This weeks preps check-in

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Bought solar lights and a manual 20 ton log splitter today for my bug out location. Im going manual for everything I possibly can if we loose electricity and the earth goes dark so hopefully I'll be ok if it does.
 
Ok . . .so far this week, have put up jars of peas, green beans, carrots, and mustard greens. For the freezer, blanched cauliflower. A local store had chicken on sale for 49 cents a pound so bought 20 lbs (my limit). Cooked and deboned, canned chicken and broth. Started milking another goat. Also started picking my red and russet potatoes from the garden.
 
Ok . . .so far this week, have put up jars of peas, green beans, carrots, and mustard greens. For the freezer, blanched cauliflower. A local store had chicken on sale for 49 cents a pound so bought 20 lbs (my limit). Cooked and deboned, canned chicken and broth. Started milking another goat. Also started picking my red and russet potatoes from the garden.

In WI we havent even tilled the garden for the first time yet. Still had frost last night....
 
I staked out local elevations, I know loose lips sink ships for civil defence purposes for emergency situations I geuss it doesn't matter much, for communications purposes as well I came across some useful items on the way, for some reason there is something up here prepping up forest fire potentials can't go into detail none the less I liberated some odd bricks that seemed to be there to act to increase the heat of the fire prepping area, not totally sure on it, it might look just like a dump but all the elements of a point of flame start and intense here were there, the cinderblocks, charcoal, prior burnt logs, old tinder wood chunks a metal backing. Now it could be used as an emergency fire but this is also fire season starting up, I've run across a handful of potential bush fire starting points, which can be used defensively to back blast counter wave a forest fire, but just leaving it out there seems like it is asking for trouble, its also in the area of a vandalized pipeline that has had some peculiar things around it. None the less it may just be coincidence but I liberated an alice pack full of foot long cinderblocks, which I am planning on useing to add some reinforcement to a support frame I'm making for a building here that i need to remove the cement block foundation on one wall for... I figure the cinder blocks can be used to gap fill for when I tear down the front wall and rebuild it, have lots of projects on it but Ive been collecting stones very haphazardly for uses only a few large ones but these blocks could also be useful especially for a small earth topped kiln.

None the less I'm trying to find good local and DX communication points so I've been testing some local points for reception. I hope to start testing for reception over sometime next month.

Also devised my water system for the summer.
digging in to gardening, and checking local plant growth

I have a few other things but nothing too notable.

Still waiting on my PAL to come through.. not overly optimistic I'll get it but I'd like it in time for my hike this summer probably late june or july it isn't anywhere near any emergency services so I am totally on my own up there while there are bears and moose, its the wolves I'm most concerned about as I can take a crossbow to defend against moose or bear but there may be too many wolves to take on with a 180lb crossbow I need to draw by hand. As I'd like to pick an SKS, M14 or shotgun up. SKS is most likely because it is only $75 and it will be great I think for defending against wolves which is my breaking point motivation for actually putting out the $60 to apply for my 5 year license. (of course the gun, 1000 rounds and some gun upkeep stuff will probably run me $400 or so, still this is good for the rounds plus the gun which 1000 rounds will probably last me a few years atleast) I still feel like I'm not going to get it. I have like 2 or 3 background checks running right now for different purposes atleast by various police organizations. :) I'm weird and a loner. I was also charged with mischeif after applying..., ,charges pretty much immediately dropped on the ride to the station, for trying to stop the municipality from draining out my frontage which I wanted for water for gardening the noise also woke me up and they didn't even ask in advance or give notice, I also have a prohibition notice regarding trespass on all municipal staff (which I've expanded to all federal and provincial employees contractors and agents, obviously for non emergency or legally related purposes (it was a lot of water and I have no water hookup I use rain water or I can filter river or lake water and a few other sources). they showed up the day after to dig up my asphault driveway access to the road...

I'm probably the last person in this area they would want to give a gun but maybe I'm wrong... none the less heard gunfire today and ran across the ranges look for the year. more gun fire ... just now.. using semiautos probably more 30 cals. It makes me want to pick up ballistic steel or carbon plate and a carrier as I'm feeling like my cermanic vest and kevlar won't hold up much against the 30-06, 30-30 and like as the stuff is cutting through a freaken fridge front and back and continuing. It would probably clear my 3A steel pasgt helmet no prob maybe not none the less... doing things illegal you dont need to probably doesn't increase your survival chances, as the only thing worse than raiders and zombies is probably the government when there is no WROL or emergency situation on going trying to take you out. None the less I'll keep trying to figure ways to make primer and powder with local resources, as well as continue trying to get a very economical model for a sintering or 3d printer. I could probably make a gun in an emergency but I don't feel comfortable with being able to make ammo right now.. none the less I would only consider breaking gun laws up here in the event of governmental collapse and civil disorder or life and death situation the government could not adequettely respond to pro socio pro bono.
 
Just traded a Pelican 1750 long gun case that I never use for a Wise 120 serving entree bucket.
 
I think today my biggest prep was jogging with a molleII ruck full of bricks, as well as walking. I am going to try to keep loading the ruck up to harden myself a bit. It also makes running like a nonexistant feeling once the pack is off even without adrenaline block out, just cruising. I have also been planting a bit. My biggest happy moment was that the grapes I planted last year are still alive and starting to bud a little. I'm in a northern climate around 50 degrees north in a cold part of Ontario so I'm very happy the riparia has started growing a little bit.. when it gets its leaves I will be ecstatic. I also have started planting some cranberry seed for bushes, I know where there is wild cranberry up here, but these ones I think are different being a more southern variety, hopefully it will be ok cause this is maybe zone 1 maybe getting into zone 2 and the bush is zone 2-5.

I also had fun taking apart an old electric stove that I'd like to convert into a kiln/wood stove. I may find another use for the elements etc.. there are a lot of neat components in it, a timer, a fuse array a bunch of voltage actuated switches from the knobs, havn't totally figure out the kiln/wood stove yet but I figure it is already good for heat, there is a hole coming up that can be used as a point to attach some round duct pipe for a chimney, which could also help if I put square ducting around it to create warm air so it can act as a furnace by cycling an dcompressing the smoke if I can perhaps seal the round duct chimney with clay or something like that to prevent smoke seapage into the air heater.

I've also been really close to buying the 144 watt unisolar that comes out to about $315 with shipping and customs, but it is a little over buget for me until the 11th or so, and I don't need it now I could use it in the fall though, will have to wait I guess. The $90 shipping and handlng is a little high for me. But if I didn't have the two I have now I'd most definately pick it up..
 
Picked up 2 Ar-15 rifle cases with 14 30 round magazines for the son and myself. Got to one of my favorite bulk food stores. Wife and I spent about $50 on baking soda, powder, powdered buttermilk, 13 pounds of oatmeal and other goodies. Spent the afternoon putting away out new purchases. I then loaded 100 shotgun shells and cleaned a bunch of pistol brass. Overall a pretty productive day.
 
Today we finished bringing home the lumber from the 2 story shed/shack we tore down. Spent a good while pulling nails out of the boards so we can start building another coop for the geese I'm looking at getting. There's enough lumber there to build the coop and some more rabbit hutches. Tomorrow is d day for either the chickens or the rabbits, depends on the weather. We've got a nice sized covered porch area in front of the big coop that we use to stack straw bales and such and I'll most likely butcher there if it's raining.
 
Bought solar lights and a manual 20 ton log splitter today for my bug out location. Im going manual for everything I possibly can if we loose electricity and the earth goes dark so hopefully I'll be ok if it does.
What exactly is a 20 ton log splitter?
 
If you heat with wood a log splitter is a good thing to have. A 20 ton log splitter would have a track you load the log into and a wedge that is forced into the log with the equivalent of 20 tons of force behind it.
 
Eh, not sure if I'll get much else done today but it was a gardening day, added a couple square meters of sorta bed. I've used some of the bricks as a bed also tried making a stone bed about 1m by 30cm each, and a few other spaces. Also loading some wood since it should rain next week according to the weather reports, good thing as I'm running low on drinking water, although I am still considering filling from the river of course there is running water available if I really need it but I'm still going on what I can get from nature without having to resort to municipal or corporate services. Only planted more of my mustard/khale raddish peas and carrots and basil. I'll probably only plant a few more cranberry seeds before sunset today. Probably go for a walk also around sunset not sure though, still a little stiff, and I don't want to remove the stiffness with adrenaline as today is a recovery day. I'm also experiementing with my plastic greenhouse tarps as I noticed that I get a lot of green growth after leaving it in a spot for a day or two so I'm practicing with dandylion greens, that is getting them to come up fast over a day or two and harvesting a block of them, as I'm still waiting for summer bounty to come around here, dandylion is like crop #1 right now, that and last years corn leaves and a little bit of fresh wheet grass, good for fibre and loaded with nutritional goodness. I also set up some raised tomato supports and put the greenhouse tarp overtop for a little greenhouse pocket to see how growth compares from a surface tarp to the raised tarp.

I also devised a plan to use plastic and metal eaves as a way of storing water for irrigation between my beds today, I'm going to have to try to implement it tommorrow, and test it when it rains this week but it works this way more or less. Put eaves in the ground, cap off the drainage parts, and/or include a pumpable tube or garden hose/sprinkler. I havn't figured out the pump mechanism yet but i figure maybe I can just dip strings into the water and get them to soak of the water and create drip irrigation... have to think this one out more, none the less need to line up the eaves. Something like this perhaps
 
If you heat with wood a log splitter is a good thing to have. A 20 ton log splitter would have a track you load the log into and a wedge that is forced into the log with the equivalent of 20 tons of force behind it.

Ah I've just been choping with a hatchet and sledge hammer, most meals can be cooked on two foot long logs sections about 6 inches thick no problem. I've never heated during winter with wood, but I'm fixing to make a wood stove out of my old electric stove that I'm pulling out of the house today.

Started gutting it yesterday, I think with some duck work I can get it working, more research required though.

The hatchet is getting pretty damn dull now though

I don't really like the idea of using my current wood oven for space heating (as opposed to heating me) as I feel like the chimey just gets too damn hot for my wood roof. In an emergency sure, that is why I'm setting to stock my attic with logs over the summer, still a long way to go I figure I can add maybe 30 6 or so foot long sections this year which should be a good wood reserve beyond my wood pile.
 
Do you have lamb's quarter up there? We've got it here and it's coming on good out in the yard and in the pastures. If you've not tried it, it's good as salad greens or cooked like spinach.
 
WOW!!! I feel like such a slacker, all Ive done is mow the yard and take the family to the lake and played on the jet skis. I guess I need to get busy.....I at least watched on old episode of Doomsday Preppers, if that counts for anything.
So, in prepper speak: mowing the lawn is inspecting your property and ensuring nothing can sneak up on you; you showed your family a rendezvous point; the jet skis are an alternative water passage vessel and escape route. At the park did you light a fire? Go swimming? See, you did do something.
 
Ah I've just been choping with a hatchet and sledge hammer, most meals can be cooked on two foot long logs sections about 6 inches thick no problem. I've never heated during winter with wood, but I'm fixing to make a wood stove out of my old electric stove that I'm pulling out of the house today.

Started gutting it yesterday, I think with some duck work I can get it working, more research required though.

The hatchet is getting pretty damn dull now though

I don't really like the idea of using my current wood oven for space heating (as opposed to heating me) as I feel like the chimey just gets too damn hot for my wood roof. In an emergency sure, that is why I'm setting to stock my attic with logs over the summer, still a long way to go I figure I can add maybe 30 6 or so foot long sections this year which should be a good wood reserve beyond my wood pile.
Splitting wood is best done with a splitter, especially in the events we prepare for. Many people have been injured/killed chopping wood. Taking a bite out of your leg isn't fun now, imagine with no hospitals or medicine. Also, steel splinters can shear off your axe or wedge and if they enter your body, its bad. If they get into your bloodstream they will float to your heart, then its good bye.
 
At first read that is hilarious.

Uhm yeah I have a saw too... None the less I have a wood pile still from 4 years ago. Its like maybe 2-3 peices of wood a day. None the less I also have access to solar and wind electric for cooking and heat, as well I can hook up propane, or gas, but I don't have a source for the gas at the moment but there is a giant pipeline and pump stations so in a doomsday situation who knows some might be able to be salvaged.

None the less my I didn't complete much today but I've been tearing out my kitchen counters and taking apart an old hudson bay company stove that I want to convert into a wood stove/furnace. basically when everything is taken apart there is the top, a few side peices of metal that might be useful for some metal use, perhaps to re-shingle my garage a bit or something else. None the less I found it strange that there were four pistol shaped sections that hold the oven part above the drawer part. there are also two clips that look like a pistol clip, as well as the two rails which oddly fit into the pistol area allowing recoil on the rails with sighting points like a rifle, my imagination working overtime I geuss but its almost as if the stove actually can make the body for two rifles, and other stuff. Lots of fun little DIY parts, two tiny incandescent bulbs, the time before diodes, and an analog mechanical time that can be set anywhere from 1 to 12 hours with a bell. but also other uses.. and a whole bunch of volt offset switches, a fuse relay and other fun DIY stuff. Anywho I also found a Chico Maki Shirriff Hockey Coin from the 1960's under a counter I detached from my wall. The reason I'm tearing out my small house is to convert it into a greenhouse, hydroponics/aquaponics flat, as well as potential minibarn for a goat, chickens rabits etc.. which can benefit from having a potentially heatable and insulated area during the winter. I also need to repair a basement cement block wall which is part of the reason i'm clearing stuff out. This will hopefully give me a chance to do some other preps, but I'm basically gutting the house of everything wiring which needed to be redone anyway, most plumbing, potentially the newer gas furnace and other stuff. I've basically migrated to my mobile home which is going to be sandwiched between my house and garage which is another security prep because there is only entry though the garage which can be bolted from the inside, although my security preps arn't real security preps because I'm telling people.... to the mobile, and likewise the mobile can be moved potentially... once a few things are adjusted. However won't go into more detail. I need to reinforce the basement with 2x4 supports before I take out the section of the wall that has shifted not sure if I will get that done this year, but that is what I worked on today. Took apart the stove, and took one counter off the wall. I really like the counters, will probably transfer everything into the garage for more shelving and work space, and potential future kitchen sink, and maybe bathroom in the garage.. but that is probably a year or more away.

IMO the neatest discovery today is that I think I could maybe experiment with creating some type of stock out of the hudson bay stove.. but I am suspicious on how much alike the parts look when I put themtogether, I am guessing that analog clock timeer may have some parts that can be used for a receiver. the only thing that isn't accounted for is being able to handle the blast pressure and an actual barrel. but there is one tube between the oven and the range. Another future project. It screws together though I'm not sure if a gun can be held together by screws.

Just a reminder throw nothing out, chances are you can do something with it. I may be able to actually get a fairly effective roof put together with appliance sheet metal, which is coated to be water protected..

lots said but the post above still strikes me as funny. instead of chopping wood will kill you, how about, be careful when you chop wood.

Depending on a machine is never something you can count on machines break, just like axes. Having a machine is good but having an axe as a backup is also good. Chances are though I can use the money for something I need more than a log splitter. BTW useful, but not essential. I'd rather get the exercise. However I do agree having one is way better than not having one. I don't have the cash for one, I have other priorities on my list atm. Sawing a log ain't the end of the world for me, since I don't really plan on being here beyond -10 weather and I can survive in -10 in a good sleeping bag if I need to, plus curently my wood stove is generally only used for cooking, I'm not at your level with wood heating just yet. But this DIY HBC electric stove conversion to fireplace is something I'm looking at, not sure how it will perform just yet if so. :)
 

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