What is your latest prepping project?

[KlopKlop]

After moving farther from civilization last year I have been working on self-sufficiency and being prepared. I have found that the best way to spur ideas about preparing is by discussing projects with other people. If you are preparing for when SHTF or just making sure you would be prepared to survive a long blizzard with no power like me, I would love to spark a thread about what you have been doing. Please share your recent prepping projects!

 

[NorthTexasWink]

I'm enjoying the posters here! I'm new to BYC, but not new to most of the stuff here. It would seem my family has been prepping for generations, at least the way some folks define it. Not that uncommon down here in Texas though. My HE and I got together about 7 years ago and quit the rat race of full time jobs to work our own hours part time before I finally retired from nursing about 3 years ago. HE still works from home part time by his choice. After both of us getting away from the land and fledging our own chicks (5 children from our previous relationships between us and all grown), we are back to it, just in a smaller way.

We've fortified our home to improve security and defense. We have multiple defensive systems in place, both passive and active. "We are good" as well. We have a core group that we can count on and who all know what, when, where. We have the tools we need.

Gardens continue to evolve, as gardens do. Have a small greenhouse. Fruit and berries started. Abundant easily obtained pecans everywhere here, it is the state tree. Solar, gas generator, rain water - check, check, check. No wells allowed, as we are still technically in the city, so water storage and our seep spring will have to do for now. There are other ground water sources very nearby. Grey water system in place for part of the house, but can no longer get those permitted here either. I built a big Berkey filter system, but also can make a more sustainable water treatment system with what I keep at hand. Food stores amply accounted for including garden and new chickens. Mushroom farm been great for several years. Meat production starting with layers. I'd prefer ducks, but too noisy for us here.

We did purchase some dehydrated foods, like everyone else. And small Life Straws. Good for travel I guess. Made my own seed vault. Camping gear, bob, etc ready in case of need for quick skedaddle. Pets also accounted for, both bug in and bug out. I built my own large and small medical kits, which are probably overkill. What can I say after 30 years of nursing? Must have my tools of the trade. I also have so many ways to make various soaps and cleaning supplies you would faint. And we built so many concealed storage places into the house and other places you would be amazed. I even made a couple of Faraday cages from metal trash cans and keep our old tablets and such in there. I filled them with pleasure and reference books, offline maps, etc. I've got hard copy actual books for reference, skill refresher/learning, plans/blueprints, topographic maps, leisure. A small collection of board games, cards, dice, so on.

I sew, knit/crochet (not well), bake, can, freeze, dehydrate and ferment (but haven't made booze as such yet), make candles and toiletries, herbal preparations. We have alternate cooking methods in use and more available. Same with heating, as much as we need here. Wood is not now, nor will ever be, a problem in our lifetimes around here. Alternative cooling would be welcome, but I can't think of much besides a cool soak and shade. Ground is clay, so a root cellar won't be soon nor easy.

The next year or two should see us starting on cuy. That's guinea pig to most folks. Research it, its a South American staple. I lived down there a good bit and like it better than rabbit for the texture of the meat. Also do better than rabbits in my climate with less intervention and better feed conversion, do better on an all forage diet, quiet and not messy. Born eyes open, furred, able to eat and forage on their own. Tend to stay near home base as a colony without fencing. One animal harvests one serving, so little waste. Versatile product for a variety of cooking techniques. Fur can be tanned and utilized, though hides are smaller and fur coarser than rabbit. For some applications that might a good thing. Cuy are often prepared by singeing off the hair. The crispy skin is delicious, so no need to waste it either way.

New projects: Started a small pond to store some of the water from runoff and our seep spring. Marsh plants like cane, cattail, rushes, cress, water lettuce will live there as potentially useful additions. Hope to finish it this fall and stock a few bluegill perch. Aquaponic system seems too reliant on electricity for me, but perhaps some modified version might work. Also planning chicken tractor that can double later as a cuy tractor. Raising a few broilers might happen. I'll be starting my edible landscaping of the front yard this fall with currants, raspberries (thorny bushes also help with security), and garlic, plus whatever else strikes me as appropriate. Autumn is prime time in the garden here, so time will be at a premium.

It's almost overwhelming at times, the feeling that I need to get us all ready NOW, because something is about to happen! I don't remember feeling like this when I was younger, and understand I grew up during the age of community fallout shelters and school kids learning to duck & cover in the event of a nuclear attack. I can't say precisely when it started, but within the last decade or so. Am I nuts for feeling like that? Have I got early onset senility? Well, I'm sure my family is prepared better than most if something does happen, whatever that is. And much of the things I have done to be prepared, I would have done anyway. That's just how we roll down here.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

My newest "prep project" is for the community and future generations. A little background: A new neighbor a block down the street had the city sewer line back up into his lower level about the middle of June. The city admitts it was caused by a blockage in their line, but he didn't have pop-off tops on his own sewer cleanouts, so City paid to dry and sweep out the "debris" (raw sewage!), and nothing else. Claimed their legal immunity. Nothing to replace or clean sheet rock, flooring, belongings. Many of our neighbors are fuming.

Anyway, he's a single father of three daughter, the youngest about 13. I saw them over there getting things before going to stay with grandparents while the father sets the house to rights. Took them some fresh garden veggies and some canned ones from this years early batches. The girls were fascinated by the jars. They'd never seen home canned goods before! So next week they are coming over to learn to can veggies! I don't know who's more excited; me, the girls, or their daddy.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

The canning lesson with the neighbor's girls went so well. They each took home a couple of quart jars of the three things we canned and decorated. Well worth the produce and a box of jars! They brought me a gift of a beautifully made vintage apron. So sweet! Their father is doing a marvelous job of raising those two girls on his own. Now they want to learn sewing and embroidery. I'm gathering materials from my far-too-vast stash for a lesson or two with them next month. I have a feeling I just adopted a couple of granddaughters. My first! And I'm oddly OK with that. I'm calling those girls my latest prepping project.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Have y'all seen the aquaponics set ups using the giant water totes in the metal frames? I really want to try that.

 

[Latitude33]

Talking with a friend who, like myself, is considered eccentric at best or a "kook" for preparing for possible emergency situations and encouraging others to do so. Anyway, his current project is a dual aquaculture endeavor raising lettuce and tilapia. His approach is to re-purpose spas since the plumbing and pump systems are already in place. In our greater urban area, you can actually find folks willing to pay you to haul away an old spa.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Back again. got 3 trout for the frying pan. Not enough to smoke but still should be good eating 2 splake and 1 rainbow. (Have two goldeye for the smoker this winter.) I have decieded this year am going to try and haverest a deer for the freezer going for white tail deer as that is the only big game i can hunt this year. (did not get drawn for anything. But still can buy a white tail tag this year.) also has anyone ever eaten bear before as its the other big game animal that i can hunt by juat buying a tag instead of being drawn.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today i built a chicken feeder , almost done. And started to assemble the kennel panels i will be using for a run. Not feeling up to digging the trench needed, but i did get the hardware cloth wired on one panel. Slept in late and went on a canoe trip with DH. Will finish the feeder tomorrow and work on the run some more. Anxious to get the birds out of the tractor.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

how did your system work out?

It worked really well. I had goldfish, catfish and mud minnows. I wanted to do Tilapia, but it was too cold to do year round. Made a lot of mistakes, but learned a whole lot.

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

still raining so no prepping traps

so decided to work on a survival pack (or just a outdoor backpack to have around) more for when i go hunting/fishing/trapping, but ever in case end of the world i guess in may help.

now does anybody have some other ideas of items to put in there survival pack/bag?

Off the top of my head, but probably not everything in the pack that I keep in my truck...
(2) knives (different sizes for different uses)
(1) First Aid/Emergency kit (not a store bought kind, one I've assembled and this could fill an entire other topic)
(1) Lifestraw
(1) Sawyer CamelBack inline filter
(2) Bic Lighters
(1) waterproof container of matches
(1) signal mirror
(1) magnifying glass
(1) magnesium fire starter
(1) snack sized ziplock of dryer lint
(1) snack sized ziplock of cotton balls rubbed in vaseline
(1) tritium lensatic compass and USGS topographical maps of the area
(1) multitool
(50ft) paracord
(1) small tin with fishing supplies (hooks, fishing line, weights, etc)
(1) 3L water bladder (filled when I know I'm going to make an excursion, I always keep a case of water in the truck)
(2) flashlights
(1) set of FrogToggs rain gear
(2) mylar emergency blankets
(1) quick dry camp towel
(2) protein bars
(2) Cliff's bars
(2-4) packs of snack crackers
(2) MREs
(1) charging station for phone (including solar panel)

To that, when I make trips out hiking or hunting, I usually add a change of clothes and socks (usually 2 pairs of socks) in a drybag, a tomahawk, a machete, spare ammo for firearms carried, and cleaning kits for firearms carried.