MrsMac and I are in the busiest part of the year for us. We are canning the fruits of our labor from the garden and cutting, splitting, & stacking firewood for our main source of heat in the winter. Our
Jotul Oslo 500 woodstove is also our secondary cooking source when lite. Nothing better than cooking a hearty beef stew, pot-roast, or soup on top of the stove all day in a cast iron pot. Add to that, the aroma of fresh baked bread from the bread machine (Yes we use a bread machine
) or baking in the propane oven (French beget).
HeatI wrote an article titled
The Cycle of the Seasons - Fall back when I worked for
American Partisan that explains the wood process here at the Mac Redoubt. I currently have October, November, December, and January cut and split. This weeks push will be February and March with maybe a half a cord extra for maple sugaring time. Then the 6 1/2 cords has to be stacked which is a boring mindless task. Perfect time to catch up on podcasts from
Brushbeater,
Tucker Carlson, or
Dan Bongino.
A question for my readers...If your main heat source for the winter isn't wood or coal, what is your alternate source of heat
if when the electric goes out? Seriously, please share with the folks here on
UP what you will use. Kerosene heater? Propane heater? Generator? PLEASE make sure if this is your plan that you have plenty of fuel to run them on. Keep in mind that a pellet stove needs electricity to run. I do not want to be an alarmist here, however, the current political climate may suggest a L.O.N.G. powerless winter.
FoodMrsMac and I are canning the bounty from our garden and augmenting that bounty with produce we buy at local farmers stands. Also, when on sale, we buy canned veggies and fruits from our local grocery store. As already written, we buy half a steer for beef and raise a pig which we have an appointment to have slaughtered the first week of December. We also have our chickens for eggs and meat.
This year we are short, raspberry's blackberry's, and blue berries in the freezer. MrsMac has not been well and she typically takes care of that task. We will buy limited frozen berries when on sale. You typically see them on sales in the late fall post the summer harvest.
This month I will buy enough feed for the chickens to run through April in case of bad weather or something happens to the feed supply. Along with the chicken feed we will buy enough dog and cat food for our 4-legged friends that lasts them into April too.
Along with the ~50-pounds of flour we have purchased (Rye, whole wheat, all-purpose, rice, etc.) when on sale over the past 4-months or so, we have also purchased on sale, sugar, butter, yeast, and lard. I already have ~200-pounds of wheat sealed in Mylar bags for grinding if needed. Add to all the items in the freezer, in Mylar bags, and canned, we also purchased irradiated milk in 8-oz. containers. The milk lasts for up to 8 months if kept in a cool place. We have actually used several containers that were 10-months old in a pinch with no ill affects. Well the gray hair is spreading.
Coffee, coffee, coffee. We buy a months worth of Sumatra coffee from a local coffee roaster now. At the end of this month we will buy three months worth in whole bean form and grind as needed. The coffee comes in vacuum sealed 5-pound bags. Add to the coffee, we buy Red Rose tea in 100-count boxes when on sale and I vacuum seal the tea. Why Red Rose, out of all the over the counter/super market teas, it is the one we like the best. Trust me, there are better tea's out there that we sparingly buy, when on sale for when guests show up.
Question for the readers...How will you cook your food if the grid goes down? Please share your plans with the group. Remember that most modern gas ranges need 110/120 to operate. Especially for the oven. There is a solenoid valve that opens the gas gate to the burner when electricity is applied. Our range is from
Premier Range. It is propane and operates using pilot lights. Pilot light gas stoves are illegal to sell in the USA now thanks to the Obama administration; However, Premier range offers a range that used AA batteries instead of grid electric. A friend of ours purchased one of these ranges and has it setup in their basement. They thought they would never use it except during emergencies but in reality they use it all the time. They use it for canning time and for holidays when just one range will not cut it.
Then there is always hunting. I use to live to go hunting. Now I do it as an excuse to loaf around in the woods. A nice quiet place to read a novel or the Bible while watching the local critters. Living in NE Pennsylvania they practically give away deer permits by the fist-full due in part to the high amount of bambi's getting in the way of our vehicles. This year I also picked up a bear permit. Thanks to the state relocating bears from populated areas to my neighborhood, we have an abundance all of a sudden. Also, more for another post, the state game commission is accepting state trapped mountain lions from Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York's Adirondack region.
our neighbor lost 1/3 of his spring lamb crop to the pests. I have never seen one however, I have seen big ass cat prints in the snow. The paw prints were bigger than my out stretch hand. And people question me on why I wear a sidearm at home all the time. Lets' count the reasons...Coyotes, raccoons, Fishercats, bears, now mountain lions looking for an easy chicken or dog dinner.
HealthThis year we are going to do something we have never done before. We are going to go on Amazon and buy medical supplies. Over The Counter items like, antihistamines, cough syrup, fever reducing meds, pain relief meds, diarrhea & constipation meds, Mucinex, tooth past & brushes, etc, etc, etc. Remember during Covid, OTC meds were in short supply. I suspect that may happen again too. Keep in mind if you do not use the meds over the winter, you will sometime during the next 12-monts so you are just pre-buying. Great bartering item too. Especially with someone that has a diarrhea drama going on.
A quick commercial here...Get to know your pharmacist. We avoid the big chains as personnel changes often in them. We rely on a two store locally owned chain. We have gotten to know the employees quite well and when I am in the mood drop off treats to them, e.g. donuts, fudge, etc. Knowing your local pharmacist could really come in handy if med supplies are delayed or worse stopped. Add to this, have the largest supply of a subscription meds that your doctor will write a script for or health insurance will support. In our cases that is 90-days. What you can't get through your doctor you can get from an outside mail order sources. The one we use is
Jase Medical. Certainly not the cheapest out there but an option. If you have a good source post it here.
In ConclusionMaybe it is time for you to get ready for winter too. You do not need to go to the extremes that I or my MAG may be going to but you know you should do it. At least focus on these three area's,
Heat,
Food (H20), and
Medicine.
Be like the cool kids on the block (Your Local MAG) and get ready.
73 & God Bless
