This weeks preps check-in

[GaRp58]

Wet and rainy here all day too. Decided to finally change the filters in my under-the-counter water filtering system. Four-way filters and then the water still goes into a Brita filter before drinking or cooking with it. The neighbors all go shopping for bottled water for their drinking needs...I thought the filter was a better way. Cheaper too.

 

[Amish Heart]

It is cheaper. We have a family sized Berkey in the kitchen, and also R/O spicket at the sink.
Painting fence today

 

[Arcticdude]

Cold and windy here. Working on the wood shed, splitting firewood and need to change the oil and filters in the tractor and my truck. Could snow this weekend.

 

[Brent S]

It is cheaper. We have a family sized Berkey in the kitchen, and also R/O spicket at the sink.
Painting fence today

I have two berkeys and the charcoal filter in the fridge. Even with a clear deep well we don’t drink anything that’s not filtered. The gravity feed ceramic filters are my favorite. No moving parts and they last forever.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I thought I finished 2022 garden up. It’s deer proof, but then I started thinking what about raccoon proof......
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[Brent S]

I thought I finished 2022 garden up. It’s deer proof, but then I started thinking what about raccoon proof......
.View attachment 13791

But from what I’ve heard raccoons are good eating! At least to the clampets on the Beverly hillbillies… or maybe that was possums. Either way, meat and potatoes!

 

[DrHenley]

Raccoon is good eating but you have to cook it right or it's tough like squirrel. It tastes better than squirrel to me. But the coons I ate lived off mostly corn. Fish eating coons might be different. Country fried, raccoon has to simmer in the gravy a while.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

But from what I’ve heard raccoons are good eating! At least to the clampets on the Beverly hillbillies… or maybe that was possums. Either way, meat and potatoes!

They were consider a delicacy for thanksgiving when I worked in the hood. Sold a bunch of carcasses for a friend that trapped.
But if you have ever skinned out a coon, I would put it on the survival list.

 

[Brent S]

I’m definitely not above eating raccoon or possum. Right now I prefer beef from the grocery, but you can bet I would start hunting in a heartbeat if meat became scarce.
I do recommend to all to learn to catch, skin and cook wild game. Hopefully it’s a skill you would never need, but it just might help you out in the future. It’s a lot like gardening. It takes some practice to get good at it. Now is a much better time to learn than when you need it to survive. I watched some Utube videos to learn how to clean my first rabbits and chickens. I posted a thread here with some pictures a while back. I have never cleaned a deer but imagine it’s similar, just a lot heavier.

 

[GaRp58]

Put the new sheet metal roof on the garage today between the spouts of rain. The wooden roof with some plastic nailed down just was not working any more and the sheet metal has been laying around for almost a month...it was time to finish it...

 

[Amish Heart]

Filled up a cart at Aldi today, mostly for storage. Picked sage to dry, and mint seed heads for spring

 

[bill harrell]

Started gathering pecans this morning and making sugar

 

[Tornad0Alley]

Increased stored food supply, but better yet, the wife and I started dramatically reducing any and all debt. If we stick wtih our plan, we'll be debt free in less than a year. That means no car payments, mortgage...none of it. The only things we'll be paying for then are insurance and taxes... That will also free up a lot of funding for additional preps....and the occasional vacation get away.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Advice from Wendy Rogers in Arizona.

“Wendy Rogers (@WendyRogersAZ) Tweeted:
Buy more ammo and read more Jesus.

 

[Danil54grl]

I’m definitely not above eating raccoon or possum. Right now I prefer beef from the grocery, but you can bet I would start hunting in a heartbeat if meat became scarce.
I do recommend to all to learn to catch, skin and cook wild game. Hopefully it’s a skill you would never need, but it just might help you out in the future. It’s a lot like gardening. It takes some practice to get good at it. Now is a much better time to learn than when you need it to survive. I watched some Utube videos to learn how to clean my first rabbits and chickens. I posted a thread here with some pictures a while back. I have never cleaned a deer but imagine it’s similar, just a lot heavier.

Hunny and I ran thru Meat Market while at the store just to check out the prices of beef. I have to admit it was STICKER SHOCK! We haven't had to buy beef for years now and the cost per pound is just outrageous right now! I saw the good steaks. . . a package of 3 ribeye steaks thick cut for $50-$65 a package!! Sorry, dont remember the poundage price.

For small wild game, like squirrel or raccoon, I find slow cooking after a quick browning, in a gravy to be the best. For deer cleaning, we bring back to the house and hang them on a cross beam hunny hung over the back yard gate to gut. Basically the same process but on a bigger scale.

 

[Brent S]

Hunny and I ran thru Meat Market while at the store just to check out the prices of beef. I have to admit it was STICKER SHOCK! We haven't had to buy beef for years now and the cost per pound is just outrageous right now! I saw the good steaks. . . a package of 3 ribeye steaks thick cut for $50-$65 a package!! Sorry, dont remember the poundage price.

For small wild game, like squirrel or raccoon, I find slow cooking after a quick browning, in a gravy to be the best. For deer cleaning, we bring back to the house and hang them on a cross beam hunny hung over the back yard gate to gut. Basically the same process but on a bigger scale.

Yeah, small game may be the only meat many people can afford before too long. I pity the wildlife populations as things deteriorate. I’ve read that there is nothing left to hunt in Venezuela now

 

[Brent S]

Increased stored food supply, but better yet, the wife and I started dramatically reducing any and all debt. If we stick wtih our plan, we'll be debt free in less than a year. That means no car payments, mortgage...none of it. The only things we'll be paying for then are insurance and taxes... That will also free up a lot of funding for additional preps....and the occasional vacation get away.

It amazes me how few preppers consider eliminating debt as a major part of prepping. Once you do that it frees you up to persue so much more and reduces stress for the rest of your life.

 

[Amish Heart]

Absolutely. We did that a few years back, and now we are retired. Car/Trucks paid for in cash, no mortgage. We just pay insurance and taxes.
Taxes. Ugh.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Hunny and I ran thru Meat Market while at the store just to check out the prices of beef. I have to admit it was STICKER SHOCK! We haven't had to buy beef for years now and the cost per pound is just outrageous right now! I saw the good steaks. . . a package of 3 ribeye steaks thick cut for $50-$65 a package!! Sorry, dont remember the poundage price.

For small wild game, like squirrel or raccoon, I find slow cooking after a quick browning, in a gravy to be the best. For deer cleaning, we bring back to the house and hang them on a cross beam hunny hung over the back yard gate to gut. Basically the same process but on a bigger scale.

As I can gain freezer space, I am going to Costco Business center and buying the ’Roasts“ at 4-5.99 a lb. It might cost me an $100, but I will have steaks worth 3 times that At current ridiculous retail.

 

[Danil54grl]

I recently went up to the feed store to buy more bulk seeds and as I have said before in Chat, they didn't have a whole lot to chose from, but I did get some of what I was looking for. I just wanted to do the top off from what I had previously bought this year. I have gone 3 times this year. I ended up putting everything in individual vacuum sealed bags for the freezer. Seeds are getting hard to come by from what the girl behind the counter told me. Get them while you can!! I phoned my neighbor to inform him. He is going Monday when they open back up. Being able to grow your own may just be a life saver. . .

I would also suggest to stock up on your food pantry and essential items as much as you can. I topped us off a couple months ago trying to get us ready for whatever may be coming.