2009 - What have you done to Prepare this week?

[6birds]

2006-2008 was :
1- More land at the cabin, can shoot rifle and clays and not bother neighbors now.
2- Cabin finished and completely off grid.
3- Root cellar is complete and full of goodies.
2009 and 2010 will be investment years, buying at 30 year lows in select markets.
2009 will also be about shooting more. I dumped some safe queens, and will be shooting more each week on the property, with the kids and a few non-shooters. It's fun , relaxing, and picking up a gun and hitting a 200 yards target with the first shot from a cold barrel builds confidence.

[karlsgunbunker]

Originally Posted by DHolder

If you are around Greenwood, stop in at GFS outlet store. They have lots of bulk food items. We stock up on 6/10 cans of fruit, beans, and sauces, as well as the rice, spices, and paper products. They are open to the public, and there is not a membership fee.

We got most of our Stuff at GFS.
Great store with lots of bulk supplies.
Like a Mini-Sams/Costco.

[hornadylnl]

I just got a huge pressure cooker off of ebay. I will be buying a wood cook stove tomorrow and a bunch of canning jars. Starting to stock up on food as well. I will be ordering a bunch of seeds in the near future as well.

Do any of you guys have any experience with fruit trees? Will the grow fruit if planted in a semi dense woods or will they have to be totally exposed to sunlight? I know a lot of people have apple and pear trees around here but will peaches grow here?

[tyler34]

Gurney's Seed & Nursery: A household name for all your vegetable & flower seeds since 1820

best place I know of for fruit trees and bushes and other seeds for that matter. you can find your growing zone and narrow your choices on the site.

[Sailor]

Originally Posted by hornadylnl

I just got a huge pressure cooker off of ebay. I will be buying a wood cook stove tomorrow and a bunch of canning jars. Starting to stock up on food as well. I will be ordering a bunch of seeds in the near future as well.

Do any of you guys have any experience with fruit trees? Will the grow fruit if planted in a semi dense woods or will they have to be totally exposed to sunlight? I know a lot of people have apple and pear trees around here but will peaches grow here?

You mean pressure CANNER correct? It must have a dial or weight gauge on top to use properly. A pressure cooker is for making dinner.

Also you dont want to pressure can high acid foods, water bath is fine.

[El Cazador]

Fruit trees need a lot of sunlight to really produce. Otherwise you'll get stunted fruit that's susceptible to a number of diseases and blights, plus the fruit is usually smaller and has less sugar content. There are hardy hybrid peaches that are supposed to grow here, but I've always thought the few I've eaten weren't all that good. I opted for apricots. Huge producer of fruit; the fruit is super sweet, easy to prep and can/freeze, and the trees are fairly easy to maintain.

[Sailor]

Originally Posted by El Cazador

Fruit trees need a lot of sunlight to really produce. Otherwise you'll get stunted fruit that's susceptible to a number of diseases and blights, plus the fruit is usually smaller and has less sugar content. There are hardy hybrid peaches that are supposed to grow here, but I've always thought the few I've eaten weren't all that good. I opted for apricots. Huge producer of fruit; the fruit is super sweet, easy to prep and can/freeze, and the trees are fairly easy to maintain.

Are they self pollinating? What hybrid/type did you get?

[hornadylnl]

Kind of what I figured with fruit trees. You never see orchards that aren't in the great wide open. Thanks

[hornadylnl]

Here's my next question for gardners. I'm not a huge fan of vegetables but I like corn, green beans, peas, potatos, etc. I'm looking at rareseeds.com and they have so many different variety of beans and other plants. What variety do I want if I want just plain jane vegetables like you would buy in a can at grocery stores? I want plane jane green beans, wax beans, beans like you would make ham and beans with, pinto beans, and peas.

Do you guys have any luck planting potatos here? I've heard yes and no. I'll be planting tomatoes as well. That website has some seed collections of 300 packets for $375 but I don't think I'd eat over half of the stuff that's in the collection. I'm mostly wanting to plant stuff that will can. Also, I want them to be heirloom seeds so I can save seeds every year and replant.

[Sailor]

Originally Posted by hornadylnl

Here's my next question for gardners. I'm not a huge fan of vegetables but I like corn, green beans, peas, potatos, etc. I'm looking at rareseeds.com and they have so many different variety of beans and other plants. What variety do I want if I want just plain jane vegetables like you would buy in a can at grocery stores? I want plane jane green beans, wax beans, beans like you would make ham and beans with, pinto beans, and peas.

Do you guys have any luck planting potatos here? I've heard yes and no. I'll be planting tomatoes as well. That website has some seed collections of 300 packets for $375 but I don't think I'd eat over half of the stuff that's in the collection. I'm mostly wanting to plant stuff that will can. Also, I want them to be heirloom seeds so I can save seeds every year and replant.

I did potatoes for the first time last year. got a bunch of different kinds, cut them up and let them dry out for a few days and planted in troughs. You need a lot drainage sand straw etc. the ones that got to wet rotted. They are really fun for the kids to dig up. Do yourself a favor and dig them up when there is still some plant left on top. Much easier to find them.