The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

greenbee

You're right Nargle - there's no point in keep stocks of things you don't eat (preserves are a classic, the idea is nice, but realistically most of us don't eat vast amounts of marmalade, jam or chutney these days - and we can get the ingredients all year round, so can make small batches if we run out). My isolation time last year made me acutely aware that I had lots of stuff that was past it's best - some because I'd bought to much to use before it started to deteriorate, other things because I've changed the way I eat. And obviously, not entertaining over the last year has made a difference too. 

Strangely I never feel that stocks of wine or gin are too high  

thriftwizard

Well, it's pouring here, absolutely hammering down. I've been planting stuff anyway (4 seed trays today) but am rapidly running out of greenhouse space and it's still too cold to put much out, though the risk of frost is hopefully behind us now. Not every year can be a good growing year; I suspect it pays to have some back-up plans!

We've been steadily eating through the stores, so that I can replace with later-dated items. I didn't need to panic-buy last year, but just added the odd extra tin or packet in to our normal shopping, and maintained a higher-than-usual level of stuff, but it's time to drop back to - as normal as it ever gets round here! - and reclaim the space. Also to finally empty & switch off the old freezer, to be used as a grain store going forward, and get rid of the two items that are currently doing that job. The first lockdown did prove that my preps were adequate for anything that's likely to happen here in semi-rural Dorset, though we did run short of one or two less-than-essential items; continuing to hold on to more than we're ever likely to need is - just not necessary.

Nargleblast

Yes, wine is good for cooking, and gin can be used as disinfectant if society's infrastructure should break down during a cataclysmic event. And if you have enough gin then that's anaesthesia sorted for when you have to operate on someone on your kitchen table!

greenbee

Nargleblast said:

Yes, wine is good for cooking, and gin can be used as disinfectant if society's infrastructure should break down during a cataclysmic event. And if you have enough gin then that's anaesthesia sorted for when you have to operate on someone on your kitchen table!

If I ever need to operate on someone on my kitchen table, I'll be applying the gin to myself thanks. And I'm not wasting it as disinfectant - I intend to survive the zombie apocalypse (due this year, according to Nostradamus) in an alcoholic haze. 

My mum did finally use up the 1980 poteen as a disinfectant this time last year! 

Nargleblast

Ooh, can you post the recipe for that?

Floss

greenbee said:

If I ever need to operate on someone on my kitchen table, I'll be applying the gin to myself thanks. And I'm not wasting it as disinfectant - I intend to survive the zombie apocalypse (due this year, according to Nostradamus) in an alcoholic haze. 

My mum did finally use up the 1980 poteen as a disinfectant this time last year! 

Do we have any clue when? Just so I can arrange to be at home where my wine & gin are & not at work in the hospital!

greenbee

I think my dad or one of his friends acquired it illegally. It was undrinkable, and tasted as if it had been distilled from old rubber tyres. 

The Italians sell isopropyl alcohol in supermarkets for use as disinfectant, and were spraying the bridges and handrails in Venice with it last year. 

greenbee

Floss said:

greenbee said:

If I ever need to operate on someone on my kitchen table, I'll be applying the gin to myself thanks. And I'm not wasting it as disinfectant - I intend to survive the zombie apocalypse (due this year, according to Nostradamus) in an alcoholic haze. 

My mum did finally use up the 1980 poteen as a disinfectant this time last year! 

Do we have any clue when? Just so I can arrange to be at home where my wine & gin are & not at work in the hospital!

Not that I can find. But if anyone does have any more information, I'd like to know too!

[Deleted User]

I think we all were stocking the amount to cope not only with covid and lockdowns but also the uncertainty around Brexit which was potentially going to cause import difficulties and shortages.  Never did we think that the pandemic would still be with us a whole year and a bit on did we? thankfully we did create and distribute a vaccine and also the amazing NHS found things to treat it with and ways of managing covid patients that improved chances of getting over it unless you're very unlucky and continue on with long-covid which must be devastating. We're still having to deal with variants and I guess there is always the possibility of something mutating and making vaccination less effective  but there is such vigilance and with testing available to anyone who needs it now it's a much better prospect all round.  We didn't really need to increase stock levels all that much, I did a bit in things I know I use lots of but we've still got more than we need now as well Thrifty so I'm beginning to use up some of the shorter dated items and not replacing unless I'm down to the last few. What I do still have more of than I need is flour of all kinds and bread flour but it's stored in locking containers and hopefully will last well enough for me to use it over the year and not have problems with it. 

-taff

I've just taken the last bag of plain flour out of the freezer from the 16kg bag I bought direct from the millers last May. So now I know 16kg will last me a year. I still have the bread flour though...