What did you do to prep today?

[carol b]

I can tell you how to make kraut without mold. Should I start a thread? Or you can PM me.

[Lurker]

Chuck roast was on sale this week - 4 packages netted me 7 packed quarts from the canner. Worried that I'll be eating this sooner than later though (not only is it GOOD, meat is getting very pricey).

[I.C.O.E.B.G.]

I'd enjoy seeing a pic of that, so please post one when you get a chance!

Besides cleaning house, I "cleaned my potting area" in order to get it ready for more planting. Then, did some work out in a few of the garden beds. I had a barter garden consulting appt this afternoon and she left loaded up with close to 100 E W Onions, the last Red Chokes I could spare (only 6), a few Everbearing Stwbys, sprouting All Blue Potatoes, 100 Martin's Kitchen Garlic Cloves, Scarlet Runner Bean seeds, Dill seeds, 3 Comfrey plants, and a split of my Rhubarb. Of course after a few hours of Q/A session, she appeared overloaded with information. So, I bid her fairwell with a suggestion to not worry about remembering anything. We are doing a longer term consultation, due to their difficulties growing their garden. I am determined to provide the assistance so they get great results. This will also include me visiting their homestead regularly to check on the progress. They are excited and very motivated! I can work with people like that Oh, we get pork & massages in return.

Will do Christie, maybe by monday I can post some pics. http://www.wavesforwater.org/community-filters/

[prudentwatcher]

A couple of days ago I went to our new Ace Hardware with a $10 off $20 coupon. Found half gallon canning jars for $10.49 a case. Bought the 2 they had on the shelf. Also got some strike anywhere matches as Publix has quit carrying them.

ETA: today our Living Social coupon was a $30 coupon to Ace Hardware for $15 so I bought one. Can't beat half price stuff. Also used a Groupon yesterday and got $15 in Ebay credit for $7.

Today we went to Sams. Got some extra meat for the freezer, some more AAA batteries, and 2 bottles of ibuprofen.

Publix has kitty treats on sale and I have coupons, so I'll get some more on Monday. Also got another 4 lbs of beans.

[CVORNurse]

Begged a few days off work this week, so I worked on my little mostly raised bed garden. Planted a new strawberry bed with 30 Chandler and 10 Ozark plants. Planted over 50 asparagus crowns yesterday. Also mowed the area not in beds yet, and planted running beans, cucumbers and gourds along the fence.
Out in the big garden I set out around 50 tomato plants, but some seem to have been bitten by an unofficial frost. Still have another 50 or so on the back porch to set out, along with bell, cayenne, and habanero pepper plants.

[rightsatrisk911]

Just sent DH shopping(he loves to shop) the sales in town. He will get 2 cases of arrowhead water for 2.99 each, case of hormel chile 21.12, case of pork N beans 11.99, case of spigetti O's 13.20, 2 18 dbl rolls TP 8.99 ea, alcohol & peroxide 2 for a 1.00 2 of each, plastic tote for TP 3.99, 2 18 count eggs 1.59 each, 2 storage buckets with lids 2 for 9.00, 20lbs rice 10.99 to go in one of the buckets. That's all. My money is gone now. I'm so glad my DH finially gets it!!! It's so much easier. Like when I started talking about the tote and the tp. He said that's a good idea, hopefully we'll never need it but if we do we'll have it. Then he went on talking about other stuff that could also go in it and maybe we should get 2 totes. Also plan on hitting the cannery next tuesday for long term storage stuff. Wish I could go sooner but that's my ward canning date. They have great prices on ox obsorbers and mylar bags.

Leslie
p.s. all cases listed above are 24 count cases

[CaryC]

Hey,

FYI you can get Diamond Strike Anywhere Matches online @ Amazon.com. They come in a 3 pack. However, they won't come up if you search for them, at least they didn't for me, you have to do the other type first and then you'll get.... "....people who bought these also bought....." and they will be there. Odd, don't you think? Another FYI you can then dip them in clear fingernail polish, and they will also be water proof.

Back on topic: Last Sat. (a bit late I know) sprayed all of our fruit trees. Which we will have to keep doing now until harvest. Have 2 apples, 2 peaches, 2 plums. If they hold the fruit they have on them now till then (harvest) it's going to break them down, so will probably have to start pulling some soon. It's the third year we have had them in the ground here, but I think they were already 5 years old when we got them from the nursery. Drug out the old dehydrator to see how to dry the fruit.

Also got some fruit tree fertilizer Sat. which you have to do each month till harvest. Gosh all they had was a 20 lb. bag, should last a couple of years. Since the apple tree is close to a cedar tree, I also sprayed it for fungus. Those two swap a fungus back and forth every spring and fall.

Today, cut, and split, about a half a cord of wood. Do you know that that is like doing real work? We installed a wood heater a month or two ago, I think I put that up in this thread. So am buying some, should get a load tomorrow, and cutting some. To sort of give me a head start.

Also spoke to a guy from a new outfit, that is way under cutting the competition on price, seeking info on pre-booking, and exchanging tanks. O, that concerning propane. My people have it for 3.49, and his for 2.19. Go figure?

Tomorrow: plan on going by the place I bought my stove from and getting a heat shield. It's not to bad now, on the wall behind the heater, but wanted a little extra protection if for nothing else than peace of mind.

Getting some more nails stored up, and some new files. I got some and thought they were OK, then I started sharping my axe, and surprise, surprise. It got it sharp without too much work, but I did notice they were about done for.

Plan on getting some more dirt (we're got a whole acre and a 1/4 and we got to go buy some?????) the kind what comes in a bag, to put in our raised beds.

There are 2 rules of thumb for here in the deep south, blackberry winter happens when the blackberries are in bloom (the buds are about to open, here) and put your garden out on good friday. These two rules of thumb are probably because the ground isn't warm enough for summer plants, and you could get a late frost, killing everything. All of that is coming up, so we are waiting until after then, or good friday, to put it out.

After we get back from town tomorrow, and I see where we stand on our money, I want to order a case of shotgun shells from Cabela's 12 ga. 2 3/4" No. 6 shot, last I saw they were 68.00. IMO No. 6's are the best all around shot, great for squirrels, and rabbits. Only a bit small for turkey, geese, and a bit big for Doves, and Quails. So if you have to hit the woods with only one shell for everything, I think it should be the No. 6.

[ChristieAcres]

I potted up the following seedlings: 5 Zucchini, 4 Cherry Tomatoes, and 5 Pink Brandywine Tomatoes. Since I make my own tags, I took a plastic venetian blind slat, cut it into multiple lengths, and made a tag for each pot. The reason is that I will have plants in the hundreds, multiple types of each variety, as well. The number of each has to do with how many different types of that variety I am growing (also my orchard conversion to Permaculture). After I completed that task, I went out into my little greenhouse and potted up close to 100 Choc Mints, Red Bee Balms, Comfreys (Bocking14), and Lady's Mantles. I took some extra Choc Mint plants and planted them in a large pot. There are some Kale plants that need planting, so that is another task to work on. I decided to grow Kale in one of my greenhouse raised beds. Since there was still some daylight, I headed out to the garden to move some Lady's Mantles into a different bed, and also to plant White Alpine "Pineapple Crush" Strawberries in between our Blueberry Bushes. I spent some time doing some mental planning as I am rotating a number of beds this year, and also moving plants. Within a week or so, we can start harvesting our Asparagus! With that outdoor work finished, I came in to fix dinner. DH already had it started, so I portioned out the homemade soup (from last night) into a pot, and set that on the wood stove. After I worked out, I planted the following seeds (to germinate inside): Spaghetti Squash, more Pink Brandywine Tomatoes, Albany GA Heirloom Tomatoes, Petunia's, Waltham Butternut Squash, Early Sugar Pumpkin, Brussells Sprouts, Marigolds, and Cabbage. I have multiple other varieties already planted to germinate indoors. My planting schedule will keep me busy for a week, which also includes a bit of weeding each day, prepping for planting out in my garden.

[GoodEnergy]

Received the Family Grain Mill I ordered first of the week. Yeehaw! I ground a batch of wheat berries and tomorrow will make some bread. Way better/faster than my little toy Norpro grinder. My arms should be all muscled up in no time.

[cyberiot]

Received the Family Grain Mill I ordered first of the week. Yeehaw! I ground a batch of wheat berries and tomorrow will make some bread. Way better/faster than my little toy Norpro grinder. My arms should be all muscled up in no time.

Just remember to switch arms every once in awhile, or you'll wind up looking like a fiddler crab . . .