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Fall / winter 2018 - 2019 prepping plans?

3K views 31 replies 26 participants last post by  edprof 
#1 ·
Guys and gals, fall and winter is just around the corner. So does anyone have any special plans for this season?

I may spend some time on public hunting lands.

My son and I are setting up the deer stands here on the farm.

May plant a winter garden of greens. It has been a long time since I grew turnips and rutabagas.

Talked to a couple of my buddies about going on a river camping trip towards December or January.

So far no plans set in stone, just a bunch of things I would like to do, but nothing overly important.
 
#3 ·
I’m working on getting a freeze drier and making my own freeze dried hiking meals as well as producing my own LTS fruits, veggies and meats.
 
#4 ·
I'm a general contractor, and have never had a break to get some work done on my own place.

Finally, we have several projects get delayed and I was able to get my workers out to my homestead to build a 16' x 24' outdoor post & beam structure with deck floor and a roof (metal panels used from a past salvaged job). Its right next to a free standing barn. Both have full power and lighting.

Its got an outdoor work bench, storage for summer & winter tires, spare lumber, ladders, staging, tarps, and other building equipment and spare building materials.

Cleaned out all the gutters and installed news gutters on the barn + the new structure.

For firewood, we have about 5 cords of seasoned fire wood, and I just ordered another 3 cords.

I just rotated out about 200 gallons of stored gas, and will be refilling the containers next week with fresh gas and stabilizer.

I am planning to do a test start and run on our 14k whole house genset next week.

The snow plow has been cleaned up and weatherized for the next coming winter. I did that earlier in the summer.

I will also be stocking up on new heavy duty fasteners and items needed to install the winter chicken coop panels (not quit time yet to install tem).

I have my electrician booked for this month to finally finish installing a dedicated circuit and quad outlet to my in house ham radio set up and to finish the grounding and lightning suppressor configuration for the ham system, and to also replace 3 glitched CCTV cameras, and install some additional lighting around the backside of my barn and the newer structure.

I also Just got a great discount deal at a local bobs store on flannel and fleece shirts and a new insulated work vest (all marked 40 to 60% off), and I Stocked up on some good lip balm that I really like this past summer (tea tree oil based)...

The truck is going into the shop for a new inspection, so I have a list of pre-winter maintenance work that will also be done on it.
(I also went thru the under carriage last week and did a POR 15 treatment application to the frame and inside fender wells).


Any ways, that's a short list of preps.


Last, if you have not done so yet, make sure you check out the latest farmers almanac forecast for this coming winter = and prepare accordingly.
 
#7 ·
Still trying to finish off my shop before the snow flies.

After that I plan to replace the household water tank that all my water comes from, currently, 100 gallons, which lasts about a week before needing to be refilled, which is easy in the summer, a lot less so in the winter. The new tank will be at least 600 gallons.
 
#8 ·
I'm still planning to build my bigger-and-better solar-electric system before snow flies.

Also, I'm beginning the process of building shelves in two outbuildings. The shelves will hold 5-gallon cans of kerosene and E0 gasoline. I'm storing the kerosene in case, for some reason, I need to fire up one of my portable kerosene heaters. I'm storing the gasoline for my snowblower. The idea is that I want to have enough fuel for the entire winter, in a location that can be accessed easily throughout the winter.

Also, I'm not going to commit myself to any regularly scheduled activities or obligations this winter. Last winter I signed up for a 10-week (one evening per week) woodworking class at a high school 15 miles away. The class was great, but getting to and from the class in bad weather was a labor-intensive process because it's a challenge dealing with snow and ice on my long, curvy, hilly driveway.

With a substantial and accessible fuel inventory in place, and with my plan to steer clear of obligations and commitments that require my leaving the house, I'll be able to hunker down at home for weeks or months at a time if I need to or want to. I work at home, receive almost all my income electronically, and pay all my bills on line. And of course I'll have plenty of firewood, my big propane tank will be full before winter starts, and I'll have plenty of food.
 
#10 ·
Have an extra 250 propane tank (1968) and painted it and had it certified by the propane suppler and put in service to fill both to add to existing 250 tank so house will have total of 400 gallons and should be good for the winter as have EPA approved fireplace wood with about 6 - 7 chords of seasoned wood for keep house warm. Chimney sweep contacted and that will be done next week or so. Deer feeders topped off with new corn. Added second 500-gallon tank for the Generac (22KW) and filled it up. Added tri-fuel conversion with old 5000-watt Coleman I got new in 1988 for “Plan B’ power and put valve from house to Coleman unit to feed it if needed. Got new CVA Optima V2 black power rifle this year and need to sight it in for black power deer season.
 
#11 ·
This winter, I'd like to get a significant portion my neighborhood set up with a year's supply of food. We just had a massive harvest/emergency preparedness fair and we had 150 people attend! We had water purification, rocket stove, baking bread and gardening booths. So far, we have signed up 146 years supplies of food and I think we'll come close to doubling that before we make our big order this winter. That'll be about 1/2 of the entire neighborhood.

We already tackled the neighborhood fire risk and water supply questions. Now, we're leaning on the local church congregations to help us get it put together and they're doing great. We have another big preparedness event tomorrow night for the other half of the neighborhood.

Maybe I'll make a new post about this, since it's working out so well with the neighborhood.
 
#14 ·
This winter, I'd like to get a significant portion my neighborhood set up with a year's supply of food. We just had a massive harvest/emergency preparedness fair and we had 150 people attend! We had water purification, rocket stove, baking bread and gardening booths. So far, we have signed up 146 years supplies of food and I think we'll come close to doubling that before we make our big order this winter. That'll be about 1/2 of the entire neighborhood.

We already tackled the neighborhood fire risk and water supply questions. Now, we're leaning on the local church congregations to help us get it put together and they're doing great. We have another big preparedness event tomorrow night for the other half of the neighborhood.
That is really impressive, JOracle.
 
#15 ·
This thread has gotten me into the mood to start stocking up on lots of stuff for winter. Yesterday I bought 24 cans of grilled chicken and 96 cans of tuna at the local discount grocery store. I want to lay in a supply of other canned foods I like, especially chowders and various kinds of beans. I'll probably stock up on rice and dried beans, too.

This winter I might decide to do a planned hunker-down for a long time - maybe a month or six weeks. I would do it to see what unexpected problems I run into and also to see how it feels to be totally alone for that length of time.
 
#20 ·
Purging my house of everything that isn't prep or evangelism related. Before I got my illness under control, I bought a lot of useless crap.

So, toss or donate. At least one local member will be getting a PM about some stuff.
 
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#21 ·
Finally convinced DH to hire somebody other than himself to build a 3 sided structure around the massive wood pile. About the size or 2 car garage. Also have a partial wood privacy fence extending out from 2 sides of this structure. May approach the city zoning committee to get code changed to allow chickens, and add a moving chicken coop to this area of property. Still reading up on chickens!
 
#23 ·
Picked up a BIG pellet stove for my shop so I can actually work in the warmth this winter... Scored it for $500 new at the local TSC as they had discontinued the line.

Still stacking firewood for next year.. have a good bit to finish up there.

Need to better insulate my crawlspace this fall... had some freeze up issues last winter.

Need to service my generator yet...

Also need to cycle out the last of my old fuel... can still get ethanol free here local.

Once the cold sets in, I'll be running my harvest right around the clock.

Other then all of that and keeping snow off the solar array... Going to kick back and relax... lol
 
#25 ·
I have potatoes to harvest as well as carrots and rutabaga. Those will need to be hydrated, canned, or root cellar stored. Cycled 20 gallons of gas last week and have another 35 more to do. Need to stock up on reloading supplies before November. I don’t have enough projectiles. I have to get my parents and my in laws set with wood for next year (my father in law can no longer handle to work and my father is in his mid 70’s and needs a hand). Change the mowing deck to the plow on the tractor but before that I need to knock down all the high brush. Need to put fence around some fruit trees that have been hit very hard the last 3 years. Did oil changes on the vechicles last week and checked tires. I need to trim up some low branches and fence maintenance. Damn I forgot to even list everything indoors!
 
#27 ·
We're planning a move out of Texas next year to the Great White North so fall/winter preps revolve around that. Stocking warm weather clothing when there are good sales, blankets, etc since we haven't really had much of a need for them here.

Other than that, keeping the pantry/stocks built up, water storage and putting enough $$ back to cover the move without dipping into savings.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk
 
#28 ·
2018 theme was All-Weather Living and Security.

Between now and the end of the year:

Get started on the final security project at the BOL*. It will run into 2019, but won't jeopardize any 2019 goals. It's a piece at a time project.

Bumping up gasoline storage at the BOL*, we inherited 4 or 5 plastic gas cans. I will start filling them one a month for the next 4 months, then rotate them in a year.

We are having our first annual family get together at the BOL* during the weekend of Oct 19 and do some real outdoor fire pit cooking: Irish Stew in a kettle on a tripod, corn bread in the dutch oven and a peach cobbler after supper. It will be a project for me and my daughter. We have a bunch of Progresso soup cans that we are going to eat out of. May do a couple of pumpkin pies in the kitchen since it will be full on Fall in Mid-Michigan.

Auxiliary power cord for well pump
Auxiliary power cord for furnace

Ham Tech license October 2018


Thinking about goals for 2019:Theme will be Back-up Power and Comms

Get started with comms- Ham Radio familiarization, determine needs and wants
Trunking scanner
Antennae
100W solar HF
Suitable battery bank to run comms for x time in case of power failure
Get generator kit together in one spot
Increase gasoline supply by 20 gals.
Increase propane supply by a 100 lb tank to run stove

My daughter and son-in-law want to start a garden, so that may be on for early spring. I have about a hundred gallons of compost I need to take to the property this fall.

Stretch goals this winter:
Planning on building closet organizers in the cabin and kayak storage in the conex. SIL can get scrap 2X4's and plywood sheet from his job from used crating.
 
#29 ·
i have a 2000 lb capacity shelf coming this week. im gonna put that together and fill it with all my ball jars of vacuum sealed food/dry goods/etc etc

refill propane tanks and gas cans for generator and/or next years lawn mowers

replace batteries in all the smoke detectors like every fall

get some firewood piles i have laying around organized

empty and refill all the aqua-tainers
 
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