new respect for preppers

I can attest to that, I found a Marlboro package in a box of stuff from a truck I sold many many years ago. Upon opening it I also discovered two pre-rolled Dubies. They burned rather quickly but still seemed fine to me. I had to test them just for scientific evidence is the justification I used to the people who said just throw it away.
 
My freezer is always stocked with chicken, steak, pork and fish. About 30lbs of each. I have enough food for 5 people for a year.

I started this 7yrs ago, a couple of good friends on NES got me going with advice.
An extra $10/week while grocery shopping
How is 120lbs of meat enough for 5 people for a year? Maybe I am missing something.
 
Don't forget the financial prepping. I'm usually a month ahead on the mortgage. When I have an extra paycheck in a month I still keep to my scheduled every other check goes to the mortgage. So I'm good until May 1st!

Yup, I feel like a freakin genius right now for paying off the mortgage on my home and condo in Maine last year. I was on the fence, you know... put it into the market or get rid of debt. I was just sick of paying them each month. To think, my biggest expense right now is probably taxes (disgusting by the way). What a great feeling right now to have zero pressure.

I agree with the original post as well. Healthy respect for you preppers. I'm a mini prepper, only because I enjoy things like canning, cooking, growing and killing my own food. Heck, was out yesterday with the future son in law, trying to catch dinner for the family. Six beautiful rainbow trout are about to go into the smoker as I sit here and type.

I never bothered to stockpile rice, beans, ummm... toilet paper, etc. Always said to myself that things would really have to go very very bad before that stuff would become an issue. I made one big mistake.................The Human Factor. Most humans suck, and are self serving a-holes. Not the way I was raised so it did not really click for me. This mini doomsday exercise has been very eye opening. Naturally, the first thing I am doing is learning how to cast my own bullets. Having ammo on hand all the time, not worrying about ever running out, solves many of life's potential critical problems :)
 
What type of wood is that? Is it treated?

Fir, not treated but soon to be coated with linseed oil when it’s not raining.

Nice job what are you planting?

Not sure yet. Bought a bunch of veggie seeds I have to do more research to see what grows well together etc. I am also planning on doing some potatoes in 5 gallon buckets.
 
Earthworms are worth their weight in gold for a garden or raised bed. If you can import some to your elevated bed it will help tremendously by fertilizing and aerating. How well is the plywood bottom supported? Two feet of soil is going to weigh a lot, especially when it rains. That is a nice looking bed by the way. I am not trying to nitpick. My brain is just wired that way.

On one of my beds I installed vertical stubs of pvc along the walls. The thought was that if I ever wanted to cover it with plastic to hold in heat or moisture or even cover it with netting I could make hoops with slightly smaller pvc pipe. Kind of like a covered wagon frame if that makes sense. It is much easier to do before you put soil in the bed.
 
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Earthworms are worth their weight in gold for a garden or raised bed. If you can import some to your elevated bed it will help tremendously by fertilizing and aerating. How well is the plywood bottom supported? Two feet of soil is going to weigh a lot, especially when it rains. That is a nice looking bed by the way. I am not trying to nitpick. My brain is just wired that way.

On one of my beds I installed vertical stubs of pvc along the walls. The thought was that if I ever wanted to cover it with plastic to hold in heat or moisture or even cover it with netting I could make hoops with slightly smaller pvc pipe. Kind of like a covered wagon frame if that makes sense. It is much easier to do before you put soil in the bed.

The floor is drilled into the frame and then I ran a bunch of 1x2s across the bottom to support the bottom as well as along the lips of the ends. We will see if it holds up.
 
If you don't mind my saying, I think it would be considerably stronger if you tied each set of legs together with a 2x4 on edge under the floor.
 
I have also seen people line the walls with a moisture barrier to help with wood rot. I didn't do that with mine and I am going to have to rebuild them this year.
 
I have also seen people line the walls with a moisture barrier to help with wood rot. I didn't do that with mine and I am going to have to rebuild them this year.
Saw a guy on YT just the other day who lined everything with black plastic sheeting but it made me think whats in that plastic and do I want it to be leeching into what Im eating.

Old stainless sinks would probably make good containers for the kitchen guys out there. Built in drainage, no leeching and wont rust away.
 
At the risk of sounding overly cautious;
Those who did not store-up necessities when times were easy and skies were blue and now think:

"Sure, some shelves are bare, and I can't get everything I need right now... but I'm not too worried; because grocery stores will continue to save me..."

WRONG.
 
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The active ingredients commonly used in treated wood are alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ), copper azole (CA) or micronized copper azole (MCA).

Still not the best way to get your daily mineral dose. ;)
 
You know with all the down time we have...
Making a raised bed out of cribbed pine logs (think a rectangular log cabin design)
would be fun, not too difficult, economic and longer-lasting than 2x12's...

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Nice beds, did you drill some holes for drainage? I was told not to treat them with anything as it could leach into the veggies.

I have not yet but I will after I coat them with the linseed oil.


I have also seen people line the walls with a moisture barrier to help with wood rot. I didn't do that with mine and I am going to have to rebuild them this year.

All I’m planning on liking it with is some landscaping fabric. I thought about using pond liner but decided against it.
 
How will stored food hold up in a non-climate controlled garage? No basement at my townhouse, so only real option for building up stores is to dedicate some space in the garage. In summer it doesn’t get oppressively hot in there, but sure does get cold in the winter!
 
How will stored food hold up in a non-climate controlled garage? No basement at my townhouse, so only real option for building up stores is to dedicate some space in the garage. In summer it doesn’t get oppressively hot in there, but sure does get cold in the winter!
Canned stuff will freeze and the seal will likely be compromised. Dry goods will do fine.
 
It was a weird feeling walking through the Supermarket about a week before it went crazy with my final topping off run. Picked up Everything I needed while looking around thinking “These people don’t know what’s coming”. It was surreal but cool at the same time. Got a lot of respect from the wife later on lol.
 
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