What have you done this week to prep?

[rhino]

I am so embarrassed I had to look that up. Ugh.

I'm surprised you've never heard of the Gerber MkII fighting knife before...

. . . or celery!

 

[churchmouse]

. . . or celery!

I like Celery.

Not familiar with the M-II Gerber.
Carry a ZT-301 and a ProTech TR-3 Swat

 

[WETSU]

The past 7 days: 5 solid workouts-3 mile runs w/ intervals, heavy bag, 3 weight sessions one range workout. (burpees w/ plate carrier, sledge, drag hy bag, shoot at 75, 50 and 25.

One fight night working strikes and some knife work.

One team range session, mostly transition drills and 2 man cover-covering drills.

Practiced my knots

Bought some ammo.

 

[teddy12b]

Broke out night vision equipment for spring/summer pest control. Worked with IR illuminator, confirmed IR laser zero with subsonic 22lr with conversion kit through canned AR.

Started walking around and getting closer to animals at night using night vision. Amazing how close you can get, and what's better to practice on than anything furry with four legs that spooks easily. Deer really let their guard down, barn cats are on high alert, skunks go from dumb to dumberer. All are a lot of fun just to observe at night. My goal is to be able to get close enough to touch one with a hand.

Going through old MRE inventory, and mountain house getting ready for hiking/kayaking trips this summer/fall.

Been healing my back, got injured at the gym thinking I was 20 again. Turns out that wasn't a good idea. Working on dietary stuff while physical training is all out of the question. Down a few pounds even with eating MRE entree's and mountain house.

New backpack, that's durable and lighter weight for me. Right at 3# and fits me like a dream.

Used my "tick key" on the dog last night. This year is supposed to be bad for ticks, so it probably won't be my last one.

Continued dry fire as usual. Range session felt a little old school with an M1A and a 1911. I try to speak every language fluently.

 

[Vigilant]

My goal is to be able to get close enough to touch one with a hand.

I vote you start with a skunk,

 

[teddy12b]

I vote you start with a skunk,

I've been within 15 feet of them, that's as close as I want to get.

Skunks are kinda funny at night. They act like they can't find you, but it's more like they sense you somehow. Once the tail comes up that's when I stop.

 

[rhino]

I like Celery.

Not familiar with the M-II Gerber.
Carry a ZT-301 and a ProTech TR-3 Swat

The original of a Gerber Mk II was a Vietnam-era classic!

 

[churchmouse]

The original of a Gerber Mk II was a Vietnam-era classic!

I looked it up and yes, I have seen these before just not aware of the model.

 

[Thor]

I looked it up and yes, I have seen these before just not aware of the model.

The Mk I was designed to reach the heart from the front the Mk II from the back, I have both. The original 70's Mk II I have (bought new for the job) has a blade shape that starts from the center with a continuous curve to the edge; there is no discernible change to the angle. And it is still scary sharp, sometimes I cut myself just thinking about it. I understand Rhino should be very afraid.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I just won an online auction for an International 82 pull type combine. This will afford me the ability to harvest my own wheat and oats on a manageable scale for my planned future preparations.

 

[Thor]

Now THAT'S a prep! Congratulations...makes me feel a bit silly about just having put the garden in...you couldn't turn that around in my garden. But hey, it's mine!

 

[rlfrye]

Getting a new closet built for the wife. We will use the current closet for water and food storage. Small house with storage challenges, going to work on attic storage next, I think.

 

[churchmouse]

Water. Always water.
I just came across 2 potable water ready barrels I will be collecting rain water in.
I suppose they will be installed about the time we run out of rain.....

 

[bwframe]

Last year in March, Park's Seed sent me an e-mail promo special. 25 Park's Whopper strawberry plants and two hanging grow bags for $17, shipped. (Been there, done that on grow bags. Immediately were discarded.)

I took this oportunity to move my three fledgling, deer pruned, 10 year old blueberry bushes into the electric fence and surround them with strawberry plants. I raked, gathered and pushed nine wheelbarrows of pine needles from a tree line 50 yards away for mulch/berry soil amendment. Last year was not a yield year for either berry, but the plants mostly took.

This year the blueberries are putting on new wood with a pretty large handful of berries on each bush. I've nibbled a few ripe blueberries, which is better than the last few years where the birds beat me to them. The jury is still out on whether a bird cover of some sort will be necessary. I do have a fake owl 20 yards away, not to mention scoped rifles sitting by the windows a measured 35 yards to the patch.

The real story is the strawberries. They started producing about three weeks ago. The first few pounds made a case of preserves. Didn't take too long to grow weary of stirring the preserves, so putting up turned to coring/slicing/vacuum freezing. 55# later the freezers are full, on top of giving away 20# to family and close friends.

What I'm so bewildered with is what seems like a crazy high yield for such a small investment? Granted, it has involved a pretty fair amount of labor. I kind of need that bit of a work out though, at least that's what I tell my poor back after an hour + of picking a day.

 

[rhino]

I'll help you consume the strawberry surplus.

 

[churchmouse]

I'll help you consume the strawberry surplus.

Pick me up on your way through please. I will buy the fuel.

 

[rhino]

Deal!

Vine-ripened strawberries are beyond the imagination of anyone who has only consumed what is available in grocery stores, much like tomatoes.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Last year in March, Park's Seed sent me an e-mail promo special. 25 Park's Whopper strawberry plants and two hanging grow bags for $17, shipped. (Been there, done that on grow bags. Immediately were discarded.)

I took this oportunity to move my three fledgling, deer pruned, 10 year old blueberry bushes into the electric fence and surround them with strawberry plants. I raked, gathered and pushed nine wheelbarrows of pine needles from a tree line 50 yards away for mulch/berry soil amendment. Last year was not a yield year for either berry, but the plants mostly took.

This year the blueberries are putting on new wood with a pretty large handful of berries on each bush. I've nibbled a few ripe blueberries, which is better than the last few years where the birds beat me to them. The jury is still out on whether a bird cover of some sort will be necessary. I do have a fake owl 20 yards away, not to mention scoped rifles sitting by the windows a measured 35 yards to the patch.

The real story is the strawberries. They started producing about three weeks ago. The first few pounds made a case of preserves. Didn't take too long to grow weary of stirring the preserves, so putting up turned to coring/slicing/vacuum freezing. 55# later the freezers are full, on top of giving away 20# to family and close friends.

What I'm so bewildered with is what seems like a crazy high yield for such a small investment? Granted, it has involved a pretty fair amount of labor. I kind of need that bit of a work out though, at least that's what I tell my poor back after an hour + of picking a day.

Those berries look really nice. I was going to start a new raised bed of strawberries this spring, but the rains set me back so much, I never got around to making the bed and hauling in the soil. Now I'm sorry I didn't.

I've thought many times about blueberry bushes, but I know that I'll be fighting the pH in my soil. I know I'd have to put them in a high bed with lots of peat. Yours look really healthy, so you must have a lower pH than we do further north. Do you use anything for pH? (besides the pine needles)

 

[rhino]

Strawberry yields can be prodigious. A couple of years my father had plants near his garden in the rear of the house as well as different spots in the front yard. We had so many strawberries frozen and eaten that at some point he just let the critters have the rest. That's a good problem to have compared to some others!

 

[bwframe]

...Do you use anything for pH? (besides the pine needles)

Just the pine needles. I believe water is also a big issue in the blueberry growth. Hindsight 20/20, besides the deer frequently pruning the bushes, I think they struggled for water. Now with the pine needle mulch under the strawberry plants in a low/damp part of the garden they seem to thrive.

My experience with raised beds is that you have to water them daily during dry spells. One reason why I no longer have them.