This weeks preps check-in

jimLE said:

i planted my garden where my tomato and okra plants will,and do get direct sun the better part of the day..and my corn is on opposite side of them from the sun..

what i need to know..is the best route to take when it comes saveing the seeds...

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Look under the thread "Seed Saving" that I posted for drying or freezing seeds, Jim.

Ordered the goal zero 41022 solar kit against my better judgment (not so much into electronics in B/O situation) though she informed me not all things are related to a government collapse, Lisa wants the capability when all else fails to keep options open to recharge her cell phone and other communication devices mother+kids=unargumentative

I picked 5 lbs of pickling cucumbers today but can't find any of the recipes I used to use for making pickles. So, I'm sitting here staring at cucumbers spread out on my kitchen table and searching for recipes that look right on the internet. No luck so far finding something that looks good to me.

Maverick said:

Ordered the goal zero 41022 solar kit against my better judgment (not so much into electronics in B/O situation) though she informed me not all things are related to a government collapse, Lisa wants the capability when all else fails to keep options open to recharge her cell phone and other communication devices mother+kids=unargumentative

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Hey Maverick,

Saw that you purchased the Goal Zero Nomad, I have one in each BOB with an added solar panel to help charge it. When I ran the initial ops test on the Nomad, I found that it took a bit longer to charge, adding an additional solar panel decreases the time it takes to charge up the cellphone, Ipad, etc. We had a great experience with it in full sunlight and a little less on cloudy days...worked well with placing the charging panel on the car window for some reason. Hopefully, things will work out for you on it. I have the larger Goal Zero products with 10X30W and 6x15 solar panels to help charge up our batteries.

The larger versions are very easy to carry and have worked well on outings.

Silent Bob said:

Hey Maverick,

Saw that you purchased the Goal Zero Nomad, I have one in each BOB with an added solar panel to help charge it. When I ran the initial ops test on the Nomad, I found that it took a bit longer to charge, adding an additional solar panel decreases the time it takes to charge up the cellphone, Ipad, etc. We had a great experience with it in full sunlight and a little less on cloudy days...worked well with placing the charging panel on the car window for some reason. Hopefully, things will work out for you on it. I have the larger Goal Zero products with 10X30W and 6x15 solar panels to help charge up our batteries.

The larger versions are very easy to carry and have worked well on outings.

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I was thinking of adding another nomad panel, it's why I gone with these, the ability to daisy chain them in the field, I don't know much about them but the reviews I have read and videos on em people seem to really like them and the cost isn't bad (though can be cheaper for us retired folks) if she is happy then I am happy

Maverick said:

I was thinking of adding another nomad panel, it's why I gone with these, the ability to daisy chain them in the field, I don't know much about them but the reviews I have read and videos on em people seem to really like them and the cost isn't bad (though can be cheaper for us retired folks) if she is happy then I am happy

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I've spent quite a bit on solar energy and have a wind kit, but the city I live in, forbids in their zoning laws for wind booms to be placed in the back yard...granted a very wealthy former drag racer has one within the city limits, he has a bit of pull on city hall, so got away with it. Solar was the only other option. I know their are those that can do the daisy chaining of solar panels, in fact I ran a few do it yourselfers on the shed that I have by buying the panels online and also from harbor freight (in the beginning of the process)...but the larger on that hangs as an awning off the house was contracted by a solar generation company.

As far as Goal Zero products, I think I have three Yeti 1250 and two Yeti 400's. Additionally, I have three Sherpa 100's and one Sherpa 50 which work really well in the vehicles. What I like about the Boulder Panels 15 and 30W is that you can daisy chain them with a simple plug and with their little stand, 4 panels can be held in place...wouldn't recommend that you use them in high winds unless you secure it with rope and tent pegs...they tend to fall over. The Panel 15 is not more than foot and half long by a foot...they are pretty easy to daisy chain.

We used the Yeti 1250 at Texas Tech Tail Gate Party...so got to see the pre-game and watch videos, played a big sound system off it for my daughter sorority...Dad of course brought the smoker....and smoked a good amount of meat for the hungry girls. Also used the Sherpa 100 to recharge the cell phones at Disney World.

So I hope your wife finds it useful... maybe a case for some other solar stuff for you.

she keeps telling me I should adapt a little to the 21 century, easy for her, she was halfway through kindergarten when I graduated high school

QuietH3art said:

I picked 5 lbs of pickling cucumbers today but can't find any of the recipes I used to use for making pickles. So, I'm sitting here staring at cucumbers spread out on my kitchen table and searching for recipes that look right on the internet. No luck so far finding something that looks good to me.

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I really like pickeling with garlic, pepper and onion, it gives a nice kick to them.

Brent S said:

I really like pickeling with garlic, pepper and onion, it gives a nice kick to them.

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Garlic, pepper and onion are standard spicy dill pickles. My daughter made some of those the other day. I'm just out of sorts because I can't find my tried and true recipes. I did a standard "crispy dill" recipe that I found online and I'm going to tear out the cucumber plants because I don't want to can any more pickles. I'll plant something else there in a week or two.

QuietH3art said:

Garlic, pepper and onion are standard spicy dill pickles. My daughter made some of those the other day. I'm just out of sorts because I can't find my tried and true recipes. I did a standard "crispy dill" recipe that I found online and I'm going to tear out the cucumber plants because I don't want to can any more pickles. I'll plant something else there in a week or two.

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I didn't make any pickles this year because I still have 20 or so left over from last year! I'm making lots of cold cucumber salads with onion, tomatoes and Italian and red vinaigrette dressings. It's quick, easy and refreshingly cool in the summer. I'm considering tilling my squash, zuke and cukes under soon to start planting for fall too. I did some kind of sweet pea this spring that were amazing, and saved a bunch of seeds from them. I think I'll plant a load of those. Beets were a first for me as well and will get another round. I only have about five cantelopes, and picked one of them tonight. I really wish they had done better this year as the flavor is great. I probably have about fifteen watermelons still growing, but they didn't produce well this year either. Mother Nature is a crap shoot sometimes. I'm interested to hear what your planting, as well as have had good results with.

Well, so far, the pickling cucumbers have done the best. I really don't like pickles that often so I'll give at least half of these jars away. The salad cucumbers are second best. With only 3 plants, I'll be picking a couple daily through the weekend, but I eat them as fast as I pick them. They've settled in to give me a cucumber a day as long as they live. My corn didn't do well. I'll be lucky to get one or two meals from them. I got one sad little cabbage the size of a baseball. That was last night's dinner. The broccoli and Brussels sprouts didn't make it but I'm going to try them again in the fall. They prefer cooler weather. My best luck has been with salad veggies. I'm going to have a lot of carrots, already gotten many radishes and will get many more. I plant only a few of those at a time. I just put in my second growing of lettuces in a container and if that works well, I'll be growing lettuce in the house through the winter. My pea plants got too wet with all the rain we had last week and they died. I may raise a row and try them again. I have huge bush bean plants but they are just now flowering. I'm going to be giving away a lot of canned green beans, too, I think, unless I can get some tiny potatoes at the Farmer's Market to can with them. And since I put Epsom salts and goat poop soup on my beefsteak tomato plants, they've really grown fast, also just now starting to flower, but they are only 6 weeks old.
I am actually working on a schedule for planting in containers in the house because I rarely eat canned vegetables. I just don't like them. I don't have much of a freezer, either. And we just can't do root cellars here.
I'm not a big eater so I can try a little bit of everything and if it doesn't produce well, that's okay, too.

6 gallons of figs today........................... minus the dozen I ate .

realisticdude said:

6 gallons of figs today........................... minus the dozen I ate .

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My squirrels seem to enjoy my figs at least!

Brent S said:

My squirrels seem to enjoy my figs at least!

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You're wasting an excellent opportunity to brush up on your target practice and game cleaning and cooking skills.

Pumpkins and cucumber are going strong!

this week,some more dry food and ammo, and some more cans with fruits

Alright my first post in here.

I have been pondering whether or not to post this, mainly due to some costs involved in making it (and not sure of other folks budgets).

But I am sure if you cannot afford to then you can find a way to improvise (Rednecks and Southerners always do, I am a redneck).

Okay, no more twaddling....

Homemade water heater:

1. One tub or 55gal plastic/metal drum.
2. Platform of at least 7ft off the ground. (can be made out off anything wood, concrete, pipes, steel)
3. Greenhouse type plastic material. (poly-carbonate sheets or construction film "However, I'd stay away from it")
4. Second structure needs to cover the bathtub entirely with the poly-carbonate sheets placed on the structure.
5. modify the drain the your tub to allow for a smaller hose (garden hose or smaller) to be attached.
6. Thermostat with a 3ft long corded display. Place the thermostat in the tub and have a your reader down low so you can read the water temperature.

This idea is non-pumped or pressurized so if you want it to run into your house I would change the size and structure. But for an outside shower it works. Though you may want to build walls and a door unless its just you and the wife. And unless you can find a way to modify it (insulate or something) use in summer months, lol. Otherwise it may freeze.
You can use either a 55gal drum or a bathtub. The drum is cheaper and its plastic so lighter.

Or if you want a hot tub, try this.

I've actually seen something similar, with the 55 gallon barrel on a platform and the platform is enclosed underneath as a shower. The black barrel will absorb heat from the sun, warming the water and there was a shower head and faucet attached to the barrel. A gravity fed solar shower.