What have done towards your prep?

[Straight Shooter]

Well on the way with the land drainage.... the short run on the drive is completed 21 mtr....even redirected to flow across the drive(dug a trench) and concreted over this run ...the tricky bit (water collection containment tank) ....five water inflow pipes this has a outflow 12" pipe (the 25 mtr run) all that is left (tomorrow) is 5 mtr plus a round sump tank (to change direction) then a outflow pipe 8 mtr run ...this pipe brings the total run 33 mtrs ...had to build a manhole (access just in case of cleaning) and also a retaining wall ....had to redirect water(temp) to build the wall and manhole ...all good now ! ....am i glad i bought that 1.5 mini digger.......Pete just reminded me .....grab apples are ready right now (grab apple jelly) but they will have to wait till the weekend .........My fruit trees have not done well at all ....apples,pears,plums,damsons,and cherries ...this is only year three....fruit bushes have been very good ....plenty.......elder berries are ripening maybe two weeks will be picking (plastered with fruit) ......wine, and syrup will be in plentiful supply ! ........will be ordering a new pair of tracks for the digger shortly ....bald as a badgers arse .

[Pete Grey]

No fruit to pick today so i decided to check out faraday cage and contents, make sure everything is ok and wether anything needs extra packing or care.

From what i can see everything looks fine, a few more rechargeable batteries would be useful, and while shopping i’ll get some more led bulbs.

[Straight Shooter]

Just the run off drainpipe to fit tomorrow ...all complete , had a good clean up and brush up today (had a easy day today) ....Pete you done it again ! Faraday cage ! i to need to check that out....timely reminders are always welcome around here ....and i am sure it helps others when we speak of what we are all up to in fact that is the purpose of this forum....helping others.

The funny thing with my Faraday cage ....the last reminder i had was from LIGHTSPEED .....i use a metal dust bin (and lid) .....after.... LS ....gave his reply i changed the bonding (copper lead) from lid to main body of bin.......just one instance of good advice taken and acted on ....this happens a lot on here.

One of the consequences of our recent hot weather will result in increased food prices and lots of home grown veggies about my ground (all coming together at mostly the same time ) has prompted us into buying another chest freezer to preserve more of what we grow ....and more meat......farmers have been forced to feed their stock from their winter feed (right now) and some have been forced to gull , this can only have one outcome .....prices WILL go up ! .....in a past post by HIGHLANDER ....he set up his freezers on a timer to maintain supplies at a reasonable cost (which i took on board) and been using this method since his post.....again our forum at work ! .

[Pete Grey]

SS if you are going to keep more meat don’t forget to keep plenty of extra salt in stock, if our freezers pack up we do not have solar power to run them, so salting is our only option to preserve our meat. Although I bet you’ve already thought of that.

[Straight Shooter]

I am in front on the salt Pete.....i have 60 lbs ...plus ....and saltpetre .

Solar power .....i have a small set up (no good for freezers) ...but i fully intend to make provision for a solar set up to run the whole house ....as soon as all the ground works and stabilisation works are completed......hopefully there will be funds to get it done.

[Pete Grey]

Today we had a ton of solid fuel delivered, with what’s left from last winter it should keep the multi fuel stove going through the next two winters with care, that will take care of our heating needs.

The top of the stove will also provide some of our hot water needs and some cooking. We have some propane (2-19kg and 2-7kg) and a few bags of charcoal but we could do with a wood burning portable stove or something like a kelly ?, any advice would be welcome.

[Pete Grey]

(24 August 2018, 23:53)Pete Grey Wrote: Today we had a ton of solid fuel delivered, with what’s left from last winter it should keep the multi fuel stove going through the next two winters with care, that will take care of our heating needs.

The top of the stove will also provide some of our hot water needs and some cooking. We have some propane (2-19kg and 2-7kg) and a few bags of charcoal but we could do with a wood burning portable stove or something like a kelly ?, any advice would be welcome.

PS I’ve already made two Ikea hobo stoves.

[Mortblanc]

The last ton of "solid fuel" I worked with was delivered via storm damage to that huge tree in the back garden!

I added it to the ton or two sitting in wait or the power failure that never comes.

I have been in the present location for ten years and in this area for 15 years to never have had a power outage that lasted longer than a couple of hours in Mid-Winter.

One lasted for two days after a tornado back in 2012, but that was early spring and not cold enough to haul wood inside.

Pete, what is the difference between an Ikea hobo stove and any other hobo stove?

I do have one 5 gallon metal snap lid bucket I keep on hand for possibly making a large hobo stove but it just sits in the shed.

If I need to cook outside I have a cast iron box stove set up on the back porch.

[Pete Grey]

(25 August 2018, 15:23)Mortblanc Wrote: The last ton of "solid fuel" I worked with was delivered via storm damage to that huge tree in the back garden!

I added it to the ton or two sitting in wait or the power failure that never comes.

I have been in the present location for ten years and in this area for 15 years to never have had a power outage that lasted longer than a couple of hours in Mid-Winter.

One lasted for two days after a tornado back in 2012, but that was early spring and not cold enough to haul wood inside.

Pete, what is the difference between an Ikea hobo stove and any other hobo stove?

I do have one 5 gallon metal snap lid bucket I keep on hand for possibly making a large hobo stove but it just sits in the shed.

If I need to cook outside I have a cast iron box stove set up on the back porch.

Ikea sell a stainless steel cutlery stand called ORDNING for £2, which makes a good hobo stove, if you google lmages “ikea hobo stove” you will see many variations of them. Over here it’s almost standard kit for preppers.

[Straight Shooter]

Finally .....All land drainage is complete (on the high level ground) and with rain yesterday is working as it should and as planned....fixed some steel stitches into an ageing retaining wall where two cracks appeared (twenty years ago) so got around to sorting that out in the end !.

Got my telescopic pole out earlier today and got 8lbs of crab apples...into the stock pot ....and now draining through a jelly bag until tomorrow when i will turn it into crab apple jelly......i have bought some winter onion sets and winter garlic gloves , they will go out this week.....John the farm called in ....i told him i intended to heat the 10 ft x 10 ft polytunnel .....I have the very thing mate ...he said its electric but cheep to run and ideal for that size.....call up ....its yours pal ....and indeed i will this coming Wednesday.

Pete .....those Kelly Kettles/stoves.....looks like most of the parts are metal spinner work (mould stock block) set into a lathe and spun and pushed onto the mould block great if you were making loads of them (and cheep) and quick ....but two much action and tooling for just a few. But they are a nice bit of kit and really do the job and well i have one 1.5 ltr .