What did you do to prep today?

[GoodEnergy]

Thanks for the warning. DH probably wouldn't find that attractive in the least.

[joyfulheart]

yesterday and today I canned:

30 half-pints of cheddar
15 pints of condensed milk
4 pints of pastrami
6 pints of pork roast

I would do more if I had more to can and more jars!

Going to defrost a turkey that's taking up room in the freezer to cook up and can this weekend.

Finally broke down and bought two waterbobs. no idea when they will arrive though. I ordered them on the 4th and still no shipping notice (grumble grumble grumble...)

Also bought two new survival/prepping cookbooks.

One is cool-- uses nothing but canned foods. NO ADDITIONAL WATER NEEDED. Good ideas in that one. Uses lots of condensed milk and broths though-- both cannable for CHEAP, so not too bad. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088290969X


the other one is good, using a different system to keep everything, including the recipe together. also good. I actually like this one for my family-- just have to figure out how to implement it. I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599553856

[joyfulheart]

Just added it up... I have just about 500 jars canned and another 5 dozen empty ready to fill (saving those in case I need to can up the freezer contents!)

It took me 3 years of slowly buying jars to get there. I am constantly looking out for canning jars, but around here very few can, so it's mostly a lost cause.

Not much for a family of 5 (which in a SHTF situation would quickly become 11 people) but every little bit helps! Honestly, not sure where I'd put another 500 jars! LOL They take up alot of room! :D

(no basements here and it's HOT in Texas!)

[Berean]

yesterday and today I canned:

30 half-pints of cheddar
15 pints of condensed milk
4 pints of pastrami
6 pints of pork roast

I would do more if I had more to can and more jars!

Going to defrost a turkey that's taking up room in the freezer to cook up and can this weekend.

Finally broke down and bought two waterbobs. no idea when they will arrive though. I ordered them on the 4th and still no shipping notice (grumble grumble grumble...)

Also bought two new survival/prepping cookbooks.

One is cool-- uses nothing but canned foods. NO ADDITIONAL WATER NEEDED. Good ideas in that one. Uses lots of condensed milk and broths though-- both cannable for CHEAP, so not too bad. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088290969X


the other one is good, using a different system to keep everything, including the recipe together. also good. I actually like this one for my family-- just have to figure out how to implement it. I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599553856

I'm curious about canning condensed milk. Are you buying large cans of the milk and then canning them in smaller jars?

[grower]

Bought a couple of pounds of rice on sale, and made arrangements toward picking up a buck goat for my little herd of milkers.

[joyfulheart]

I'm curious about canning condensed milk. Are you buying large cans of the milk and then canning them in smaller jars?

No, condensed milk here is 1.50+ for the small cans. I cant afford that (in bulk)

I'm using the "recipe" that a lady from the carrollton LDS gave me-- appareantly it's not officially FDA approved, but that's because the FDA has never tested it. they have been using it with success for YEARS and do hand it out in their classes as a LDS approved but not FDA approved recipe.

I got home and realized it's identical to Jackie Clay's recipe.

It's just canned milk, but when it's canned it is like condensed milk-- I did whole milk, 1 gallon at Aldi's cost $1.25 and got 10 pints per gallon. MUCH cheaper than the cans. Since most recipes I use call for 14 ounce cans of condensed milk, I just did pint (16 ounce) jars.


Boiling Water Bath method of canning milk
fill hot, sterilized jars with warm milk. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim of jar, add hot simmered lid on jar and process in bwb for 60 minutes.

[BugoutBear]

Today I bottled a carboy of clove flavored mead.
Either for barter later this year or to toast TEOTWAWKI.
Whichever comes first.

[BrudderT]

Attended a 6 hour bee keeping class that included "hands on" experience. It was really cool to actually see what it's like to stand there with thousands of bees buzzing all around! They are surprisingly docile and non agressive. They really dont seem to care at all that you are pulling their house appart an raiding their honey larder. I feel much more comfortable now about installing my package next week.

Also picked up 12 Nato cans that I ordered from a local surplus store. Fully reconditioned. Wish I'd bought em when they were $26 ea. Had to pay nearly $40 ea this time but I'm happy to get em even at that price. She tells me that she now has a waiting list for them and that some people were not happy that she sold all of this batch to one person! Splitting the deal with another prepper friend.

BrudderT

[GoodEnergy]

I ordered some Nido powdered milk. I hate powdered milk, but have heard that Nido is actually good, so it's worth a try. Friday I got my new Family Grain Mill and just had to give it a test run. Today I baked some bread with the fresh ground wheat. Nom nom nom.

[CaryC]

Turned under our raised beds, and planted a row of Green Beans.