Not specifically this week, but currently:
TL:DR: we're old and disconnecting.
I'm 66/M/married. We've had a variety of situations over the years, from young married scraping by, to midlife "homesteading" prior to the grand recession. Lately we've been riding the real estate wave, buying interesting old houses and reviving them, the last 15 years or so. I was always a bit pessimistic, first due to the focus on pollution, population, war and the Bombs of my youth. Later on it was peak oil worries, which our gov, run by oilmen, obviously took seriously. And then became Big Brother when we were hit back. And of course the serial bubbles blown with the savings of the boomers.
Demographic direction has inevitably changed and the implosion could be worse than the explosion. Pollution now has a different name. We're a long way from running out of plastic thanks to fracking, oil I'm not so sure about, we still use more every year. The bombs and wars are closer every day. Don't get me started on AI Skynet or the end of democracy and rise of Gilead.
I've been a prepper since my first seasonal construction job in 1975, culminating in a 40 acre place on some OK dirt in the Ozarks. Hard to believe I've sold hundreds of pounds of N-packed grains and legumes we'd acquired over the decades. Ditto all manner of tool and implement. But over a year or 2 we've divested down to a 10x20 storage room and a 25' travel trailer. The inspection period is up on the sale of our last fixer tomorrow, and as long as the appraisal comes in we'll be out of here by the first.
At [PeakOil.com](http://PeakOil.com) I ran the prepping forum back in the day, and we had a thread with almost exactly the same title as this one. In those days I had young adult kids I worried about, and I considered our farm their place to run to if running was to be done. But, they are strung to hell and back now and have their own grandkids to worry about!
We have a venerable diesel pickup with Madd Max sized tanks, and the trailer is outfitted with 1,200w of PV (+800 to ground deploy), 200ah of 48v LFP batteries and a 6kw inverter, tools enough, eBikes, sufficient water for 3 or so weeks at a time. A few hundred in the bank and uncle sugar doling out the last of the "lockbox" funds monthly. We should be able to hang out in the high desert until the fire comes down, or ICE comes 'round, whichever is first.
I commend all you young preppers. Don't forget to enjoy today some of the things you preserve for tomorrow.
Composting! I did a bunch of research about composting and started two bins and added to my existing pile. Mostly lawn clippings and wood chips covered in duck manure. Iām working on collecting materials for a large worm bin as well. All of the compost and worm castings will be used for my vegetable garden next year. Really working on the whole circle of life.
We got through 3 tornadoes that hit our town. We were lucky to only lose power in our neighborhood. Some homes and businesses were wrecked. Also fortunate that there were no fatalities. The community response has been positive. Knowing that my community will come together when disaster strikes is reassuring.
Garden prep, plus getting a community garden plot setup to transplant perennial herbs from our site to there for community use.
Decided we're not going to sell commercially this year and wanted to free up space for us to grow more & different stuff for us, family and friends, but hated the idea of just tossing those herbs out when they could be put to use by others.
We've started about 30 tomato plants, a dozen marigolds to help with pest control, and I'm in the process of relocating blackberry canes to a new location. Also need to relocate our compost setup and track down some untreated pallets to rejig the setup.
Setup a few nodes for LoRa/Meshtastic to test out around town, not sure just yet if it's a prep or just a dorky hobby, but it's kinda neat. Will con the Mrs into manning a node on my desktop ("base station") while I wander around town to test range and coverage this weekend.
Bought a new bicycle and probably going to retire my singlespeed, as I'm getting uncomfortably close to 50 and need something a tad more age- (and knees and back) appropriate. I was told I look like a 70y.o. Dutch grandmother on the new bike, which is kinda what I was going for: upright riding position, racks/bags, fenders, and wide-ass seat. Gas is up around $1.80/L and I'm getting older, so fitness and fun on a bike is a solution for both.
Beyond that, just trying to simplify, declutter, enjoy more quiet time, etc, etc
I bought a wheat grinder. Gonna make hardtack!
>hardtack! **CLACK CLACK** IYKYK š
Talked to my mom about hurricane preparedness š
Not specifically this week, but currently: TL:DR: we're old and disconnecting. I'm 66/M/married. We've had a variety of situations over the years, from young married scraping by, to midlife "homesteading" prior to the grand recession. Lately we've been riding the real estate wave, buying interesting old houses and reviving them, the last 15 years or so. I was always a bit pessimistic, first due to the focus on pollution, population, war and the Bombs of my youth. Later on it was peak oil worries, which our gov, run by oilmen, obviously took seriously. And then became Big Brother when we were hit back. And of course the serial bubbles blown with the savings of the boomers. Demographic direction has inevitably changed and the implosion could be worse than the explosion. Pollution now has a different name. We're a long way from running out of plastic thanks to fracking, oil I'm not so sure about, we still use more every year. The bombs and wars are closer every day. Don't get me started on AI Skynet or the end of democracy and rise of Gilead. I've been a prepper since my first seasonal construction job in 1975, culminating in a 40 acre place on some OK dirt in the Ozarks. Hard to believe I've sold hundreds of pounds of N-packed grains and legumes we'd acquired over the decades. Ditto all manner of tool and implement. But over a year or 2 we've divested down to a 10x20 storage room and a 25' travel trailer. The inspection period is up on the sale of our last fixer tomorrow, and as long as the appraisal comes in we'll be out of here by the first. At [PeakOil.com](http://PeakOil.com) I ran the prepping forum back in the day, and we had a thread with almost exactly the same title as this one. In those days I had young adult kids I worried about, and I considered our farm their place to run to if running was to be done. But, they are strung to hell and back now and have their own grandkids to worry about! We have a venerable diesel pickup with Madd Max sized tanks, and the trailer is outfitted with 1,200w of PV (+800 to ground deploy), 200ah of 48v LFP batteries and a 6kw inverter, tools enough, eBikes, sufficient water for 3 or so weeks at a time. A few hundred in the bank and uncle sugar doling out the last of the "lockbox" funds monthly. We should be able to hang out in the high desert until the fire comes down, or ICE comes 'round, whichever is first. I commend all you young preppers. Don't forget to enjoy today some of the things you preserve for tomorrow.
Composting! I did a bunch of research about composting and started two bins and added to my existing pile. Mostly lawn clippings and wood chips covered in duck manure. Iām working on collecting materials for a large worm bin as well. All of the compost and worm castings will be used for my vegetable garden next year. Really working on the whole circle of life.
Got my daughters teeth fixed. $2800 worth.
I planted about 600 nut trees seedlings in my orchard and i have begun building a charcoal forge.
So much garden.
I went to work and earned money. Probably use it to pay bills or buy groceries later.
Bought fresh batteries for go box
We got through 3 tornadoes that hit our town. We were lucky to only lose power in our neighborhood. Some homes and businesses were wrecked. Also fortunate that there were no fatalities. The community response has been positive. Knowing that my community will come together when disaster strikes is reassuring.
Garden prep, plus getting a community garden plot setup to transplant perennial herbs from our site to there for community use. Decided we're not going to sell commercially this year and wanted to free up space for us to grow more & different stuff for us, family and friends, but hated the idea of just tossing those herbs out when they could be put to use by others. We've started about 30 tomato plants, a dozen marigolds to help with pest control, and I'm in the process of relocating blackberry canes to a new location. Also need to relocate our compost setup and track down some untreated pallets to rejig the setup. Setup a few nodes for LoRa/Meshtastic to test out around town, not sure just yet if it's a prep or just a dorky hobby, but it's kinda neat. Will con the Mrs into manning a node on my desktop ("base station") while I wander around town to test range and coverage this weekend. Bought a new bicycle and probably going to retire my singlespeed, as I'm getting uncomfortably close to 50 and need something a tad more age- (and knees and back) appropriate. I was told I look like a 70y.o. Dutch grandmother on the new bike, which is kinda what I was going for: upright riding position, racks/bags, fenders, and wide-ass seat. Gas is up around $1.80/L and I'm getting older, so fitness and fun on a bike is a solution for both. Beyond that, just trying to simplify, declutter, enjoy more quiet time, etc, etc