uk-preppers.co.uk

Sorry to hear you're that poorly, jansman - don't do too much while you're ill, that's how it drags on and on (I'm thinking of the firewood chopping - sitting fishing, as long as you don't let yourself get chilled, sounds good!)

I've ordered the batteries, and a pyrex bowl to get free P&P. It didn't save me any money, but at least I'm getting a pyrex bowl for my money!

Arzosah wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:14 pm Sorry to hear you're that poorly, jansman - don't do too much while you're ill, that's how it drags on and on (I'm thinking of the firewood chopping - sitting fishing, as long as you don't let yourself get chilled, sounds good!)

I've ordered the batteries, and a pyrex bowl to get free P&P. It didn't save me any money, but at least I'm getting a pyrex bowl for my money!

My elderberry wine cures all ills!

jansman wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:48 pm

Arzosah wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:14 pm Sorry to hear you're that poorly, jansman

My elderberry wine cures all ills!

Sounds good to me

"... set up the propagator in the greenhouse ..."

Got my propagator on the window sill earning its keep too. Tested the day and night temperature in the conservatory where it is so I know when to put it on before I planted stuff in it. Just need to dig out one of those timer switches from my cupboard then I won't have to worry about forgetting to switch it off in the day and over cooking my seeds! Also I sent off for and it arrived pretty quickly, some mini cloches for the garden to plant the lettuce in once it is ready to plant out. (That will keep the rabbits and slugs off.) That will see me sorted with a supply of salad leaves to start with.

(Hope you get better soon btw Jansman. The lurgy that's going round is somewhat nasty. I 've had it and it laid me out for several days and the stupid thing lingered somewhat even once I was feeling more human again.)

Today has all been about stock rotation and getting a workable system in place. Neither simple nor completely effective. I have to accept that some things just could never be rotated because my entire supply would outlast it's expiry even if I went into gorge mode. E.g. I don't normally use powdered milk, but I have nearly a years supply for if fresh milk were not available. So it's either donate it, keep it and ignore BBE or somehow sneak it into the family diet. Same with certain tinned goods where our staple diet is usually fresh.
Still, At least I'm trying. Perishables are certainly getting rotated better.

So, subject to a few limitations, I've come up with a process whereby whatever gets brought into the home as weekly shop gets discretely swapped out with the oldest accessible equivalent from my stash. I've had to work to make access easier and I'm using certain garage cupboards as 'swap space' so I don't have to burrow into my deep stash more than once every couple of months. I tend to use supermarket stackable fruit boxes, so rotation involves a lot of box restacking.

Hint from painful experience: A wide shelf, or a number of shelves, packed only a couple of boxes high and then topped with light stuff like tea, is much, MUCH easier to rotate than a narrow tall stack of boxes floor to ceiling.

All stock logged in spreadsheet, of course.

The funniest aspect is blotting out BBE dates as a matter of routine to foil the other half who's already starting to be puzzled that the entire contents of the kitchen cupboards are either ancient or of unknown age, in spite of supposedly having been bought this month.
Oh hum... I'm prepping to blame it on Brexit and my new fad diet.

Next month, I'm going to TRY to eat almost exclusively from my stash. Already started on the JD and wine

I read that yesterday about the flu - quite surprised that nothing has been noticed or mentioned until now. A lot on the Addisons group have had it and been very ill, one in hospital since Christmas. One of the many advantages to living out here in the wilds - less contact with germy people
I'm not sure about getting more tins, I think I'll struggle to get through them. Might start getting tomatoes set up on the windowsills though, the Siberian ones did well here. And some salad veg/green stuff for soup.

The last few months we have concentrated on rotating ,bulking up foods ,fuels,vehicle spares and more on checking items that rarely come out of boxes.
Including charging batteries so on. Been quite a visit few months but reasonably focussed.

Helped a friend set up a mobile radio in his vehicle with a little added kicker for a bigger punch. Vehicle servicing done next few weeks will see planting of potatoes other small veg and a little gorilla planting in surrounding green belt.

The new mini greenhouse is built and I have planted a few seeds. This is a new thing for me as last year I just bought seedlings and already I think I am too impatient (day 4, why haven't they grown yet?). Planted some garlic which is sprouting nicely and looking forward to the weekend so I can plant the new raspberry canes and the other bits and pieces. Water butt is fixed and working, but need at least a couple more to join up. Been working on increasing the food, cleaning items and water preps and fitted another couple of solar PIR lights in the garden where the mains ones do not cover and working towards improving general home security.

Added these to my first aid kit.... (I'm trained to use)

Got a dozen ' Homeguard' new potatoes into pots in the polytunnel today.They should be ready for Whitsun.Transplanted lettuce seedlings into trays and chillies into 3" pots. Tomato seeds into propagator: pink tomato (Romanian Likes-To-Die-A-Lot) ,Romanian baby plum,Gardeners Delight and good old Moneymaker.The Marmande will go in in a week or four.All saved seed.Just got to keep a weather eye open for night frosts now,but had to start sometime.