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!
JWR
Dear SurvivalBlog Readers:
Turkey slaying season is in full swing (pardon the pun), here at the Rawles Ranch. Some of the dozen Toms and Hens that we raised this year are for our own consumption, but most are being given as Thanksgiving gifts to neighbors and friends. (Before then, they will already be gutted, plucked, cleaned, and chilled.) There is nothing quite like butchering a turkey outdoors on a sunny but very cold day. Recently it has been so cold that I can’t wait to have a turkey stop flapping. Then I can empty its lower abdomen into the gut bucket and then have the opportunity to plunge my hands into the chest cavity, to warm them. Yes, it has been that cold. As the fictional Han Solo famously said: “This is gonna smell bad, kid, but it’ll keep you warm…”
Avalanche Lily Reports:
Ewwwww, Jim! Did you have to write that?
Yes, we had a second round of butchering this week. It was more peaceful, because we were a bit more prepared physically (more organized with equipment and familiar with the plan of steps for butchering and cleaning of the birds) and emotionally ready for it. Remember: When you haven’t butchered something for almost a whole year, you have to give your brain and muscle memory a kickstart. We have now reestablished the routine which makes it easier. We will be doing in a couple of more batches of birds during this coming week. We believe in the division of labor for many jobs. In this case, Jim, does the killing, main gutting, plucking, or skinning, and brings them to the house. Here, at the kitchen sink, I finish gutting out the lungs, kidneys, extra fat, skin flaps and wash the bird thoroughly. I then either bag it for whole chickens/turkeys or cut up the birds, for legs, breasts, and wings. We usually freeze our meat. If we chop up the birds, the left over carcasses get turned into chicken broth. I boil them down for two to three days with a little bit of apple cider vinegar. I then strain the broth and freeze it.
Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”