THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

thriftwizard

TalKing of weeds, I've discovered we've somehow managed to grow a thorn-apple, or Datura... it suddenly appeared, 3' high and replete with prickly fruits, amongst my late-planted beetroot. I'll swear it wasn't there last week...

[Deleted User]

We've had those on occasion in Hampshire Thrifty, I'm sure they're part of wild bird food mixes just like that perishing Niger stuff that we couldn't get rid of that had seeded through all the front flower beds. Thorn apple grows really fast and I think they're poisonous, certainly we only disposed of them with thick gardening gloves on.

maryb

I was in Lidl today and they had tins of tomatoes and bags of penne with a decent reduction of 13% Can't remember offhand how much the pasta was but the tomatoes were reduced from 34p to 29p. Armaggeddon cupboard suitably added to. It will all get used and brings my average costs down

GreyQueen

Ooooh, I shall probably be in a Liddly later today and will look out for those lines, not eating pasta but tommies are always welcome.


Full disclosure; the last of the underbed passata stash was eaten last week and I am moving onto fresh stocks.;)


JIT is a relatively new (as in only a few decades old) form of logistics (my Dad was a warehouseman for nearly 40 years btw and my cousin is one now and several other rellies drive HGVs including food trucks inc refridg units, so I know a bit about it).


Dad was also a farmboy 60 years ago. Even then food distribution was a bit bonkers, with veg being trucked off the farm and into Lunnon Town (best part of 100 miles away) and then sold wholesale and some of it trucked back in to the local markets close to the originating farms.


Frankly, I'd bet on the abilities of transport planners for the big trucking companies over the ability of a politico to sort stuff out. Transport is expensive, the gals and guys doing the logistics now are making creative use of the 'back-haul' and have to do so to maintain productivity. An unladen journey is a wasted journey, folks.


There will probably be temporary upheaval as things change, but not likely to be any worse, imo, than the disruption caused by weather events like the Beast from the East.

[Deleted User]

I am at the moment eating my way through my stocks ,especially my freezer stuff in the hope that by just after Christmas I can restock with some of the stuff over-ordered by the supermarkets. Usually get a good stash in the bit after the holiday which sees me through most of the winter

NewShadow

mardatha wrote: »

Newshadow, thank you so much for pointing out that a Minister for Food is actually an Undersecretary for Food. That will make such a difference ... :rotfl::rotfl:

Honestly - I know it sounds stupid - but it does...

It's not a Cabinet post meaning it's not someone that actually has any power or real responsibility. It's a junior post that's responsible for collating information from businesses and suppliers about their concerns and feeding the info up the chain - literally, that's the job.

That's why it covers so many areas - if it were a serious job then it would JUST be 'Food Minister' (as it was during the war), not tacked on with animal welfare, forestry and climate change.

It would be like me being called 'Staff Communication and Engagement Manager' because it's my job to empty the suggestions box each week.

WeegieWumman

If...God forbid!.... food shortages should occur, I'll be okay for a cup of tea.
I normally drink 3 or 4 cups daily. I was in company when I made the BIG mistake of mentioning that I intended buying tea on my next visit to Costco. I'm now the rather bewildered recipient of 3,500 teabags.

Living_proof

WeegieWumman wrote: »

If...God forbid!.... food shortages should occur, I'll be okay for a cup of tea.
I normally drink 3 or 4 cups daily. I was in company when I made the BIG mistake of mentioning that I intended buying tea on my next visit to Costco. I'm now the rather bewildered recipient of 3,500 teabags.

As long as they last two years (you may have company!).....

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

WeegieWumman wrote: »

If...God forbid!.... food shortages should occur, I'll be okay for a cup of tea.
I normally drink 3 or 4 cups daily. I was in company when I made the BIG mistake of mentioning that I intended buying tea on my next visit to Costco. I'm now the rather bewildered recipient of 3,500 teabags.

Living_proof wrote: »

As long as they last two years (you may have company!).....

And as long as the manufacturer had more intelligence than those wot work in God's Own County, who very thoughtfully changed the boxes of 160 and 240 tea bags from a box of individually foil packed ones (where you could open another foil pack once the previous had run out, thus guaranteeing fresh tea) to a giant box full of rapidly going stale loose bags...



I think the appointment of a junior minister for Food, etc, is in preparation for IF it all goes mammaries uppermost, as that'll be the point at which a politician is given the fancier job title, but all the work is done by the under secretary. If all goes well, they won't appoint (and most likely all scramble to claim credit for the guy's work), but if not, it'll be like a former government's '[issue of the day] Czar' announcements -'Look! We're Doing Something!'.

Mind you, they could have done with appointing somebody in the role that will actually do the work a long time before now (straight after the referendum would have been a plan), but when they can't even guarantee who will be PM at Christmas, never mind what they want/will get, it's hardly surprising that it's been left until what is effectively the last minute.

GreyQueen

If you want to see an epic example of prepping failure (i.e the Dutch military) do read the following:


https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-27/dutch-military-forgets-buy-warm-clothes-winter-exercises-norway


Have been playing in the dirt on my allotment, turning the vast quantity of barley grains obtained mid-week underground. The soil is heaving with worms enjoying the barley, about 8 in every forkful (sounds like a food advert, hey? )


I have also dug up and fed to the birds via the sacrificial altar (allotment birdtable) the following in the past 3 days; 12 cutworms, one huge slug , a dozen slug/snail eggs, a chafer grub and a wireworm. I'm particularly pleased about the wireworm, the little barstwards are hard to catch, but I got this one, mwah ha ha!