Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: April 16 ~ 22, 2023

[John Deere Girl]

This week has been productive so far. I planted 200 onion sets, added to the two new strawberry beds, got new wire up in both vineyards, weeded the walking onion bed, and pruned the roses and raspberries.

I need to finish my fencing projects and mulch the broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower beds, plant carrots, and finish planting potatoes. My goal is to have all that done by Saturday.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

My doctor visit, yesterday, went really well. Didn't need new glasses, no progression with the macular degeneration, and the small cataract can wait a while longer, until it begins affecting my vision. He was well pleased, and so was I. Another script for Tobradex for eye inflammation to have on hand.

We went to Lowe's to get banana pepper plants, but they didn't have any. Cary bought replacement stoppers for the kitchen sinks to have extra on hand, and I bought 2 Boston ferns.

Hopefully, our vehicle will arrive today. We went by the dealership while in town, but it's still on its way. It was supposed to arrive yesterday but didn't.

 

[ReneeT]

I'm so jealous reading about folks planting - my gardens are still too wet to till, not to mention it's way too early to plant here. It is supposed to get up to 80* today - amazing for April! It is also supposed to get up to 80 again tomorrow - briefly. Sadly, it will hit that 80 mark tomorrow shortly before it rains in the late afternoon, over half an inch is predicted. And then it will be back down in the low 30's by the weekend.

If it looks like it's going to dry up enough that I can get in to the garden tomorrow, I'm going to ask Hubby to start the tiller for me after supper - it's a Troy Bilt that's close to the same age as my daughter so it can be a bit persnickity after a winter of not being started. I'd like to be able to give the gardens just a quick pass over it before it rains tomorrow to knock down the spring weeds.

Planting anything tender like tomatoes or peppers is just asking for them to get hit by frost as mid May is usually when it's safe - though I usually try to sneak a couple in the ground in early May.... and end up having to go out and cover them Looking at the forecast, we've got frost predicted for this coming Sunday, so I don't need to get in to a big hurry to go to the neighbor's greenhouse.

 

[nomifyle]

DH is on his way to Lowes to buy a new kitchen stove. The one we have now probably came with this mobile home back in the late 80's. I've replaced a couple of elements, one sits the pan off center and the other one stopped working. That makes for frustrating cooking. I was going to look at preowned but DH said you may be buying someone elses problems. So we are just going to trash the old one. Lowes is having a sale and it ends today. The regular price of the stove is almost $700 and that is for a basic generic electric stove. I'd never even considered replacing the electric stove until now.

Sun is out sort of, a little over cast and will be in the low 80's.

 

[John Deere Girl]

DH is on his way to Lowes to buy a new kitchen stove. The one we have now probably came with this mobile home back in the late 80's. I've replaced a couple of elements, one sits the pan off center and the other one stopped working. That makes for frustrating cooking. I was going to look at preowned but DH said you may be buying someone elses problems. So we are just going to trash the old one. Lowes is having a sale and it ends today. The regular price of the stove is almost $700 and that is for a basic generic electric stove. I'd never even considered replacing the electric stove until now.

Sun is out sort of, a little over cast and will be in the low 80's.

We almost always buy our appliances at Lowe's. We look at the scratch and dent stuff, and my husband gets the military discount. The only appliance we've bought recently elsewhere was our dryer, because Costco had a whirlpool dryer for $250 with free shipping. That was an answer to prayer!

 

[John Deere Girl]

I'm thinking of trying an experiment with tomato and pepper seeds. I want to try direct sow and use clear plastic bottles as a mini greenhouse. If I try a few seeds, it won't be a big deal, and if they produce, that would be amazing!

 

[John Deere Girl]

@SouthernBreeze ,
How exciting! Those Toyota's are super cute, and they last forever! What color did you and Cary choose?

 

[nomifyle]

We almost always buy our appliances at Lowe's. We look at the scratch and dent stuff, and my husband gets the military discount. The only appliance we've bought recently elsewhere was our dryer, because Costco had a whirlpool dryer for $250 with free shipping. That was an answer to prayer!

We get the military discount too, both of us. In the past we've gotten a washer and dryer from Lowes.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

@SouthernBreeze ,
How exciting! Those Toyota's are super cute, and they last forever! What color did you and Cary choose?

It depends on which truck hauler gets to the dealership first, LOL. Either a dark grey or a dark wine color. One is on one truck, and the other is on the other truck. I prefer the dark wine, but either will be ok. The truck with the grey one was supposed to arrive, yesterday. As soon as either arrives on the lot, we'll get the call.

 

[kyrsyan]

I didn't have a lot of good luck at the botanical garden sale last week. I found veg, but not a huge variety, and not a lot of what I was looking for. About a month ago, I ordered a version of arnica off of Etsy. It was a gamble. The plugs arrived with thriving baby plants in them, in some amazing packaging.

So I took a risk and went back to the same seller. I ordered some of the veg that is much harder to find around here and that I've not had any good luck with starting from seed. Package arrived today. Baby plants look fabulous.

So if you want to try her, she has a website. www.gingers-greenhouse.com. I missed that the first time or I would have just direct ordered from her. The plugs are individual wrapped in seal wrap around the soil. There is plenty of moisture for each. And the tops are gently wrapped in paper towel. And everything is taped to stay in place with shredded cardboard to fill any empty space.

Since we are expecting a small cold snap upcoming, I just pulled them and put them in the office window. They are all perking up beautifully. Note, these are plugs. The plants are small but have some really solid, nice growth to them. And when I planted the arnica in 2" pots, it pretty much took off.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

On the showroom floor, they had what we wanted, but a step above. It was a hybrid/electric. No go on that. If it weren't for that, we would have driven it off the lot. It was also a deep dark wine color.

 

[prudentwatcher]

We had a discount store open up here a few months ago. Different days have different things and different prices. Kind of strange. You dig through bins, and there is no organization, so it is like a treasure hunt. I've been once before and found a decent variety of kids clothing--all new, just never sold.

Went today and hit it out of the park. Bought half a dozen sets of gloves, half a dozen winter hats, some thick winter socks for around the house, a ton of kids stuff in bigger sizes-I was mainly looking for tops and found a number of long sleeve tshirts and sweatshirts. I even found two pair of jeans for me and a new long sleeve shirt. Everything was $1 each. So, 36 items worked out to $38.88 with tax. All the kids stuff has been washed and is now in the dryer.

The girls are just now starting to grow into size 8, and I had a lot of clothes in that size which will get cycled their way. Most of the new stuff was size 10-12 and 14-16, so it will take them a while to grow into and out of those. My grandson is a big boy (very solid) and at 5 yrs old is already wearing size 8 and sometimes 10. I don't have nearly as much stuff for him, but am working on it.

 

[nomifyle]

I'm putting my grocery list together, mostly for the golo foods. Although I already have what I need, I just want to add some extras to keep things interesting. There isn't really any meat on my list, I have an abundance of venison and ground pork. Mostly stocking up more on frozen vegetables. I'm also getting the plain whole milk greek yogurt, its delish to add to things instead of sour cream, at least I like it. I was looking for whole milk cottage cheese, but I don't think it exists, best I can do is 4%.

One thing I haven't had in a good while is Feta cheese, I use to use it before DH, but he didn't like it. And there is a Better Body Avacado mayo that is recommened, I'm going to try that.

Although I'm not normally much of a pasta eater, ww pasta is allowed in moderation. Brown rice is allowed, also in moderation, but so is quinoa and I've already got that.

Mostly that's the new stuff, and I don't really need much of anything else. Although I may try some avaccado oil, but I already have olive oil and lots of coconut oil.

Oh and the new stove is here, we'll be getting it in tomorrow. DH thinks we can do it ourselves by taking the doors off.

 

[moldy]

Day off today, but didn't get near as much done as I wanted. The nap in the afternoon might have had something to do with that! Did sell some herbs to a local person, drop off squash at the food bank, laundry, and attend a work meeting. Got home just in time to do chores, bring in plants from the greenhouse and start the instant pot before it starting raining/sleeting.

 

[school marm]

I'm so jealous reading about folks planting - my gardens are still too wet to till, not to mention it's way too early to plant here. It is supposed to get up to 80* today - amazing for April! It is also supposed to get up to 80 again tomorrow - briefly. Sadly, it will hit that 80 mark tomorrow shortly before it rains in the late afternoon, over half an inch is predicted. And then it will be back down in the low 30's by the weekend.

I felt like I was the only not planting. We had an inch or so of snow yesterday and bitter winds. The low temperature last night was 16--Fahrenheit, not Celsius. Last year I had cole crops and onions in the ground in March. It was so nice to work in the yard for a few hours on Friday or Saturday, can't remember which now. I might get another chance to work out there on Monday, but right now it looks like a pretty small window.

 

[philkar]

It’s a busy time in the garden. Working 12 to 14 hours a day! Hubs made a hay spear for big tractor which is making mulching a little easier. Barn organization project coming along slowly. And believe it or not we are harvesting strawberries, English peas and sugar snaps. Eatin’s good in the neighborhood! Corn is about a foot high and the second planting breaking through. Squash will be ready to pick by weekend. If I had to wash dishes and laundry by hand and DIDN’T have an instapot I really would have long days!! While I don’t post often right now,I usually scan thru. You all are in our thoughts and prayers. May you find the energy to do all you need to do!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We got the call last night at 8pm letting us know our new RAV4 has arrived on the lot. Yay! We have 2 choices of colors. the dark wine or black. I want the wine colored one. The salesman told us to be there at 9am this morning, so we're up early and ready to go.

I managed to eat a sandwich for supper last night. It was a slow go, but I got it done, without too much discomfort. Everything is healing well, and I finished my antibiotics, yesterday.

I've got a ton of chores to do when we get back from town. Laundry, sweeping, dusting, arranging all the ferns on the front porch, and transferring transplants of some of the hostas into 2 more large pots. I lost 2 azaleas over the winter, and I'm replacing them with the new pots of hosta, instead of buying more azaleas. One on each end of my front porch. Those two azaleas are the 2 that have died. If I can tear Cary away from the new vehicle, I want him to start tilling the raised beds. It's supposed to rain and storm tomorrow, so if it's not done this afternoon, it'll be another few days. Seems there's rain in our forecast every couple of days for the foreseeable future. A big temp drop, too. Today's high of 85, but the rest of the week, after the rain, in the 60's gradually warming back into the mid 70's. They've taken frost out of our forecast for Sunday, and that's good. Our blackberries and apple tree are blooming. Also, I have Iris and roses beginning to bloom.

 

[Digger]

We got my job done Tuesday. Not a lot of trash but a lot of little stuff. My arm is sore from using my grabber tool so much. I bet I picked up over half a 5 gallon bucket of empty shotgun shells. We finished in time to go by the county and dump the trash. We were both wiped out. I was glad we had leftover chicken in the fridge for supper.

Yesterday I got all the prunings picked up and on the burn pile. It wasn't a huge job, but I was still wiped out from Tuesday's job. Today I took some L-tyrosine to give my thyroid a boost. Maybe that will help. Autoimmune disease is for the birds. If I could take a daily pill and feel good and energetic I would love that. But after a week or two, I feel worse than if I take nothing. So I continue my supplements and carry on.

We are expecting more storms today and maybe hail again. Then possible frost this weekend. I guess it's ok that I am behind on my gardening. April 20th is our average last frost. But the weather guys were telling people to go ahead and plant after the 5th. Now we may get frost. Hopefully it won't frost.

I did find several bits if fishing tackle cleaning around the lake. I am getting quite an assortment. I found a good bobber, a bunch of split shot sinkers still in the container, and some lures. I carry an empty peanut butter jar in the truck to put them in. I figure free tackle is a good prep.

 

[ioujc]

Feeling better today. Always feel down and lonely when I am sick, and thankfully that is starting to ease...... that's actually the worst part of being sick, especially if don't realize I am actually physically sick!! Anyway, everything is easing up.

Haven't accomplished anything since feeling so cruddy. Mostly just ate soup and some baked potatoes. Supposed to start storming today, with cooler weather following....even frost warnings on Sunday. Boy this weather is CRAZY this year......

Well, going to try to get things cleaned up a bit inside while it storms and for the next few days!! It really looks like it has STORMED inside my RV!! LOL!! We will eventually get things fixed up!!

Prayers for all of you!!
Later.....

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Big disappointment! We were signing the papers on our new vehicle, and another salesman walked out and told us to stop. The vehicle that we were signing the papers on had already been sold. That fact hadn't registered on our salesman's computer system, yet. So, now we wait. Again. The next one that comes in off the truck has our name on it as "sold", though. It's a RAV 4 XLE in a magnetic grey color. Cary liked that color best. I just hope they don't have to order one. That could take up to 4 months to get.

When did buying a new vehicle get so dang complicated?!!!!

 

[nomifyle]

Praying for you ladies, hope ya'll are feeling better. I feel lonely when I'm sick and alone, dealt with that enough times.

We are expecting rain later today and tomorrow, and cooler weather here too.

DH and I are in the process of getting the old stove out and the new stuff in. When DH pulled the old stove out there was a hole in the wall and the floor, from rodents I'm sure. We had a big problem with the awhile back. Right now he is repairing the holes. We've gotten the new stove in the front room, so the hard part is done. It was stressful for both of us dealing with this, but its almost done. The new stove is nice, just the basic generic electric stove, no bells and whisles except there is a light in the oven and that's nice. I definitely did not want a glass top stove, my brother had one and I was not fond of it. He like it though.

I had a ton of lids in the bottom compartment of the stove that I need to weed out. I don't need 5 lids of the same size.

I did really well last night at church not eating. I was going to take food with me, but I decided to eat before we left and I was not tempted at all. That was my second meal and I'm supposed to have three. I had breakfast food when we got home. I am praying that I can lose some weight, but if I don't at least I will be healthy. This is a way to eat forever, plain and simple food, which works for me. Too bad DH won't eat this way, but that's okay I'll cook separate for him.

Actually this diet is much I like I was eating ten years ago and lost 40 pounds. But then my precious DH came along and he wanted us to eat the same foods, so I did. It took me awhile but I gained all that weight back. I'm tired of having to wear clothes from Omar the tent maker.

 

[nomifyle]

When did buying a new vehicle get so dang complicated?!!!!

you can thank the democraps for that and they want us driving EVs, so it will only get harder.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

you can thank the democraps for that and they want us driving EVs, so it will only get harder.

The salesman told us this morning that most of the new vehicles that come off the hauler at the lot were already sold. I think people are ordering them. That usually leaves all the cars already on the lot "used", not new. All the car lots are full to overflowing with used vehicles. Our name is on the next RAV XLE in magnetic grey that comes off the hauler. Don't know when that will be. He told us it could be within 48 hrs. or up to 2 weeks. If we directly order one, it could be up to 4 months.

 

[nomifyle]

I'm going to have to be really careful cooking on the new stove. It cooks much faster than the old one. It looks so nice. It was only a few days ago that I said something to DH about getting a better stove, I was thinking preowned. He said it would be better to get a new one, we would be buying someone else's problems with preowned. Same could be said about a vehicle too. As I said before my brother was so good at getting a good deal on preowned.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I'm going to have to be really careful cooking on the new stove. It cooks much faster than the old one. It looks so nice. It was only a few days ago that I said something to DH about getting a better stove, I was thinking preowned. He said it would be better to get a new one, we would be buying someone else's problems with preowned. Same could be said about a vehicle too. As I said before my brother was so good at getting a good deal on preowned.

Yes. That's the same thing with us buying a new vehicle, instead of a used one. We're the same about other things as well. I'd rather have something new off the floor or rack than buy someone else's problems. Besides, we've never been good at getting deals on pre-owned items. Mom helps to support a thrift store just down the street from her house. When clothing comes in that she likes, or she knows I will like that fit, she will buy those items for us both. That's about it as far as pre-owned items go.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I just don't think he's going to make it, but Cary is trying to beat the rain, and is trying to get the raised beds tilled and ready to plant. He's working in worm casings and manure as he tills. We've got one 3x12, three 3x10, and two circular rounds that are 4ft. in diameter, plus the big garden. He'll bring out our big Troybilt for the big garden. He has a small tiller for the raised beds and loves it. He bought it last year.

All of our seedlings and plants we bought are big enough to plant, if the rain would just hold off. We're going to wait til the ground gets a bit warmer, before we plant seeds directly in the ground, squash, cucumbers, and green beans. We can cover the tomato and pepper plants at night if we need to.

I'm just glad we're getting to at least make an attempt at getting some of our gardening started, finally. Rain, Rain, Go Away!

 

[hd5574]

We are in central Virginia and I sprouted around a hundred blue lake pole green beans seed...we put them the beginning of the week....they are already coming up ...have learned to sprout all the large seeds and plant them..gives them a real head start. We did the same with the snow peas.. will also sprout the Butterbean seed and squash..
Seems like all the seed we put in grow this way.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We are in central Virginia and I sprouted around a hundred blue lake pole green beans seed...we put them the beginning of the week....they are already coming up ...have learned to sprout all the large seeds and plant them..gives them a real head start. We did the same with the snow peas.. will also sprout the Butterbean seed and squash..
Seems like all the seed we put in grow this way.

The only seed I've sprouted before planting has been okra. We've had good success with all other seeds coming up by just planting them. I don't know why, but unless we sprout the okra seed, we can't get them to come up. Mom soaks hers in Clorox, first.

 

[philkar]

Reason for chlorox? Just curious!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Reason for chlorox? Just curious!

I think it's supposed to soften up the outer part of the seeds so they will sprout better. She soaks the seeds overnight (I think it's overnight) in it, then rinses the seeds, before planting. She never has any problems with a good stand of okra, once she began doing it that way. Grandma did it the same way.

 

[philkar]

I love to hear the folklore behind certain practices! My neighbor in Illinois would rinse her iris tubers in brown bottle Lysol to prevent fungi infections. Her irises were always beautiful!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Cary got all our raised beds and another row for my walking onions all tilled up and worked. Just as he was putting up the tiller, it rains. Hey, at least we're making progress, LOL!

 

[nomifyle]

The rice conversation on the main has me thinking that I need to quit giving away the rice I get in commodities. I stored 300 pounds in the late 2000's, so I'm good on rice. It was Basmati, which I consider one of the better rice varieties.

When we were putting in the new stove yesterday I notices in the back of the lower cabinet on one side were some large glass jars of pinto beans. They are old, and probably had as a rock, but in an emergency they can be ground for flour to add to other dishes. I've got an old book around here (somewhere) that is all about beans. This book came out before y2k.

The golo diet allows brown rice and quinoa. My choice would be quinoa, which I do have in storage. I was eating it before DH, he doesn't like it. I haven't gotten the diet materials yet, but I've been following the diet plan, I have lost 4 pounds. I'm getting a lot more veggies than I usually eat. There is a face book page for Golo. And there are lots of meals posted, although I did order the cookbook. For some reason with this computer I cannot print.

DH wasn't feeling well yesterday and only ate some chicken noodle soup. This morning he feels a bit better and he wanted bacon and eggs, which I gladly prepared for him. I'm not hungry, so I haven't eaten yet. When I do eat I'll have avaccado toast and eggs, and some whole milk yogurt.

 

[John Deere Girl]

We are in central Virginia and I sprouted around a hundred blue lake pole green beans seed...we put them the beginning of the week....they are already coming up ...have learned to sprout all the large seeds and plant them..gives them a real head start. We did the same with the snow peas.. will also sprout the Butterbean seed and squash..
Seems like all the seed we put in grow this way.

I may try this with our green beans this year. I know someone who does this, but she adds some peroxide to the water the beans soak in.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Has anyone tried the Atkin's Diet? It's supposed to be high in protein and low in carbs and sugar. I bought a box of the meal bars when I went grocery shopping, but I don't know how good that diet is. The meal bars are ok, but not something I want to eat all the time just to lose a few pounds.

I had a banana for breakfast, a meal bar for lunch, and I'm baking chicken for our supper tonight. Cary will also get mac&cheese, purple hull peas, and garlic rolls with his chicken. That should last him 2 meals.

 

[hd5574]

I may try this with our green beans this year. I know someone who does this, but she adds some peroxide to the water the beans soak in.

I just put a paper towel in a bowl...dump the seeds in and wet them down...fold the paper towel over the seeds...and in the beginning keep it really wet as they will swell..then not as wet...don't let them dry out totally and after you have healthy roots...plant them...we do it because it gives them a great start when they get in the dirt...hot cold wet dry doesn't seem to matter as much..our seeds sprout fine in the ground but this speeds things up so we have yum sooner..

 

[nomifyle]

I've done atkins in years past. It was okay, but restrictive, therefore unsustainable in that its not something you can do forever. And then you gain the weight back.

Another diet that is fairly easy to follow and can be done for the long term is ADF, with is alternate day fasting. Every other day you eat 500 calories or less and on the next day you eat normally. There is a facebook page for it.

 

[philkar]

One facet of the adkins is that it can deplete your glycogen stores which means heart and resp rate can be affected during high energy demand times such as waking or working hard. I don’t think it happens often but it does occur. Just be wise and informed!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

One facet of the adkins is that it can deplete your glycogen stores which means heart and resp rate can be affected during high energy demand times such as waking or working hard. I don’t think it happens often but it does occur. Just be wise and informed!

Thanks for the info. I think I'll just watch my carbs and sweets on my own. Not really a diet plan, but it's working for me, so far.

 

[nomifyle]

My Golo stuff came today. I was hesitant to take the capsule, but it didn't repeat on me, I did take it right after I ate.

The information in the packet did not really give me information that I had not already gotten from on line. But what they call the Smart Card will be helpful to remind me to be sure to get the amount to eat that they recommend. I've been doing this since Monday and I can say that I am not hungry between meals. They strongly recommend not to eat between meals and thus far it has not been an issue. And I'm not tempted to eat later at night either. So so far so good.