The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

houseinafield

I bought my Kilner jars from eBay  and haven't found any named brand cheaper anywhere else. My sister, who spends ages researching best prices also buys from eBay. Both of us have bought the cheap jars from Wilko or Home Bargains and have successfully canned with them. Lots of suppliers say that their jars are unsuitable for the job but I think they're just covering their backs. I do make sure I use good lids as I've had failures with generic/Chinese lids that I haven't had with Kilner. I've thought about using Weck jars but haven't delved into suppliers etc. I did buy several boxes of 1 litre jars from jarsandbottles.co.uk some time ago. They sell in large quantities and although they weren't recommended for canning, I know others who haven't had any problems with them. i haven't tried them yet but intend to.

elaine241

houseinafield said:

I bought my Kilner jars from eBay  and haven't found any named brand cheaper anywhere else. My sister, who spends ages researching best prices also buys from eBay. Both of us have bought the cheap jars from Wilko or Home Bargains and have successfully canned with them. Lots of suppliers say that their jars are unsuitable for the job but I think they're just covering their backs. I do make sure I use good lids as I've had failures with generic/Chinese lids that I haven't had with Kilner. I've thought about using Weck jars but haven't delved into suppliers etc. I did buy several boxes of 1 litre jars from jarsandbottles.co.uk some time ago. They sell in large quantities and although they weren't recommended for canning, I know others who haven't had any problems with them. i haven't tried them yet but intend to.

Thank you for this. I am new to pressure canning and didn't want unexpected explosions!! I am fine with water bath canning just nervous with using my new Presto canner for pressure canning safely!

thriftwizard

I've had a bit of a setback on the gardening/allotment front; long story, but basically an inebriated rat ran riot in my little greenhouse and destroyed a large number of my seedlings! Now evicted, but it's set me back somewhat on the planting front; some things did survive, but I'm having to buy in some things (cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes) to replace what was lost. (Note to self: don't ever leave over-fermented rhubarb lying around again...)

In other news, I've just done a huge shop & stocked up on the store-cupboard essentials. @elaine241, don't look to Bookers for pasta; I was shocked rigid by the price of the 3Kg bags in there & wished I'd bought 3 x 1kg bags in Lid!s instead! The price had almost doubled since last time I bought one, two months ago. I see Sainsbobs & Tosco have the 3kg bags closer to the "old" price, too, but I don't know how long that will last.

Toonie

Hey folks, hope all your prepping journeys are going well. Sadly I've not been around much as I dislocated my shoulder (again) so I've been in a sling for a few weeks. Added into the knee issues, the unemployment, and everything else goin on I've not been able to do much of anything as I have neither the energy nor the money needed. I've even done an online shop to be delivered Thursday as I just can't carry anything home so haven't been able to go to the local market (I miss all the lovely fresh fruit). We do have some seedlings doing well though they started a bit late (tomatoes and spinach are coming up well) and lettuce seedlings are coming along even though I'm limited with what I can do.

thriftwizard

@Toonie, once your poor shoulder's mended, may I recommend the dreaded shopping trolley to you? I've merrily been dragging/pushing one along since my twenties, rather a long time ago. I still haven't quite persuaded the rest of the world how totally cool (and environmentally sound) they are, but I'm not going to stop trying. Especially not when they have saved my back, arms and budget so many, many times... a push-along is much better for your posture than a pull-along but one way or another, you yourself don't have to actually carry a thing. Glad your seedlings are doing well and I hope both the knee and the employment situation will follow suit shortly!

RAS

Toonie, if you haven't already got a shopping trolley, do you have a smallish wheeled suitcase? It's what I used when I froze my shoulder.  Not easy wrangling it but just about manageable one-handed. And only for robust fruit and veg.

weenancyinAmerica

I have had a shopping trolley for years. I have even worn out a couple. When I lived in Salt Lake City, it was on the side of a hill and I used one to cart my laundry to the laundry and back again (over one mile each way). I use it for walking to the library and for grocery shopping as well. I makes it so much easier when you have bad knees and bad shoulders. I have had both kneew replaced and rotator cuff surgery on one shoulder. I don't think I could do shopping locally if I didn't have one. Mine is a large white wire thing with four wheels. Much easier than a two-wheeled trolley. You can get or make a liner for it, but our weather here isn't that bad most of the time. I highly recommend them.

-taff

I was contemplating getting one of those ones with three wheels for kerbs and steps.

elaine241

thriftwizard said:

I've had a bit of a setback on the gardening/allotment front; long story, but basically an inebriated rat ran riot in my little greenhouse and destroyed a large number of my seedlings! Now evicted, but it's set me back somewhat on the planting front; some things did survive, but I'm having to buy in some things (cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes) to replace what was lost. (Note to self: don't ever leave over-fermented rhubarb lying around again...)

In other news, I've just done a huge shop & stocked up on the store-cupboard essentials. @elaine241, don't look to Bookers for pasta; I was shocked rigid by the price of the 3Kg bags in there & wished I'd bought 3 x 1kg bags in Lid!s instead! The price had almost doubled since last time I bought one, two months ago. I see Sainsbobs & Tosco have the 3kg bags closer to the "old" price, too, but I don't know how long that will last.

I am off to Lid1 today  hopefully to add to preps and just do my weekly shop. I have combined my shopping with work trips so that the mileage gets paid. Atm I only venture out to the big smoke once a week, combining all my shopping and errands in one go. Unless I have a horse event locally that's it for me, I am trying to reduce my driving as much as possible. 

Veg garden wise its coming along, no drunken rats, just lots of bunnies in the garden. Just trying to sort out one stone shed on the farm yard so that I can put shelves in and store my canned veg etc later in the year. I may have to look for metal cupboards if rats attack the lids of canned goods. Something I am not sure they will but do not want to take the risk.

I see Finland is joining N*to (don't want the post police deleting!) things seems to be ramping up but slowly and quietly rather than sabre rattling. Any one think we should up the preps or stop worrying as we are more prepared than most? I am prepping for inflation and possible food shortages as they are the immediate threat on the horizon in the UK.

Stay safe and Toonie hope you heal quickly. Rotator cuff pain is immense and knees are just chronic pain and very wearing when trying to get things done. I have had both , my one knee was injured in a motorcycle accident  but "luckily" it has nerve damage and I can not always feel the pain despite having a purple swollen knee!!

Toonie

Thanks for the well wishes and advice. Sadly I can't manage a trolley as the other shoulder is dodgy too so I can't do too much heavy lifting. The shoulder is feeling a little better today, though this time around I've been in a sling a lot longer as it's felt very unstable. What also doesn't help is the DWP declared me fit for work! So, there's a battle looming on my horizon. Good thing I've got a decent supply of tea in as the phone line to DWP takes about an hour each time to get through. I wrote to them saying "Having worked most of my adult life all I want is a little support whilst healing from my current medical issues and then the support to find a new job as the one I've done for the last 20 years is no longer physically possible." We'll see what they come back with.