2023 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER - What Did You Do To Prep This Week/Month?

Since I fell down on the job here...I bundled August and September together.

I had three weeks of family reunion - we had a blast.

The prep I did for food for a crowd of upwards to 19 people was a life-saving! We didn't eat out much at all this time. We had plenty of good leftovers, and I still have some prepped food left (it's in the freezer). Clean up after they left was a breeze since I'd de-cluttered a lot of the spaces already. Had a boatload of sheets, blankets, quilts, and towels to wash, but beyond that, a sweep, vacuum, and dusting and the house looks good.

Since they left, we've been re-assessing preps, checking food supplies, canning tomatoes and stews, dehydrating veggies (mostly zucchini for zucchini flour), and finishing out the garden produce.

Husband bought a Pit Boss pellet smoker and is testing it out. He's only done chicken, but it was mighty tasty.

We also bought all the needed supplies to turn our 8 foot stock tank into a regular swimming pool. The family enjoyed it so much, but we had to empty the thing twice due to it getting so dirty and growing algae. With pump, filter, cleaning supplies, and a cover, it'll be much better.

BTW, the water coming out of our well is frigid, around 42 degrees. I bought a basic bucket heater, and we left it in the stock tank all day one day. It warmed the water just fine. This is the one I bought, however, it was on sale for $19.98 at the time, so maybe watch for sales on it.

Bucket Heater

Our Walmart is running a sale on Cedar Creek Chicken Leg Quarters - 10 pound bag for $4.00. Not sure if it's applicable anywhere else, but just in case, thought I'd let everyone know.

I love the stock tank becomes swimming pool idea.
Thanks.

T-Rex,

Yeah, we've had the stock tank for 14 years, and except for the first summer we had it, only used it once or twice since then. But this family reunion, we had a lot more kids, and they really enjoyed it, so I want to make it more appealing for when they come again.

Husband and I just spent the morning cleaning out the 10 x 10 chain link garden cage (it was sold as a dog kennel). The landscape cloth we'd put down got blown up by a windstorm just before the family arrived. I didn't have time to deal with it then. Grass and weeds were overgrowing my plants. We laid down more and tucked it better.

I doubt the fruiting stuff will produce much more, but the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, and watermelon plants are still alive. Cut them way back, watered them well, and we'll see what happens.

The banana tree is now 3! The olive tree, lime, and lemon trees survived, although the lemon tree looks peaked. I put it in more sun.

The two sticks of paw-paw trees I bought I didn't think would grow...however, both are performing well!

The only herb that survived is the basil, which is very healthy, so that's good.

It's supposed to get to 104 degrees today! I watered everything well and hope they all make it.

Ran the generators for about 15 minutes and toped them off with ethanol free gas.

Charge up my solar light bulbs.

The grandkids have been selling the sweet corn. Other farmers have been selling theirs for $7.00 a dozen (12). My grandkids are selling ours for $6.00 a bakers dozen (13).

So far they've sold 500 dozen, do the math, they say their rich, but there's more to sell and they got to pay taxes on that money. At least that's what I tell them.

There's 2 more acres that need picked, about 900 dozen or so total.

Garden's doing well, freezed a bunch of tomatoes and bell peppers and pulled my onions today.

Husband sold his table saw to a neighbor. Since his health isn't permitting heavy-duty hobbies anymore, he's decided to let some things go.

The good thing is, it gives him time for other hobbies. While the family was here, we set up the 8 inch telescope and it was fun gazing at the stars and planets. We even went out and watched the Persids meteor shower. He's decided he wants to do some astro-photography, which we can do from here as we have no light pollution where we live way out in the country.

I made batches of salsa with the last of the garden produce - peppers, tomatoes, and yellow hot peppers. Added some other stuff, and it was mighty tasty. Rather than can it, I froze it, thinking it might taste fresher as we eat it.

We've been using the smoker for other things. Husband has made jerky and pizza so far, all good.

Beyond that, we're just cruising along and puttering around the homestead. Having done all the yearly outside projects before the family got here, means we have some leisure time.

I'm still working on my winter project - sorting, organizing, and digitizing photos. We are a family of camera junkies and there's so many! I initially started sorting by person - don't do it! Sort by year! It works so much better.

I'm also not digitizing every photo. I am scanning the important ones, and if there are other photos in the pack, I simply store them in the labeled box with the negatives.

I'm also trashing blurries, group photos (such as the graduation picture of the bleachers full of a thousand students whom you can't distinguish even when zoomed), and the many photos of things that caught our interest, but have no context - a squirrel running down a tree, random landscapes, sunsets, and nondescript flowers. There are too many other more attractive photos of all those things that I will keep.

I'm also digitizing important documents. I'd digitized some, but now I'm going all out. One never knows what can and will be destroyed by accident or design. Many military members lost important records when the NPRC depository burned down NPRC Fire. Fortunately, we have Husband's because he joined after that event and he requested copies when he left the military.

While it doesn't seem to have any bearing on prepping - having a good photo/certification record of family members seems like a good idea.

Went yard sale-ing and grocery shopping on Friday.

I scored 3 yards of white flannel for 50 cents.
And 2 yards of broadcloth for 50 cents.

One of our neighbors has decided to organize a neighborhood yard sale. So for the next two weeks, I'll be choosing what I want to sell of the stuff I bought for the family reunion. I'd meant to sell everything, but I just got word a nephew and family are coming for Thanksgiving. Guess I'll keep the bunk beds a while longer.

My friend just finished another quilt for me on her long arm machine. I have to put the binding on, but then that's another quilt finished! I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel - I've been downsizing my fabric stash and projects for 20 years! Getting there, getting there!