It has been a while since this has been done. So, just what have you done in the past week for your preps?

I've put up 60 ears of corn, frozen bell peppers (red and green), onions, meat. Canned carrots, potatoes, and hot peppers. Have made 18 pounds of hamburger rocks.

-- (cannot-say@this.time), October 02, 1999

Answers

canned 5 pounds of shrimp, 12 pints of meat sauce and bought several doses of anti-biotics. Not that much, but I am awaiting a royalty check and will "top off" my supply of canned goods and to finish off the canning of meat sauces. Yum, yum. I also have green cumquats which will be ripe soon and will make them into preserves.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), October 02, 1999.

25 lbs of bananas dehydrating---50 lbs of tomatos simmering down to sause---75 lbs of apples bought and waiting in my cool storage---pulled the dead stuff from part of my garden and enjoyed a wood fire each morning this week--found a feather matress CHEAP and am snuggling in for the winter.

-- catherine plamondon (uptomyelbows@tomato.com), October 02, 1999.

last weekend put the CB antenna up.

We have canned goods and meat sales locally, so stocked up. I will be canning meat this week, then finished with foodstuffs. Today, finished putting in drainage thingies in the gardens. Manured the last garden. Tomorrow I will put chicken wire up on the last garden fence. Next weekend I will finish the leanto hay storage on the chicken coop. That is the last big building project I have. Gonna start getting cold and wet pretty soon out here and will have to move to inside or under-roof projects.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), October 02, 1999.

Stored an additional 400 gallons of on-road diesel fuel, into 55 gal barrels. I am trying to move fast before the price gets up even higher.

Placed an order for a "silencer kit" for my China Diesel generator, which should muffle the air intake and exhaust.

Went to Texas on an excursion, bought a lot of good quality old tools. (I live in NW Arkansas.) For use and for possible barter.

90 days.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.~net), October 02, 1999.

I think I have everything I need and then I spot a sale! Can goods 4 for $1. I ordered some non-prescription pencillin, and went to the used book store for more books. Got my last dental check-up for the year. Took my pressure canner to the County Extension Office for a guage check before I start canning meat. Made 4lbs of hamburger jerky and dehydrated carrots and onions. Went to the feed store to buy hay for the dogs and found good bargain on garden seed there. A health store opened up in town and I found soy flour (just about gave up trying to find this local) to use for egg substitution in baking. Now I know I have everything---- until the next sale.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), October 02, 1999.

Let's see--

Continue to learn to can and smoke (food, not cigs)

Started a new row of onions and spinach in the greenhouse

Spent 4 hours at the shooting range

Disinfected old 55 gal Pepsi containers in preparation for water storage

Fired up the gennie

Another bad dream woke me up last nite (yes, I view that as a prep)

-- cath (fin@llyGI.com), October 03, 1999.

Hi, everyone! We bought a big, multi-purpose fire extinguisher, put up a 3200 gallon water catchment tank, read up on homeopathic remedies, and ordered 20 of them to set up a "kit", completed our first aid kit, hauled in a load of cow manure from the nearby dairy, and worked it into the compost pile, and got a crick in my neck from worrying while I was asleep!

Also, what are hamburger rocks?

Have any of you thought of using TVP (textured vegetable protein) in your meals? It cooks up just like hamburger, and you can season it anyway you want to, and it costs just pennies per serving! It's a great thing to stock up 50 or 100# of. Our family's vegetarian, and the first time I made tacos with tvp, all three of the kids said, "Huh, I thought we didn't eat meat anymore!"

-- Margo (margos.corner@mailcity.com), October 03, 1999.

Margo -- TVP is a great thing! Found some shaped like chicken breasts. We're vegetarian too.

Let's see -- this week. Went to Delaware (no sales tax] to visit a friend. Stopped at a Mennonite grocery store and got great deals on canned food and dried goods (like flours, sweeteners, dried nuts and fruit). Canned pickles. Made fire starters from egg cartons, dryer lint, and wax. We're just about done with preps, but there are still odds and ends of things to do -- a seemingly endless stream of it. Need to go deal with cat food...

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), October 03, 1999.

Packing to get out of here, organized my cash...am ordering about 15 boxes of protein bars and more vitamins, ordered more books... Still buying food here to leave my friend, faxed a lot of material to help someone GI better.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), October 03, 1999.

I've pretty much completed my preps, but when shopping, I still wind up stocking up! Found veggies on sale for 5/$1.00. Also got a second extra pr. of eye glasses and enough RX meds to take me well into next year- ins. wouldn't cover so far ahead, but these meds not so expensive I couldn't pay, myself. Also got two fire extinguishers- for different areas in the house. Keep buying pet food on sale. Canned up applesauce. Shelling my walnuts for storage. Have been accumulating first aid supplies. Am concerned that we had better be as ready as possible by the end of November.....the panic will probably settle in by December!

-- Jo Ann (MaJo@Michiana.com), October 03, 1999.

Just finished building a solar oven. Will test it tomorrow a.m. if it's sunny. Hope it works!

Margo, see this thread on Hamburger Rocks:

http//:www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000pEx

cannot-say, I've been thinking about making burger rocks; is it a big deal to do it so that they're safe (non-bacterial) when dried? How paranoid does one need to be?

-- PH (ag3@interlog.com), October 03, 1999.

M,

To answer your question, hamburger rocks are cooked hamburger dehydrated.

PH,

To answer your question.... hard to tell. I made some earlier this year, and ate some of it either 3 or 4 months later to make sure we liked it before I spent the time and money to make bunches. We didn't get sick, and I just had it stored in freezer zip lock bags inside of coffee tins. The batch that I did this time, I put into canning jars. Just be sure to drain all of the fat off of the meat before you put it into the dehydrator. It is the fat that will make the meat go bad. I cooked mine in small batches (about a pound at a time) and drained under hot water for at least 5 minutes, more if the fat was still there. I drained it until I could see no oily specs in the water. The last 9 pounds that I dried took up only 3 quart jars when completed, maybe just a bit over 3 quarts. Should be great in chili and the like.

-- (cannot-say@this.time), October 03, 1999.

Margo..or anyone...where can I buy TVP in at least 25# bags at a reasonalble price. Used to buy it in 50# bags years ago when I lived in Salt Lake City. Now I can only find it at about $5/# plus shipping. Appreciate any info. Thanks

Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), October 04, 1999.

I filled some empty plastic seltzer bottles with water. I packed two more 5 gallon containers with rice and beans and other supplies for my bugout location.

Also, I picked up another 20# of white rice. I filled another box full of canned goods in my storage locker.

I still need to get some more gas, though.

My second batch of gold coins will arrive soon, and I still have a LOT of prepping to do.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), October 04, 1999.

If you're near a Harris-Teeter grocery store, then do what I did: load up on your British gourmet favorites--they're on special this week! Cookies, crackers, beer (for short-term, of course), Rose's, Robinson's and Keiller's marmalades, chutney, Bird's dessert (custard) powder (excellent stash item, just add hot milk and sugar for sauce or dessert), Walker's shortbread, Twining's teas. There'll be times when you need a special lift; if you don't buy this stuff, buy some other types of frou-frou. For other prep stuff bought this weekend, see post re Big Lots.

Practical stuff: have had a good clear-out of the carport utility room and have recycled old metal shelves, separated in half, to install new shelving above the washer and dryer up to the ceiling (very high on one side due to sloping roof). Lots more much-needed storage for emergency items not affected by heat or cold. It took some time, not being as agile as you young 'uns, but it was well worth it. Have a bit more to do out there, some more shelves to add, then I start on the garden shed. Aaaaargh! That's going to be a week-long project!

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), October 04, 1999.

Cleared some brush for a place to stack wood that should come this week. Tested siphon/ceramic water filters and rinsed them through with lots of water. Some concerns about one of them. Checked path to freshwater source and source itself. (Too cold for snakes this weekend!) Tried to re-organize some things for additional space. Tried making a poloar fleece head/neck covering thingy-- it turned out okay, but I wouldn't wear it off the farm, no doubt. Now that the test one is done, 4 or 5 more to go. Opened and read the instructions for the battery operated CO detector (installation - don't put it here, don't put it there, don't even think about over there.... not near a vent, not in direct sunlight, not near kitchen appliances or near furnace... for table tops no higher than 36 inches from the floor, for wall mounting not less than 5 feet from floor-- who writes these manauals?!?!)

Continued debating getting a bigger lp tank-- tanks are only filled to 80% capacity, so the larger tank would net us an additional 144 gallons of lp when 'full.' Versus workers coming into the house (which is always in a state of disaster) to re-light pilots... Sigh.

-- winter wondering (winterwondring@yahoo.com), October 04, 1999.

Taz...hello! I get all of our food from Mountain People's Warehouse, in California. It's a large natural food distributor that serves the western 1/3 of the country and Hawaii. There are other similar setups on the east coast and midwest and south, I'm sure. We coordinate a food-buying club for about 130 area families.

I can order TVP in a 20# bag for $25.77...that's $1.29 a lb. 2 pounds fills up a gallon zip lock bag...enough for 12 or 14 meals for a family of four (burritos, tacos, "ground beef" type casserole, spaghetti sauce, etc. etc.) maybe more.

To locate a natural food distributor in your area, I would suggest calling a health food store and asking them who they order from...then call that distributor, and ask them if there is a buying club in your area. Or you can usually order by yourself, but you usually have to meet the minimum order of $500 or so. Go in with another group, or get together 2 or 3 friends and form your own group. That's how we started...first there were 3 families, now, 5 years later, more than 130!

Let me know if you have any other questions...Margo

-- Margo (margos@bigisland.com), October 04, 1999.

Kept the dehydrator loaded both Saturday and Sunday.

Got up early Sunday morning and left an info package in front of every door on the block: The Utne Reader's Citizen Action Guide for Y2K and a photocopy of a page I put together by cutting and pasting from the www:

90 Days Left Until Y2K: (as of 10/01/1999) Its not the odds, its the Stakes.

IBM In-House Magazine Promotes Y2K Preparedness http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6233 "Stock non-perishable foods, water and medications you use regularly," the IBM publication says. "Have some extra cash on hand; fill your gas tank a day or so before New Year's Eve; and have blankets, gloves, flashlights and extra batteries on hand in case of power failures." (It suggests candles are hazardous.)

Cap Gemini/Rubin Survey: 48% of Large Businesses Surveyed Will Not Make the Deadline http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6299 In August 1998, twelve percent of the companies didn't expect to have their critical systems repaired in time for the Year 2000; since then, the percentage has grown steadily: by August 1999, it had reached forty-eight percent not expecting to have their critical systems done in time. It should go without saying that, if all is well, those numbers would be going down, not up.

40% of America's 14.5 Million Small Businesses Are Not Prepared http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6303 14.5 million American small-business owners employ more than 50 percent of the private workforce, generate more than half of the nation's gross domestic product and are the principal source of new jobs in the U.S. economy.

When Small Businesses Go Down, So Will Everything Else http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6297 These "paycheck to paycheck" employers and employees are gambling their economic survival that Y2k will be the fabled bump in the road. If Y2k is not, economic road kill will liter America and the world. They are gambling that Fix on Failure is a valid response to Y2k since Y2k won't be a catastrophic failure. If this assumption is wrong, small to medium business entities, and their employees, will be bankrupt within 90 days. Let me repeat that for emphasis: If they are wrong, they are bankrupt in 90 days. . . .

If Washington, D.C. Shuts Down, So Will the U.S. Government http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6310

Massive Procrastination => Panic in December http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6085 Almost 40% intend to stockpile food and water, and about one in five will stock up on gasoline, according to the poll of 1,014 adults conducted Aug. 25-29 by the Gallup Organization.

20 Days' Supply of Food in Reserve, If We Count Tobasco Sauce http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/6346 Thrifty's message in Y2K preparedness is simple: if you are going to prepare, do it now. Thompson says, "It is not our job or role to tell you to prepare. That's a personal decision. But 50 percent of our customers have indicated they will be preparing for more than the usual 3-7 day suggestion. Our advice is do it now, not in the last week of December." Supply lines are delicate. The US Department of Agriculture says there is a 20-day supply of food in the chain.

-- Dennis Law (PaulLaw@aol.com), October 04, 1999.

Forgot to mention: I found Yardly Aloe Vera soap bars on sale in a package of 4 for $2.49 in a local drug store and bought 10 packages (40 bars).

-- Dennis Law (PaulLaw@aol.com), October 04, 1999.

Moved the chickens to their cages. Put 'em back in when they escaped.

Refilled my prescritiption early...so will have extra pills.

Bought extra tomato sauce. Put away some of the extra food my wife bought.

Added three good books to my library (3 for a dollar at the Salvation Army).

Received a box of tapioca slips to be planted. Worked on terracing, so I'll have a place to plant the tapioca.

Prayed...a lot.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), October 04, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California

Bought a pony for my son. Purchased his Halloween costume at the army surplus store (camoflaged soldier), including a real, size small helmet, which I sized down further using eight maxipads. When he outgrows this, it will fit me.

Cleaned 20 buckets for next push of dry food storage.

Wrote application to neighborhood association's architectural approval committee, to have wine barrels tucked behind bushes in front yard, on mosquito abatement pretext. Even if approved, I won't actually put them there until after TSHTF and rain is imminent. These will be rolled back indoors whenever empty and rain is not forcasted.

Finished last few hours of 30 required for Neighborhood Emergency Response Team [NERT] certification, for which they issued an official helmet and vest. Planned door to door visitation to encourage folks to stock up.

Added a rechargable fire extinguisher (with a metal handle) to the many that I already have, which I didn't realize were not rechargable.

Put together a Shelter Addendum Bag after realizing the previous week that this would be useful.

Packed some spices. Stored some lime. Improved design of roof rain catchment system, including consideration of how this will be protected and shared.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), October 05, 1999.

Taz

www.honeyvillegrain.com

Has 50# bags unflavored TVP for $24.50 - 50# bag of bacon bits $21.50

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0nospam@hotmail.com), October 06, 1999.