while we still haven't found a house for the two of us. This was a follow up that talked about priorities, insomuch as, we both currently own our own homes and I have every intention of selling mine to buy one together, but now have a chance of a lifetime to go in with a family member on a very nice piece of property. It won't take away from what I was planning on putting toward the mutual abode and she should look at it more as a long-term investment rather than putting it ahead of our home together. In any case, I was able to explain some of my biggest concerns (peak oil, continued economic downfall, infrastructure breakdown) in a coherent way that made her glad I was prepping for both of us. Turned out to be a very positive experience.

[Rick]

@ Endurance - I've looked at sprouts in the garden and thought, "Hmmm. Wonder what I planted there."

Try this. Make a garden plan. Draw out what you intend to plant where in the garden. That way you'll have a visual idea of what the garden will look like and what was planted in each "plot". As things begin to grow you'll be able to look back at your drawing to remind yourself of what it is. I've tried labeling them in the garden but it's hit and miss at best. Writing on popsicle sticks fades and those little plastic tags that come in commercial plants wind up invading your garden after a few years if you don't hand pick all of them up at the end of the season.

A really cool plant to have in your garden are nasturtiums. They are very attractive and the flowers are edible with a very peppery flavor. Depending on the variety you grow, some have a burst of sweetness along with the pepper.

Once you get the hang of the garden then start looking at companion plants for your garden.

[Winnie]

Researched canning more, going to get a few books, then eventually pressure canner.

Added some extra tooth paste, tea, soda, and jam to storage. (Additional storage, not just the pantry).

Tore out the broccoli in the garden Darn things were INFESTED with aphids and everything we did to remove them they were back.. we may have to use some super diluted chemicals next year if they come back. Trimmed/planted/moved tomatoes plants, etc. Watered the black berries.

Hopefully in the next month can add a large water tank, and start working on the pond more.

If you dont want to go down the chemical route, try this if it's available over the pond.
http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/H...on_Enviromesh/

I've got raised beds and use the insect mesh but you could still use it on a conventional garden. It's a bit expensive to start off with, but lasts several years and can be used on all sorts of crops. I made the hoops from willow staves.The only thing to remember is not to put it over flowering plants until the flowers have been visited by bees or you won't get any crops!

Edit to add the mesh will also give some protection from the elements.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

i worked on a method of dehydrating mushrooms in the field.

[Rick]

@ Endurance again - I was out in the garden this morning and realized I failed to mention nasturtium leaves are also edible. The flower, leaves and green seeds can all be eaten. Cut up some leaves, toss in some flowers, a nice bit of chopped chervil and sprinkle with a little oil and you have a great salad. Mix in some purslane and it's even better. Nasturiums are almost impossible to kill. They are very hardy and produce fairly prolific flowers over the summer. The flowers look remarkably like jewel weed blossoms so if you know what one looks like but not the other...now you know. The leaves look like little lilly pads.

Oh, yea. Don't pick okra without long sleeves on. You'll really itch. Sort of like I am right now.

[toughsord]

Researched canning more, going to get a few books, then eventually pressure canner.

Added some extra tooth paste, tea, soda, and jam to storage. (Additional storage, not just the pantry).

Tore out the broccoli in the garden Darn things were INFESTED with aphids and everything we did to remove them they were back.. we may have to use some super diluted chemicals next year if they come back. Trimmed/planted/moved tomatoes plants, etc. Watered the black berries.

Hopefully in the next month can add a large water tank, and start working on the pond more.

i really like blackberries. my family has 4 patches. 2 blackberries, 1 red raspberries, and this kind of blackberry that is the size of your thumb and really really bitter. i love them!

[Rick]

I finally found some .38 at Wally World. I grabbed the only box of 100 they had.

[Jendeere]

I finally found some .38 at Wally World. I grabbed the only box of 100 they had.

I still haven't found any at mine. They still only have 28 gauge shells and a few of the tiny boxes of .22. Does anyone else's walmart not carry guns any more?