To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. Steadily, we work on meeting our prepping goals. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities. They also often share their planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, property improvements, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!
Jim Reports:
This week I did a lot of writing. I’m presently in “down periscope” mode, since under contract deadline for a book manuscript. But I still found time do some chores and projects here at the Rawles Ranch. This included some slash hauling, to safe slash-burning clearings. I also did some manure hauling, for Lily’s gardens.
I had to make an extra trip to town, to mail a big pile of Priority Mail flat rate boxes. These boxes were in fulfillment of orders that I had received in my HK Magazines and Parts Extravaganza, over at The FALFiles. Sales there have been brisk. Of the 540+ HK91 magazines that I listed, I now have just a few dozen left!
I also installed a new heavy duty tube gate to replace one that had been crushed by a falling tree, last winter.
I’m keeping my report brief this week. Okay, I’m going “down periscope”.
Avalanche Lily Reports:
Dear Readers,
Well, now, what did I do this week? This week was all about gardening in the Main garden and Greenhouse, and the horses.
Miss Eloise and I, finally, after a long hiatus, broke our horses for riding, again, this week. They did well. We rode two of our horses, in particular, S and C. From one of them we expected trouble, S–our horse that is trained in Dressage–and yet we didn’t have trouble. It turns out that the one we expected trouble from, was so eagerly happy to get back to work, that it totally obeyed everything that was asked, to our surprise and pleasure. We had thought that S would give us a bit of a rodeo. While the other, C, who we thought would comply, didn’t, for two days. C did give us a slight rodeo: prancing, fighting the bit, slightly rearing, tossing head high into the air, balking when prompted to go, moving way too fast when asked to walk. C, finally relaxed and did as bidden.
It is awesome to get back into the saddle. Eloise and I both have very good seats. All of our training/muscle memory, cues, came back like a flood. Because of the horses’ quick compliance we were able to immediately trail ride around the ranch and are looking forward to many more rides this summer, off of the ranch. However, I must admit, that two days after the first ride, I am in some muscle pain from not using those muscles for so long. I’ve got that stiff Cowgirl gait going and whimper every time I have to move. That pain annoyingly slowed me down on Friday. This too, shall pass as I get accustomed to riding again. I’ll just say that I’m feeling my age today. Monday, we intend to be riding again, since we have other plans for the weekend.
After riding, the horses received a shampooing, hoof picks, lots of good snacks, carrots and wet COB and lots of loving praise.
In the main garden, I planted the last section. I spread manure and kitchen compost and roto-tilled it for the fourth time since snow melt. I planted Spaghetti squash, French beans, yellow wax beans, my celery starts, Alaskan Yukon corn, Sweet Potatoes (I’m going to try these again this summer for a second time), cucumbers, various lettuces, pumpkins, and grey/Middle eastern Zucchini. This final planting area is a 15 by 30 foot bed.
In the greenhouse, we decided to start over with all of our potting soil that was in containers. (Not what is in the raised beds). The soil in the containers was a mixture of store-bought potting soils, some clay soil from a local excavation project, some top soil from my outdoor gardens, well-rotted cow manure, and well-rotted chicken manure. I used this soil for my seed starts this spring. I didn’t have the best germination rate this spring. However there are lots of reasons for that; mostly the cool nighttime temperatures and cold rainy days, were the main culprits in my eyes. But, just in case the soil had anything to do with it, I decided that it was time to completely change out much of our soil in the greenhouse. Jim took all that soil and dumped it around the guest cabin, to fill some low spots. I then took 15 bussing trays, dish pans and long narrow window planters, and two large tree planter pots and filled them with that awesome kitchen compost and some manured soil from our cow corrals. For the soil in the planter pots, I will mix some top soil from the garden this fall and that will be used for starting seedlings next spring.
I transplanted into the trays and long window planters, the following: Seedlings of sweet peppers, seedlings and seeds of several varieties of Honeydew melons, Butternut squash, Luffa Sponge gourds, Spaghetti squash and three trays of red onion seeds. These will remain in the greenhouse, since they are warmth loving plants. Our summer night temperatures tend to be on the very cool side, though, I will say, that during this past week they’ve been in the mid-50s which is quite warm compared to last summers’ night temperatures which averaged in the high 40s. I hope that they continue to stay at least in the 50s the rest of the summer, this year.
This coming week, we will fill a few more large planter pots with the awesome kitchen compost and well-rotted cow manure and will plant winter squash, Acorn squash, and more Butternut. These will be outside along a walk way in the Main garden. I have a bed in the greenhouse that is still empty that I need to figure out what I want to plant in it. Maybe some Diva Cucumbers? Then I’ll be done planting in those areas, at least for now.
The girls and I will also work on the Annex garden. It needs to be plowed and manured and then plowed several times. It is getting late to plant, but I have a large amount of left over sprouted red potatoes that I’d like to get in there for a late crop of potatoes, dry beans, sunflowers, carrots and turnips for our use. The carrots and turnips are also for the cows and horses. We just need to continue developing this garden area.
The garden paths also need to be mowed and the orchard.
May you all have a very blessed and safe week.
– Avalanche Lily, Rawles
o o o
As always, please share your own successes and hard-earned wisdom in the Comments.
We finally had no option left but to heel all of our bedding plants into the mud due to the daily down pours. No way I could till the garden this year, all we have is mud. So, everything went in amongst the weeds. Still have to get the sweet potatoes in. Never have seen anything like this spring, cold and incredibly wet. I have heard some farmers are just going to give up and not plant at all this year. What corn that did go in early is up and about 1″ tall and yellow, generally standing in water. be prepared for higher food prices in the future, lots of crop failure in the Mid West.
Brooksy and All,
The USA and the world has apparently entered a Grand Solar Minimum. This means very unusual weather patterns which will make planting crops incredibly difficult. China and the USA are both unable to plant their usual corn crops this year which means neither will be exporting this year. We are looking at potential long term food scarcity and famines world-wide, possibly beginning this fall. This could cause a sky-rocketing of food prices world-wide. Grain prices are already spiking, and speculators are going long.
Seriously, readers, you must plant as much food as you can, and buy now, i.e. this summer, foods to stock up on. Biblically speaking, once the Peace Deal is signed, either this fall or possibly next fall, we will enter the last seven years of this age, the Tribulation, and then the Great Tribulation which is Satan’s wrath against the believers of Jesus. These years will be marked as years of wars, disasters, famines, pestilences, persecution, and the Mark of the Beast. Under the era of The Mark no one can buy or sell without it. Believers can never take this Mark. Therefore it is imperative that you stock up enough food for at least four years, preferably six years.
The Lord Jesus, we believe, will return around the sixth year, at the Sixth Trump, and rapture His saints/bring them to heaven for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. During the last year, God will pour out HIS WRATH on all the rest of unrepentant mankind. We, who are in Him, are not destined for God’s WRATH. (But we see the Great Tribulation.
Again, we reiterate, that this summer it is very important for you to plant as much of your own food as possible, even do so indoors, in pots, or to buy and stock up on as much food, water, medical, needed clothes, and survival equipment as possible. We believe the door for buying and preparing is closing very quickly. Above all, prepare your hearts to NOT deny the deity of Jesus Christ, no matter what happens to your earthly body.
Avalanche Lily – can you provide a bit of detail on this peace deal you mentioned? Are you referring to the current trade war, or the continued strife in the Middle East? Thank you!
7 year peace accord between the Arab states [all] and Israel orchestrated by the Antichrist. The AC will break the deal 3.5 years in.
Hello Chris and All,
I am referring to Trump’s Deal of the Century Peace Deal between Israel and the Palestinians. We think that this could be the “confirmation of the Covenant” found in the book of Daniel 9:27. We are thinking that this treaty/covenant/deal was already signed as perhaps the Oslo Peace Accord in 1993 and will be signed again with many nations, either this fall or next fall?? Because so many other prophecies/nations are in their ‘place” and there is a such a “Shelf life” to national alliances, that the signing of the covenant which will be the breaking of the First Seal in the book of Revelation Chapter 6:1-2 will begin the 70th week of Daniel 9:27, which is the Last seven years of this age. We think that we will live through the first six years of the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation spoken of by Matthew 24, Revelation 6-20, and Daniel, which are Satan’s wrath against Believers in Jesus Christ. We will see the events of the first Six Seals: the antichrist, persecution for our faith in Jesus, the Mark of the Beast, the two witnesses, Babylon destroyed. Those of us who are saved, are saved from our sins and therefore we’re saved from God’s WRATH which comes at the Seventh Trump. At the end of the time period of the Sixth Trump, Jesus returns to earth and catches away His saints/Raptures them away to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Then He brings His Wrath during the Supper. We have repented of our sins and have believed that Jesus died to take away our sins and obey His Commandments are not destined for His wrath, only unrepentant mankind will receive God’s wrath and also Satan.
If you don’t know Jesus’ salvation, call on HIS Name and confess your sins to Him, repenting of them, which also means turning away from doing those things that God calls sin, turning 180 degrees away from them, ask Him to forgive you and save you. If you call on His name with your whole heart, mind, and soul and are brutally honest with him. He is faithful to forgive you of all of your sins and to bring you into His kingdom.
Once you are saved, get a bible and begin reading and praying to get to know who he really is. In these last days and very limited time, you need to read and listen to His word (YouTube has the New Testament) over and over and over again to get it in your heart and mind.
Also, at this time in history, I do not recommend new believers to go to major denominational churches. Because, very, very few churches are preaching the true gospel. It is best to just read and listen to the New Testament and get it into your heart and mind so you know who God is. The deception is so great these days. The Lord Bless and keep you all in the palm of His hand.
Lily
As usual, the MSM is silent on the real possibility of food scarcity. I have a friend who watches this topic closely and he certainly fears the same. In addition to the real physical discomfort caused by widespread hunger, it will be used to manipulate and steer the masses toward the prison of servitude and slavery.
Thank you Lily. I am a believer as is my wife and all of my children. I was curious as to your insights on the signing of the peace treaty. There’s a big push to sign a Middle East treaty as I write this. I am just not confident it is THE peace agreement that is described in Revelations. I’m in agreement that we are living in last days but am looking for two additional confirmation points before I can qualify this treaty as a potential match. Of course I am no expert on prophecy – just a student – but I do pay attention to current day events to see if they line up with how the Bible lays out last day events and players.
Hello Chris,
This Peace Process of Trump and Kushner may be signed, but not implemented because of a war. But the Antichrist, himself, will appear after a war and will broker peace between the nations of Israel and whoever they are fighting with, Iran/Palestinians which would be the “Confirmation” of their peace agreement. We’re “fairly” certain that Trump and Kushner are only instruments being used to implement the agreement. France/Macron has promised that if Trump’s agreement doesn’t get passed/implemented, that they have their own peace agreement for the two nations. Trump’s agreement IS already being postponed, because of Ramadan, which ends on June 5th. After June 5th, we may have a partial revealing of the plan. I’m not sure that Trump can continue pushing his plan while Netanyahu/Israel must return to elections in September because Netanyahu was unable to build a coalition. This is actually a good thing, because, a really, really strong ultra-right wing religious coalition government in Israel is not a healthy choice for Israel to maintain a true Democracy. These elections may also slow down the revealing of the plan. Regardless, we’re very close to all things coming to pass which were prophesied of the Biblical prophets. We do think that a Peace treaty confirmation will be signed in the (a) Fall on Yom Kippur and that seven years later on also on Yom Kippur The Lord will declare “that it is Finished” and the Millennium will begin. Right now, it really is a speculation game. However, The Lord promised Daniel that understanding of these events will be revealed in the Last Days. We are seeing the vision with greater and greater clarity. We’re watching the news like a hawk and are preparing accordingly. The Lord says in His word to watch and be ready, because we do not know the hour nor the time in which our Lord may appear. Even so come!
Wow Lilly those gardens and greenhouse are something! I was raised by industrious parents who bought very little…about only jars of peanutbutter and sliced white bread (which I dislike, and thus made me a better baker). We ate well and they retired in their mid 50s and are still going strong. We ate potatoes at most every meal. Do you have a way to preserve potatoes other than cold storage? I’ve been experimenting with dehydrating slices and canning some. Love more ideas.
Just loving my little 9 pounder chainsaw. So much safer to work with a saw that is not too heavy. I was able to find a couple of dry afternoons to take care of some little foxes by cutting saplings in the woods around the cabin that are not wanted as well as doing some limbing and cutting up downed branches. I’ve also begun to cut up the wood from the unsightly pile outside the door. I don’t stack this wood in the woodbox, but make a separate stack between two trees to burn in the spring and fall when I want a warm but not hot fire. I’ll leave the culling of dying trees to the guys.
I will need to put up a temporary brace on one corner of the pole barn as the pole is rotting. That way my son can deal with it this fall before winter. I expect we will have some heavy snows this winter, but time will tell.
Added three sonic plug-ins to the Mouse War arsenal. No idea if they work, but worth plugging in and trying. We have seen quite a reduction in rodents this winter and I’m hoping to keep it that way. I’ll leave poison everywhere, especially under the cabin as we do not have a mouse issue in here.
Two more preventive doctor appointments next week while back east with terrific health insurance. I expect the continued slippage of Americans on the healthy scale as the price of food rises. Usually when this has happened in the past, prices rise most on fresh and frozen vegetables and meats making processed foods seem a better bargain. With a decline in food preservation skills and a lack of proper nutritional knowledge, too many Americans are unable to provide adequate meals and rely heavily on prepared and packaged foods. And the prices on those packaged “food” items are so high. This past week I bought chips for a school event and, since I haven’t bought a bag of chips in ages, was shocked at the price! One of the students commented, “for a half a bag at that.” Not to mention the absurd variety of chips in our little town grocery. One entire isle is dedicated to different varieties of chips and soda.
Off to pull weeds, lay weed material and mulch in front of the cabin this weekend. I’ll also be gathering kindling from the yard to store in the unused chicken coop. I still have yet to have a warm and dry day up blacken the stove. It has been amazingly wet and chilly this spring. Good news…the rain barrel is full and the mesh over the gutters has been working wonderfully!
Hello PJGT,
Well, up to this point in time, I have only stored my potatoes in cold storage. However, I have been thinking about dehydrating potatoes for backpacking meals. But, I will wait for this summer’s crop to come in to try it.
Blessings,
Lily
Lily, my wife and are on a keto nutritional program. I’m Pennsylvania Dutch and always loved my pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. Well, my dear wife saw that she could make cooked cauliflower as a replacement of the potatoes for this dish. I approached the table carefully, but have to tell you that I now would not want potatoes for that particular dish. Sounds crazy, but we substitute cauliflower for potatoes on a lot of dishes.
I know, I know, potatoes are easy to grow and hold up well, but ” just saying ”
Ron
Got my third row tunnel set up.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N322UYW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I planted potatoes 3 weeks ago. One bed was covered with my first row tunnel, one bed was not covered. Potatoes planted underneath that row tunnel are now 12 inches high. Potatoes in the uncovered bed are only 3 inches high. Both beds get the same care, except more watering is needed for the outside potatoes.
I finally completed another 30-foot long by 3 feet wide by 2 foot deep garden bed, along with incorporated agricultural lime and organic soil amendments with micronutrients purchased from sales last fall.
All my garden beds are brand new, hacked out of my hayfield, so the soil building process will get improved year by year but don’t look for high quality vegetables this year.
Planted Dragon’s Breath and Bush Blue Lake Beans. I am soaking another set of bean seeds to plant right next to my young apple and pear trees today.
Received my Sportsman’s Guide Gear Deer Cart (250lbs capacity) after reading reviews. $64.99 plus tax. Reviewers say to replace supplied pins with $4 worth of nuts and bolts. I will use it for CERT, and if needed, to bugout.
I took a friend to a rare type of store this week. The Marksman has a indoor gun range, sells guns and all needed supplies, and for a flat fee you can try all their guns in a specific caliber, buying their ammunition (Sellier and Bellot). I am making some big changes in my EDC life, after trying the following in .45, all in the space of a few hours:
Walther PPQ
Glock 30
Glock 21
M&P 2.0
HK 45C
Sig 320
Springfield XD
The absolute best, most accurate of all the above was the Springfield XD.
I have been shooting casually for many decades. With the other pistols I tried that day, I had consistent groupings as usual, but you can really see the differences by trying one model after another.
I was shocked with the Springfield at how easy it was for me to put 25 rounds into the X.
Not the X-Ring. The X.
I was so surprised that I used 25 rounds on five different targets to verify it. I had been running 5 to 10 rounds through each of the other trial pistols.
In my experience the SIG P320 is the absolute worst for accurancy, largely because of the abysmal trigger pull. It causes much shooter error.
The little Glock 30 was a nice surprise in that despite it’s smaller frame it didn’t kick any harder and had good accuracy for a hide gun.
Just to note, I have a 1911 and in WROL I would not be against using it for open carry. In the Redoubt I have been open carry. But in these days Gray Man carry is my preferred.
I am switching to .45 for IWB carry.
Springfield Full Size XD in .45 with 4 inch barrel. Father’s Day.
God Bless
I wanted to give a little perspective to the wild swings in weather from the east coast. Starting last Sept. during Hurricane Florence it rained continually. We were blessed that it downgraded but still the flooding was horrible. Finally this spring the rains slowed and the sun began to shine. By the middle of May it turned hot and I do mean hot. We broke records of the late 1800’s. I’ve never witnessed a May so hot. All the lush growth from the rains dried up almost over night. It was a struggle to keep the plants watered. There is a Poplar tree on the edge of my yard and every Aug. it is the first tree to started dropping yellow leaves before Fall. Last night we finally broke the heat with a storm and as I looked out the window, the Poplar leaves were raining down like fall, and had already turned yellow. So, my point is this , Lily is correct, we are all in for roller coaster rides with the weather. Also the sun is so intense it is not easy to bear, even on partly cloudy days.
Now for a little different topic. I have stumbled on a You Tube website called, Gardening with Leon. What a jewel this 80 some year old man is teaching people how to garden in wicking tubs. He has run greenhouses for over 50 years and has come up with ways to run those houses without heating them. There is a little something there on this site for almost everyone. I have planted several tubs this year to experiment with and my tomatoes are flowering….. not too much because of the 90 plus days, but I hope they will really crank up now that the temp is more normal. I also have baby squash appearing almost every day. He has stated that he is dedicating the rest of his life to teach people how to raise their own food. Anyone living close to him could visit to get supplies, and also greenhouses and hoop houses that he builds. Check him out. I believe you will be glad you did.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSDYs9sd2_BlLuWSiEr7TJQ
This is the link to Gardening with Leon. Thanks sewNurse. Something to check out, also bookmark.
Did you use a lunge line with C before you rode after a long winter?? Sometimes this helps … just a thought. God richly bless all of you there …
LT. MIke
Hello LT. Mike,
C came to us later in life and had not been much trained on a lunge line. Earlier in the season, we tried to lunge her and she just didn’t get the idea. Neither did she get the idea three years ago when we tried to train her. Therefore for two days, this past week, we lead her around the ranch for a half hour, before getting on her. She also was the horse who had string halt a few weeks ago from getting kicked by S. So, even though she was walking and trotting normally, she may have had some pain. We gave her Bute after each session and there was no limping or funny walking behavior. What really changed her mind to comply with the workouts, is that we brought out S and worked them both together. We’ll continue to work them at the same time in the future since they’re so herd bound, and we really don’t feel like it’s the safest thing to ride all alone.
Well, I suppose I should tell you all how we broke them in this year. We worked C first and S could see what we were doing with C. So later when we took S out she was so ready to get to work. S knows all about the lunge line, she is trained in Dressage. As soon as she was saddled and bridled and brought to our outdoor arena, she dropped her head and began to work. For each command: Walk-on, trot, and canter, she obeyed to a “T” After about 20 minutes of lunging her, I had Eloise get on her. She didn’t even flinch. It had been two years since she had been ridden. I lead Eloise around on her for about ten minutes. Then I fed out the lunge line and let Eloise put S through her paces on the line for about another ten minutes. She obeyed so well, that Eloise asked to free ride. So off came the lunge line. For another ten minutes or so, Eloise free rode her around the arena. By this point Eloise asked if we could trail ride her around the ranch. I was so pleased and excited with with S’s compliance that I agreed and also wanted to ride. So, we went over to C who was still saddled and tied up, I put on a helmet and mounted C, and we trail rode around the ranch for awhile. Then Eloise and I switched horses. I really prefer to ride S. She is a smoother ride, while Eloise prefers C. I like the challenge of Dressage of which S was trained in,(which is also why my muscles hurt so bad two days later) while Eloise likes Western Style and C was trained in the western style. We have worked C a little bit with Dressage, three summers ago.
We rode for another half hour or so. It was so much fun. Our hearts were filled with joy and bubbly laughter over S’s eagerness to work and please us. She was such a good girl! I can’t sing her praises enough of how well she behaved that day! C was just glad to be with S. She calmed down a lot when her buddy was near her and no longer had that wild look in her eyes. We know that they love and trust us and they want to work because it gives them something worthwhile to do. So we plan to keep at it now that everything is in order and they’re broke.
We usually in the future will lunge or walk them for a few minutes to get compliance before mounting them for the next few weeks, just for added saftey measures. We know that not every ride will be perfect and therefore are always alert and observing their behavior, and are ready for anything at any time, because horses can be very unpredictable at times.
Blessings,
Lily
I finished the build of the first greenhouse for my bride; now that the sun is up and won’t go down until mid August our “garden” is doing very well. The starts were moved into the greenhouse a little over a week ago and are already bearing some small fruit buds. Everything we grow here is in pots or raised beds due to the permafrost. The temps have been in the mid 60’s and even into the 70’s this last week, and in the green house into the 80’s so maybe we will get a few peppers?
I am going to build a second green house however I am still clearing trees and brush in the area where the house is to go. These green houses measure 12 wide by 24 long by 14 high at the peak. I chose a very durable translucent covering material used for permanent structures on the arctic oil pipeline that can handle the deep cold and constant summer daylight with out wearing out from UV or snow loads. I made the frames out of 5056T6 aluminum and used long ground stakes to ground every upright frame member. The completed hose now serves for the veggie garden, the second one will be herbs and prototype for the potato barrels. The original small wood greenhouse has been relegated to spring starts and tool shed now. We installed a UV light array for our plant starts in the house and plan to move that to the shed this fall when I finish installing a heater. Next break up (spring time in the arctic) we’ll plant starts sets in there and see how it would work for all our starts; that way my wife can have her kitchen table back and I can move out of the proverbial dawg house …:)
So it’s off to the races with our summer in the arctic, hopefully we can prove that it si possible to grow enough food to sustain us through the year. All of our efforts are for now in the proof of concept stage; the end objective will be to have a large enough green house that makes a full on food production garden possible in an area where it’s now uncommon to see temps as low as -70 degrees below zero.
Also I am replacing my ham radio mast with a new line; this antenna is strung up 60 in a spruce tree and the original mast rope is wearing out from UV. I bought 200 feet of Kevlar string to use. I’ll see how it works. My goal is to build a 60 foot tower.
HF propagation up here is the pits and I want to try JT65 and some other modes , possibly build a hex beam antenna for long distant comms to the outside (lower 48) …. especially to the redoubt area. I can talk to Perth, AU and the pacific rim easy, or even the lower 48 area … but not east for some reason. I’m certain that it’s my antenna array, and the aurora activity, but this year I am going to pour more effort and $$$ into solving the problem. God bless all, and keep you safe.
I probably should have mentioned this earlier. On the History Channel there has been a weekly show called American Farm. Farms from all over the US, including Alaska. Just shows what the family farmer has to go through to get his (and her) crops out, and how little money they make for all the work involved.
It’s over for this year, look for it in reruns later in the year. Should be on again next year. I gained new respect for our farmers from watching this.
I believe Lily is correct, that the time to preppare is coming to a close, and for the same reasons she states. It would be best to have enough long term staple foods for 7 years. A garden is still necessary to round out the diet, and get the nutrition lacking in the typical staple foods. It is difficult to harvest wheat, so buy it cheap now. Beans do not do well in NW Montana, so get those now. Staples can provide all, or part of the calories. It would then be much easier for a garden to provide the rest. This is my approach. As a relative ‘noob’ to gardening, I will focus and specialize in vegtables that are tried and true performers, cold weather, short season only. June 1 is considered the date that there will frost free nights in the valley here. Turnips, beets, snow pees, kohlrabi, rutabaga, carrots, kale and spinach, oinions, chard, and more were planted in the first week of May, and could have been put in 2 weeks eariler than that. Yukon Gold does the best here, but those were put in later. These vegtables get a head start, and all are doing well. Of 4 varieties of spinach, the ‘gaint’ variety is the clear winner, and the rutabaga is the other stand out, each out performing everything else. And the Yukon Gold planted about 2 weeks later is over 6 inches. With these cold weather varieties, a late crop is also possible as they will continue to grow well past the first frost in the fall. This kind of garden will hopefully provide, not necessarily what I would prefer, but as much nutrition as is needed for the rest of the year. Staples will cover the bulk of a calories. Popeye the Sailor was invented during the Great Depression as a lack of nutrition from greens created an epidemic of pelegria, especially in youg children.
Was fortunate the Lord provided about 100 pounds of black bear just the other day, and one loaded with a huge amount of fat. Fats and oils are going to be hard to come in the future. Reportedly, bear fat stores well, and more than a year unrefrigerated. Will be canning the rendered fat to get the longest shelf life out of it. This is another experiment for myself. Thinking that it may not last more than 2 years, so best use it up first. This is why olive oil is so important, as it stays good for many, many years.
Avalanche Lily, I look so forward to your posts and Godly wisdom. Thank you!