Preparedness for when

westcoastscot

Nuatha hope Herself's diagnosis comes along quietly, and that you enjoy a peaceful Christmas.

I do a little shopping with Goodness Direct, and also Amazon for dairy free chocolate - we like dairy free milk chocolate if we're having any at all. Otherwise I use the click and collect from Tesco in the city store - not well enough to use those deep trolly's anymore so shop online when I know i'm going to be down

Seigemode those boots look really interesting - shall check them out next time I'm in the city
WCS

mardatha

Have done a check of the top cupboard in the kitchen and found 4 tins of dried milk that I didn't know I had... plus a load of passata. we don't even eat the stuff but I can't bear to throw food out. And 3 boxes of Splenda. I need to stand on a stool to get up there so things get forgotten, but they are all still well in date. :j
I love these snow boots, will lean on the RV to get me a pair of them.
Watched the Coal House at war yesterday, the whole series. Loved it. I think miners are miners wherever they're from, it's a hard life but they're good people. Both sides of my family were miners, and further back one side were on the fishing boats. Maybe their genes made me a prepper
Scottish weather forums getting seriously excited about snow on Thursday here, and cold from Wed on.

Hollyberry

dannie wrote: »

Hi Hollyberry,

Just checked it is the "Arla" range of milk both UHT and fresh until 10/12/13. Also have the cream, cheese types, spreadable and yoghurt on offer. Thought I'd mention this if winter stocks/xmas foods are required.

Even better news, dannie - thanks so much. :T That's the winter stash of UHT sorted, and the cheese stock replenished. Does that count as a big cheesy grin?

THIRZAH

I keep an old pair of walking boots for walking in the snow as I have found that the salt on the roads marks the leather .

Aldi sometimes have gaiters.

elaine241

Hello ALl! been catching up again!

I thought I would update anyone whose interested on my experiments regarding preserving without freezing. I have been using dehydrating, bottling, salting and pickling.
I have used YS veg and herbs as I didnt want to use my homegrown if it went disasterously wrong.
I have found the dehydrator to be the easiest as its just a case of put it in , turn it on and keep an eye on it. To date I have dried parsnips, onions, courgette, field mushrooms, all herbs, tomatoes that I then put in oil, mnago, pineapple, banana, chillies and oranges.
I am amazed at the space saving you can have with the veg, especially onions that reduce to very little. My worst effort was pineapple, although they taste fine they have gone a little brown and are chewy, they may be supposed to be that way!
Using the dried veg etc is really easy, I have just chucked them into the slow cooker with all the rest of the ingredients.

Salting is my least favourite. I have salted beans , good point is that you can keep adding to the jar, bad point is soaking etcbefore you use. They dont look too hot either!!! wilted surrounded by salty water, assuming I hae done them properly!! LOL

Bottling was also a success with tomatoes, gooseberries and pears in sugar & brandy. All look sealed and good colour etc

I have been preserving a lot but wil update on another post.

I have also been "prepping" with a boozy theme, Hick! I always make sloe vodka and blackcurrant brandy, but I have added strawberry wine, wine from kits, lemon vodka, raspberry vodka, chilli vodka and fruit brandies.

On another theme I have finally put my winter "Get Home Bag" in my car together with walking boots, trainers, water storage containers, emergency blankets, normal blankets, chocolate, maps, torches, chocolate, First aid kit, books if I am stuck, chocolate, bottled water, food, change, money, chocolate, tyre inflator/emmergency inflator, and did I mention chocolate?!!!

My next prepping task is to get off my b*m and ensure all my docs are scanned in and that I have paper copies as back up. I have been puttingit off as there will be loads!

For anyone who is interested I will post about the preserves I have made this summer from home grown and foraged food. I seem to have a cupboard full and cant actually remember all that I have done!

Anyway I wish to say I too have learnt so much from this thread and that I now take my own safety seriously. I will not wait for the powers that be or anyone else to come along and sort things for me. I have a cowshed full of logs, plus next years seasoning in a barn, enough matches, candles, firelighters etc to start a small inferno!and I have been secretly collecting parraffin lamps as ornaments around the house.
As well as my preserves I have filled two chest and one American fridge freezer with home grown , foraged and YS food, along with the generator if the power goes off.

As a result of the above I have an "inner calm" that I did not have before, I am more self assured of my own ability to help myself and my family. I have an "every day carry" list of items that suit my lifestyle and environment. I am always looking to add and improve what I have achieved, but I am proud of what I have already prepared.

Anyway I have waffled on too long! Keep prepping!! Elaine x

Hollyberry

Elaine - Loved that really interesting post, and I hear so clearly what you say about the sense of inner calm that being organised brings. I can't say that we are completely there yet, but little victories like having a clearly labelled set of files in the home office and knowing exactly where to find the Christmas decorations this year are helping to build a sense of satisfaction that we have headed in the right direction. And, of course, it inspires me to carry on and do more.

jk0

Last year I bought myself this plug in electricity meter:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-ENER007-Power-Meter/dp/B003ELLGDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386003633&sr=8-1&keywords=electricity+meter

It has been very interesting to find out how much things are using when you don't think they should be using anything at all.

For example, my washing machine has a built in timer to allow use of Economy 7 cheap rate electricity. While the timer is set, the machine uses 5 watts. Next morning, if I don't switch it off, it continues to use 5 watts. I'd been leaving the yellow light on for years without concern that it was using that much.

Last night, I found out that the machine uses 0.6W from just being plugged in, and not even switched on! I know that doesn't sound a lot, but it's over 5 units a year wasted.

Another item which uses surprisingly little energy is my Panasonic bread maker. For the smallest loaf, it takes only 0.38 kWh. Amazing that it only uses the same as boiling the kettle a few times.

jk0

elaine241 wrote: »

On another theme I have finally put my winter "Get Home Bag" in my car together with walking boots, trainers, water storage containers, emergency blankets, normal blankets, chocolate, maps, torches, chocolate, First aid kit, books if I am stuck, chocolate, bottled water, food, change, money, chocolate, tyre inflator/emmergency inflator, and did I mention chocolate?!!!

Don't forget to put some extra fluid in your washer bottle to stop it freezing Elaine. I made that mistake earlier this year, and it took weeks to thaw out.

GreyQueen

One thing I recall from delivery driving in filthy muddy winter weather was how quickly you burn thru the contents of your screenwash bottle. Perhaps have some in the car for a fast top-up? And how about carpet scrap/ sacks/ carpet sample squares to put in front of your drive wheels to give them some bite if you can't get rolling?

Totally agree about the chocolate - one emergency supply you should never be without.:rotfl::rotfl:

mardatha

Elaine if you need to use the genny for the freezers will you let me know how it works? That's the one big serious prep that I think we need, but want to do homework on it first.