What have done towards your prep?

[Straight Shooter]

Straw arrived as promised 9.25 am this morning, also the fertiliser arrived this afternoon ...a day early ....25 bales are set up in the polytunnel (20ft x 10ft ) also picked up 6 sacks of compost ...and 10 buckets (for daffodils ) bought 100 bulbs to have a nice burst of yellow in feb / march ....so they were planted and buckets placed along the driveway ...as per hier flicks PA or (she who Must be obeyed ) .....she was bale of straw logistics and handling instructor for the full duration or should i say forced duration of the straw operation but on the upside two coffee breaks "because i need to have a break and sit a bit....what's the rush" .

[Straight Shooter]

Checking on the blackberry wine today .....its still working to dry so will have a look next week , the chocolate stout is just about ready to bottle up so will be on with that tomorrow.
Reading MB's post on yet another storm heading his way , gave me a reminder of jobs that need sorting for winter, one of those jobs is the fuel storage ....i will empty all the cans into the truck and refill with fresh fuel,antifreeze will be topped up ,oil checked ,and screen wash.
I have four generators ....these will be kicked over and oil, filters, and plugs checked , backup electric points will also be checked out .....LED emergency lighting will be checked,LPG gas is always kept to an emergency level AT ALL times year round.....backup oil lanterns and oil are always kept to a high level at any time but a check will not be a waste of time , small gas (lpg) canisters for portable grills are always kept .......to name just a few things that will occupy a bit of my attention in the coming weeks , but as we all are aware there are many things that will need our attention leading up to Christmas and beyond .....a little time everyday will soon get you ready and organised ....thinking about doing does not get it done ! so get it DONE and think of it at your leisure.

[Straight Shooter]

Bottled up the chocolate stout, 40 pints....Blackberry wine still not ready, all the other checks have been completed and all is fine.....i have built some new raised beds total run is 60 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft high (10 ft runs 6 off ) just one to finish off...one side only ...then ready to fill with leaf mould logs, twigs, compost and soil with a top dressing of horse manure in readiness for next season.

Making some hooped frames using some 20 mm water pipe to cover the raised beds, clear polythene is now on hand to cover the hoops so will make a start tomorrow (not a bad place to hide and store some preps ) .

Started to retro fit insulation to external walls of the garage , all was done over the past two weeks ....going to lay on the sub base and reinforcement scrim , then another base coat on top ....then the primer and top resin coat .....have been waiting for the crew to do this 8 months ...enough is enough....they are to busy ! ....bit of rehab for SS and a saving of a grand ....that will go into preps....later Dudes .

[Straight Shooter]

I made and fitted all the hooped cloches 6 off ....not covered with polythene yet....still filling the raised beds, waiting on the weather for the external coating but all coin beads are fitted and sheet scrim cut ready.

The blackberry wine IS NOW ready for bottling , will do that Monday and get another beer brew going .....today was spent building handrails and safety rails to the bottom enclosed patio area , all finished.

Having a scrounge around my workshop today looking for 2" screws....which i found 600 ... i also come across the 100 daffodils and 30 crocus'es i forgot i bought some months back (bought more and planted out a few weeks back) so i will have to get them planted asap.

Going to build some timber frames to contain the straw bales in the polytunnel ,then try out /trial some stuff to grow over the winter....so this week i will complete filling the raised beds and said frames ....and if the weather is good get on with the external coating on the garage..........some firewood is also required for winter ....there is plenty just laying about on the trail close by i recently bought a power barrow 4x4 ....5 forward and 3 reverse gears ....holds 6.5 cwt ....solid bit of kit ! ......thinking of placing some cushions in the bin so wifey can chill .....as i drive up to Aldies .....yes i know.....i am totally one cool dude.

[Straight Shooter]

Managed to get the scrim coat on three elevations on Monday...laid on early to give enough time to set before the rain that arrived around 6 pm .....checked on it about 10 pm and still held ....three elevations .....just one more to do for this first coat , tipping down today ...just as well ....rehab today.......tomorrow Wednesday looking good weather wise so should get all the first coat completed.....old dog....rookie mistakes ....yep ME ....removed my gloves half way through and got some burns to my hands the compound burnt holes through the skin on some of my fingers about 1.5 mm deep.....will not do that again ....on with those disposable gloves (bought two boxes today) in the morning (closing the barn door first ) ...once this first coating is finished the pressure will be off....but if good weather i will carry on to completion ......or it will keep till next year....but still plenty to keep me out the way of the taffic.

[Straight Shooter]

Finished the first external coat, bottled the blackberry wine, ordered another 20 ft x 10 ft polytunnel, ordered some 600 gauge anti fog polythene to recover both polytunnels (in the future ) plodding on filling the raised beds ......found some excellent Black well rotted leaf mould....at least 18" deep today.....so tomorrow will get the power barrow out and fill all those raised beds........planted all the daffs and crocuses and iris (i keep finding bulbs) in some most odd places, .....plenty of stuff to do around the ground changed the chain of the chainsaw ....ready to log up some ash and oak trees that have come down ....only noticed them today .....busy week for SS....but i will go quietly,it will get done soon enough.

[MaryN]

SS, will you stop it! You'll wear yourself out and you make me feel tired just reading your posts. Oh yes, remember that leaf mould has a tendency to be rather acidic, so do a soil test!

[Mortblanc]

Yes Mary I feel SS is attempting "suicide by work".

One day his posts will suddenly stop and everyone will know exactly what happened.

The obituary will read that after surviving major heart surgery and rehab he was found face down in a pile of mulch with his pockets full of bent nails and pumpkin seeds.

[Straight Shooter]

I just wet myself...laughing so much.......so today ...filled all but one of the raised beds....took me all day...14 loads (mini dumper) it was easy digging 18" deep black compost ...about another 6 loads and it will be done......i must be getting to predictable ...truth is MB has sussed my pockets ....well 50% anyways .....will straighten those nails and put them in my odds and sods tin ....its uncanny ......but i have no intention of tempting providence...trust me.

[MaryN]

I think you are probably right, MB, and it is not the best way to go. (Are you listening SS?) Weirdly enough, one of my Scottish relatives died in almost that manner - they found him on his back on a manure pile! Not the most elegant way to go.