Posted on 02/26/2018 12:12:20 PM PST by CottonBall
I’ve been missing the vast amount of information on prepping, survival, camping, simple cooking, the old ways of doing just about everything – all the things nw_arizona_granny knew so much about and shared with us, along with numerous other posters with a vast array of skills and knowledge.
We have our various related-threads here, a recipe thread, a gardening thread, and even a prepper thread. They are all great and I don’t mean to take anything away from those and the hard work their owners put in.
But I was missing a place to talk about ALL those things, to get the camaraderie that we used to have on granny’s thread.
I learned how to can on those threads! The pressure canner was not my friend, I thought, but I bought one and stared at it for a month, intimidated. Then I read the directions for another month. But with the help and encouragement of posters on granny’s threads, I jumped in and now have my very own food storage room in the basement with lovely jars of shelf-stable meats, vegetables, and fruit. When we moved, I fashioned my food storage room – and insisted upon having a basement – from what I learned on her threads. Getting started gardening was from her threads. Making my own cleaning products….the list is endless.
So I thought I would take the chance and start another comprehensive prepper thread and see how it goes. I used to have granny’s ping list since I made one of the threads for her, but alas, with numerous computer changes, I cannot find it. So please pass this onto any posters you think might be interested.
We’ll just keep it running until..whenever. Granny created a new thread at 10,000 posts or so. I do like the idea of having ONE thread to go to – because often I cannot find or keep track of the weekly threads. I won’t be posting lots of recipes or tidbits myself – to any mods concerned about the size of this thread. I’d just like a place to chat, post questions, post ideas, make new prepping friends.
Here are granny’s threads, if anyone wants to peruse them:
nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #1
“There are other methods that can be employed for longer term (ie.: cold storage/freeze, oxygen absorbers, etc.).”
I never thought about using oxygen absorbers.
I did try something different this last year, I’m storing send chocolate with oxygen absorbers, testing how well it works.
Thanks Diana! The gardening thread is top-notch, that’s where I learned how to garden. And especially how to deal with weather and pests and diseases!
Thanks for that great tip!!
“Also, there are several misplaced edible plants (we call them weeds)”
Lol, I love the name. I’ve read that the younger leaves on Kudzu are edible, more like a salad green.
They’re adorable.
But I’ve got porches rather than patios and almost a half dozen 4’x8’ raised beds—so probably will make do with what I have on that front.
“as in tough times your garden will get poached.”
You might actually have an easier time than we do out here with 18 Acres. Whatever survives the weeds and the pests and the diseases, ends up getting taken off by the wildlife. I was thinking if we bought a house in town at least the deer and the raccoon and the coyotes would leave everything alone.
Ie, corn - the first year the deer got a lot of it. The second year it was the crows. The third year we don’t know exactly what but it’s something that pulled it down and ate it on the spot. Could be possumsor ground hogs I guess. The frontier was the most interesting. Coyotes! One morning we saw the whole pack come through, pull down the stalks and drag them into the forest. And they ate every last kernel. Last year we figured out to put radios outside in the garden. That did a good job keeping everything away.
Yep, that’s me. Not just beans, either, although there are always a few of those. I grow whatever Baker Creek assigns me, plus I try to preserve other varieties that strike my fancy, as long as they won’t cross with anything else in my garden.
You’re welcome! Thanks for the tip on container gardening. Even though we have enough acreage, sometimes I just get sick of the weeds. It would be much easier on the back patio, and closer if I just want one tomato for a salad.
The raccoons and I have an understanding and we don’t have deer in my yard, but the squirrels and chipmunks especially love feasting on my strawberries and cherry tomatoes. I try to grow enough for us all!
That sounds like so much fun. I don’t know why but I enjoy harvesting the seeds more than I do the produce. I guess it’s a combination of being the end of the gardening season so that I get a rest. And the hope for the next year, planning ahead and getting ready a bit. Having something to show for it all.
We’re going to be moving, but I’ll still have about nine acres. Half of what I have now. Would that be enough to grow seeds that are good enough for a Seed Company?
That’s very considerate of you!
I’ve learned one thing the hard way with squirrels. Don’t even bother growing nuts. I have two lovely hazelnut trees. They’ve been producing for two years now. The first year I got tons of nuts. Since hazelnuts are not native to this area I think they had no idea what they were. Second-year they figured it out and I didn’t get a one. Probably cuz they are storing them. If it was some fruit they had to eat immediately I might have gotten some. I’m thinking about not even planting any of the new house. But they are such pretty trees.
I was considering a cherry tree and some winter hardy almost tress.
Then looked up deer and fruit trees, which led to rabbits and squirrels and fruit trees.
That’s when I realized that I would never get a crop from any of them as it’s just the two of us and there’s nobody to guard the trees 24/7 for as much of the summer as it would take for the crop to come in and be harvested.
I guess I’ll stick to buying them.
Baker Creek has contract growers who just have a postage-stamp garden in the backyard. 9 acres is more than enough!
We’ve got a couple of small peach and pear trees—and we end up with nothing: the squirrels carry the fruit off when its about half grown.
Me too !
Generally speaking, the smaller the seed, the less likely that there is adequate protection for the seed germ to survive (ie.: onion seed).
That's probably why most people buy onion sets/ already started.
Even the fruit? I guess I’ve been lucky to get apples, after the bear, deer, and birds get theirs.
Thanks, I’ll save their name ;)
I “almost” wanted a house in the city so I could grow fruit without it being all stolen. Pretty ironic, isn’t it?
I’ve grabbed a decent apple or two, but without spraying we wouldn’t want anyway they don’t ripen without getting a little wacky inside.
I’m reading about a military coup to occur before the 20th.
IF true, what can we do to prepare in the next week? In order of priority.
Let’s come up with some ideas for all level of peppers, from those that don’t have enough food or water to last a month to those that need to double-check their supplies.
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I’m also wondering what you think this coup will do to our society? Most in other countries have been devastating to the economy, chaos in the cities. Yet Lin Wood is recommending only 10 days of food and water.
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