The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Karmacat

Sounds fascinating, VJsmum - a really important topic.  

-taff - thanks for the recipe too, I don't seem to be able to make flatbreads, no matter what recipe I use, so I'll have a go at that in the next few days.

euronorris

I am attempting a different type of prep at the moment. A bit of organisation and preparation for when we have to buy more and more things using our own containers (ie, for cereal, flou, grains, nuts, pasta etc etc). I've seen a lot of organisation videos recently where people move items like rice (for example), from the bags they came in, into glass jars and at one point there was a guy mocking his wife for doing this. After all, they came in perfectly acceptable containers as it is. But then someone made the comment that we are all moving to having refillable items more and more for environmental reasons and as that push progresses he might end up thankful that she's actually already, inadvertedly, prepared for that. And I thought, yeah, actually, you've got a point! And I don't want to have to buy lots of containers all in one go, so I've decided to start doing it slowly. First is the fridge, so bought a few bits from BNM this weekend and then cleaned and reorganised.

That's enough for one month! lol

-taff

VJsmum said:

Oh, sorry, not that interesting I'm afraid (well, it is to me...).  Some know that i finished my PhD last year (Dr VJsmum - lol) and i'm attempting to write a journal article or two from it for publication. Been looking at research jobs in academia but it seems it's not enough to have the doctorate now, you need a track record of publication too.  As i'm knocking on a bit, a 'career' in research may be unavailable to me now (and i'm not sure i want a full time, permanent job now) so if i can trot out a couple of papers we'll see where it might get me... THe thesis was about women's careers in the construction industry.  

(Edit - loads of 'now's in that.  I'm supposed to be a writer 🙄🤣)

Errr...I would find that interesting though. I DIY a lot when the body permits and have been toying with the idea fo retraining as some kind of architect, or actually berating myself for not doing that because I think I'm a bit old for that now, but I do find the construction industry interesting because of the previously impenetrable boys club feel about it.

VJsmum

Architecture takes a long time - but there are alternatives.  Building surveying, Architectural technology, interior design...  I'm a quantity surveyor (QS) and, sadly, the 'boy's club' is still pretty impenetrable... 

Siebrie

euronorris said:

I've seen a lot of organisation videos recently where people move items like rice (for example), from the bags they came in, into glass jars and at one point there was a guy mocking his wife for doing this. After all, they came in perfectly acceptable containers as it is. But then someone made the comment that we are all moving to having refillable items more and more for environmental reasons and as that push progresses he might end up thankful that she's actually already, inadvertedly, prepared for that.

But the 'acceptable' containers are often cardboard, and will not protect against beasties. The glass will protect much better. And dividing large amounts of something into smaller containers makes sense for longterm preservation, again, mainly against beasties. Only a small amount will have to be thrown out, not the whole original amount.

annieb64

Having had mice-once-everything such as flour , pasta etc are now kept in glass jars or tins.

DigForVictory

We’ve shelves of lock’n’locks which so far are mouse proof as they’re on wall mounted shelves & we’re in the room every day. Plastic on its tod unattended is not mouse proof (the trail of muesli remains a vivid family memory & mum was awed little critters made more mess than us only just mobile toddlers)
The Morrison’s had ripen at home mangoes so I have 8 to convert to chutney - we do eat quite a lot of it & the chaps are picky mortals.
I have 10 tomato seedlings that need to be ported on & fed & taken for walks outside. We had hail, & mum reckons any apples this year will be a rarity as all the blossom got hammered.
I’ve a supermarket tayberry which has survived the hail so I’ll plant it this weekend.
Prepping is scheming where your next treat is coming from, no?!

[Deleted User]

We've got parsnips...not something everyone would be excited about but they've finally germinated on the plot and that's cause for celebration! the plot now also has a second stand of leeks, tomatoes, sweetcorn and runner beans on a wigwam and some curly kale too along with two courgettes and two butternut squash..  We have tomatoes in the greenhouse and in the garden, a cucumber in the greenhouse and also a courgette growing on in there too and the broad beans, potatoes and onion sets have been on the plots for a while now so that's our prepping and I shall use everything we harvest both to feed us through the coming months and also to make preserves and dishes for the freezer too.  It's the fruition of our prepping plans when the last potato goes into the sack and the onions are strung and hanging in the shed and the last jar of courgette chutney goes onto the storeroom shelf. Not to everyones taste but it's been our way of life since I first met him in 1975 and not only is it fun to do even if there are times when it's tedious doing all the chopping and stirring but it's that feeling of 'gathered in' at the end of the season that gives the utmost satisfaction in my head and heart.

thriftwizard

DFV, not to burst your balloon, but walls aren't a problem to mice - I've literally seen them run straight up a wall as their little claws can support their miniscule weight even in the tiniest cracks. But you using the room certainly will deter them; they won't have time to nibble through the plastic. Glass is defintely safer, but I can vouch from experience that it isn't very teenage-boy-proof...

Congratulations on the parsnips, @boazu; delighted to report that we have some too! And more on the way; I've been trying the germinate-in-a-plastic-tub-on-the-boiler method & have realised that following the ancient "wisdom" that you must get the seeds in the ground as soon as the soil starts to warm in February is, to put it politely, absolute rubbish; even down here in the south, it's not nearly warm enough. I did put a couple of lines parsnip seed tape in, as per instructions, in mid-March, and the resident birds in the hedge next to our plot dug it straight up for nest material! (Makes a change from rabbits grazing the seedlings straight off...I wonder if we'll get aerial parsnips in the hedge?) I also put an experimental line of "free" (i.e. from a magazine, which I do pay for) seeds in between some onion sets, under a cloche, and they came straight up & are doing really well. Now I've done one lot of "boiler" seeds & they're growing on in a deep windowbox, currently in my little greenhouse, and another set are just showing little white roots in their plastic box, so will go into another windowbox later on today. This is exciting - I love parsnips!

Have to say, I signed up for the magazine (GYO) when seeds could not be bought for love nor money last year, and it's been well worth the expense; yes, there are lots of duplicates, and they're not always the varieties I would choose, but I'm keeping DS1's partner supplied (they have an enormous "building plot" behind their rented home that they have the use of for a year) and have plenty of packets & seedlings to swap with friends & neighbours. Most of the articles are good and relevant, and I'm quite capable of ignoring the adverts & going my own way. I probably should cancel it soon as I have enough seeds for the next 2 or 3 years, but so far, money well-spent.

[Deleted User]

Oooohhhh let's hear it for the PARSNIPS!!! yippee! well done Thrifty we also this morning have some little green shoots on the elusive Ferrari fine beans in their pots in the greenhouse I think they've needed it to be just that little bit warmer before they decided to germinate, just love them they're nicer in flavour than French beans and give us enough beans from half a flower border for us both to have a decent amount every other day right through to the Autumn, what's not to like?

We tried the 'seed tapes' last year for parsnips, carrots and beetroot and none of them even germinated so like you we start things in pots in the greenhouse and transplant the seedlings now, works particularly well with the beetroot.