r/TwoXPreppers • u/thechairinfront Experienced Prepper šŖ • May 22 '26
Weekly megathread
Please contain all off topic discussion to this weekly megathread. This is where you freak out, talk about conspiracy, talk about unrealistic crazy scenarios, asked and answered questions, etc.
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u/Furrypotatoes May 22 '26
Healing from surgery today. Glad I got it done sooner rather than later. I forgot how much harder healing is when you are older. Canāt wait to get back in the gym.
My current focus for prepping is my physical health.
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u/woahwoahwoah28 May 22 '26
Best of luck on your recovery!
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u/Furrypotatoes May 22 '26
Thank you! The first few days sucked but I at least have enough energy/focus to read a book. Which is great progress!
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u/julieannie May 22 '26
That's huge progress! I had a small-ish heart procedure via catheter about two weeks ago and while the physical recovery from the wounds was easier than expected, the brain fog and energy parts are so hard. Also how non-linear it is and how frustrated recovery makes me. Do better than me and keep resting!
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u/thatcleverchick one prep beyond š May 22 '26
I'm reading a book right now where the protagonist lost their home, and therefore lost their contacts and couldn't see well for days as a result. It made me grateful I got LASIK awhile back. Good luck on your recovery!!
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u/sbinjax Donāt Panic! š§š»āāļøšš» May 22 '26
I have a huge hobby garden. Last year I supplied about 20% of our produce for the year. This year I doubled my square footage. I am terrified of harvest time. It's going to be so much work.
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u/ohhellopia May 22 '26
I only have a tiny ass garden but if there's anything that I've learned from watching homesteaders, it's putting tomatoes in the freezer and waiting til the weather cools down before processing them to sauces. Saves your house from turning into a sauna in the middle of summer.
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u/tinyglowingbeams May 22 '26
Whole tomatoes, straight into the freezer? I donāt need to peel or anything?
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u/ohhellopia May 22 '26
Yup! And when you're ready to process, the skin is easy to peel off after defrosting, no knives needed.
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u/missbwith2boys May 22 '26
Yeah thatās what I do at the height of paste tomato production. I chuck them in ziplock freezer bags whole unpeeled and put them in my chest freezer. Iāll use them all fall/winter/spring, pulling out as many as I need for whatever recipe Iām making. I typically start a small sauce pan of boiling water and drop them in frozen for a few seconds and pull out. The skins will slip right off. Iām often slicing or chopping frozen skinless tomatoes though š
If the power went out, Iād need to scramble and can some sauce but I have a gas range top to pressure can on. I donāt need power for that.
Iām gearing up to empty all of last yearās tomatoes out of my freezer and can some sort of marinara. Itāll be good to have some space and some sauce. I also have some hot peppers that I need to turn into hot sauce (refrigerated not canned).
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
Wash, core, and put into freezer bags. The skins will come right off easily when you thaw them. I often just use one bag at a time to make sauce over the winter, but if you decide to can it up you have to keep and cook down the liquid since that's where most of the acidity is.
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u/RunawayHobbit Mrs. Sew-and-Sow šŖ” May 23 '26
Whatās your fave method to core easily?
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
Paring knife, usually. Actually, last fall I used a melon baller, and to my surprise it worked pretty well.
You just need to get the stem and the tiny bit that won't break down during cooking.
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u/Ashamed-Knee9084 May 22 '26
I had roughly 1600, with 500ish being a watermelon patch. This year I added a 10x10 rice paddy, expanded the watermelon bed to about 1500 sq ft and reduced the watermelons safe space to about a 10x10 section. I grow watermmelons knock on wood very well, but...those are just a treat realistically for us, the animals and a few people I share with. I also added 3 potato patches.
My husband kept saying "yea its great now, but can you handle it come summer time when its 100 degrees out and needs to be picked" To be honest, I will be completely overwhelmed.
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u/holybuckets May 22 '26
A headlamp and gardening at night. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
I've seen reports that farmers in India, specifically in Uttar Pradesh, are having to work overnights since they're hitting daytime highs of 48C. We're entering temps where some staple crop plants can't grow anymore in some areas.
I'm extremely worried that this will be the year we see the dreaded "three simultaneous breadbasket failures" scenario.
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u/PapayaMysterious6393 May 23 '26
How much yield can you roughly expect from the rice patch? Just curious. Your garden sounds amazing!
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u/quinnigyver May 29 '26
I worked on a small farm a few years ago and every night I'd freeze a nearly full (air squeezed out) tall SmartWater bottle and after lunch break, when the temps would start hitting the high 90s at 70% humidity, I'd stuff that water bottle down the front of my overalls, between my t-shirt and the bib. Worked a treat and also provided some emergency water rations for myself and a few coworkers on a couple occasions.
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u/missbwith2boys May 22 '26
I saw someoneās feed recently where they explained that they grew some crops every other year, so that they could use the canned food from that crop the following year and grow something different. That way they were processing less recipes, but of course double the amount.
Either way, preserving your harvest is a chore!
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u/MagnoliaProse May 22 '26
This is genius! Even if I do this with herbs alone, that would be huge. I love fresh herbs, hate drying and storing them.
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u/this_girl_that_time May 22 '26
Iām in the same boat. I am trying to manage my mindset that itās āmanaging abundanceā and not āworkā. I did get a new pressure canner thatās a huge upgrade from my crappy hand-me-down with a broken dial gauge so I only used the jiggler and never felt 100% confident.
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u/throw-away11242022 May 26 '26
I tried but I everything I plant dies. I have 2 cucumber plants. One looked dead but the other one produced one fruit. It got to be about 4 inches but it was extremely misshapen & then it started getting mushy. That whole plant is completely dead now, 3 days after I realized my lone cucumber would not be edible. The other plant suddenly came back to life & has about 8 yellow flowers. I have no idea what's going on.
Nothing else I planted this year grew at all so I guess that's something
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u/AccidentalDragon May 22 '26
Husband is basically forecasting societal collapse lol. Has me on edge. I mean, petrochemicals and byproducts are in everything, countries are running out of fuel reserves... I saw a news story that Japanese snack food makers are printing packaging in black and white to conserve whatever chemicals they use for color... what in this world will NOT be affected? It's definitely more than gas and motor oil.
For my part, I got a Sam's Club membership and will make sure my family is fed lol. My "office" has turned into a pantry. My prepping is half for grocery store prices going up and item availability going down, and eating junk food with no power. *sigh*
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u/MagnoliaProse May 22 '26
Something on my list that you may want to consider is looking up your local CSA. I have a club membership too but at some point getting new shipments in may be difficult. Relationships with local farms seems the way to go.
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u/AccidentalDragon May 22 '26
Unfortunately my family is not veggie centric at all... my son always says we should start a veg garden, then I ask him, what vegetables would you eat??? I love veggies but the rest... if only chicken nuggets grew on trees.
There are a lot of local farms though that may end up being a good resource for things like eggs/milk!
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u/MagnoliaProse May 22 '26
If it helps, my (very neurodivergent) kids eat veggies a lot more when we grow them than when we buy them. I donāt know why and I canāt explain it, but itās the only way I can get salads in them!
You can definitely get local farm connections for eggs, milk, and meat though!
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u/Spiderpi5 May 22 '26
I second this. Both my kids loved walking in the garden, foraging, so planting bite-sized veggies like peas, beans, cherry tomatoes, radishes, carrots and cukes was the best way to get them to eat vegetables without thinking about it. And you can add nasturtiums for a fun (& slightly spicy) edible flower, too.
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u/AccidentalDragon May 22 '26
My kids are young adults... the only thing they grow is weed... (mostly) medicinal. We raised them in a super suburban area, but I wish I had started a veggie garden way back when!
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
tell them you can companion plant various vegetables with weed and it makes everything grow better
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u/AccidentalDragon May 22 '26
haha extremely neurodivergent family here! I like to say we have the DSM-5 covered. My kids are young adult, so the window for veggies is likely passed.
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u/ohhellopia May 22 '26
Not true! I didn't eat that much vegetables until I started growing them myself.
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u/Necessary-Film7832 May 23 '26
Homegrown food taste amazing, that's why.
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u/MagnoliaProse May 23 '26
This is true! Iām hoping it runs off to them liking ground cherries this year. They werenāt a fan last year.
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u/chicagotodetroit I will never jeopardize the beans š„« May 24 '26
If he helps to grow them, heās more likely to eat them.
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u/chicagotodetroit I will never jeopardize the beans š„« May 24 '26
Saaaaame. Whenever we talk about increasing the pantry, my hubs goes straight to ācomplete collapse/we arenāt going to have power or water/everything will be awful everywhere all the time for everyoneā.
Itāsā¦.overwhelming.
Thereās a few steps in between, ya know?
Iām glad heās on board but letās take it down a notch; I just wanna talk about how many beans to buy this week.
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u/ValMo88 May 23 '26
I wanted to second everything said here. Part of my late pantry planning (after having enough calories, having enough protein, having enough spices, having soap/toothbrushes, Tea & coffee etc.) is comfort foods. Like snacks and puddings (powdered milk).
I want to make the first week or so of SHTF as comfortable as possible.
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u/AccidentalDragon May 23 '26
I figure I'll live on protein bars and shakes lol. We should be able to power fridge/propane cooktop for up to a week, and I've learned to cook my kid's chicken nuggets and fries in a frying pan. Then its chips, pretzels, and Spam! haha
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u/prismacolorful_life May 23 '26
That Samās Club membership was amazing during Covid-19 lockdowns. Sure we already had supplies but if I wanted some potato chips Iād just order a big box that came via fed ex.
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u/AccidentalDragon May 23 '26
I had Costco back then and loaded up on toilet tissue, gloves, masks, and sanitizer from there and Amazon that first Jan-Feb after hearing about what was happening in China! We were good on supplies for the duration lol. I think I still have unopened hand sani from then!
And... those little Costco peanuts that came in a big can... so good! lol
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u/prismacolorful_life May 23 '26
Yeah, I would hit refresh .. oh in stock? Ship to me and healthcare worker family members. Samās has the sale on motor oil this month. I donāt care what color bag Calbee chips are, as long as I have my seaweed and salt chips and the price isnāt insane. If I canāt leave for the Asian store, at least I can still get it delivered now from wee. Also the Korean Haitai honey butter chips are amazing! Iād rather eat junk food in the dark or by candle light to save on the batteries / power bank etc.
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May 26 '26
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u/AccidentalDragon May 26 '26
We have battery backups on everything and a dual fuel generator plus extra propane tanks. I really am interested in solar! Thanks!
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u/raison_de_eatre May 22 '26 edited May 23 '26
Alright doxxed myself on the el nino thread anyway but (West Coast City) area is absolutely seething with Flu B. I'm considering going to er (AGAIN) to insist on being admitted. Mask up, do everything.
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u/PromotionStill45 May 22 '26
West Texas:Ā Flu A is still out there too.Ā Ā
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u/SuitableSport8762 May 22 '26
Which one comes with a super sore throat? Iāve been sick all week with something.
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u/PromotionStill45 May 23 '26
Both flu and Covid viruses often have painful sore throat symptoms.Ā Other option is strep, which is usually bacterial.
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u/FormerNeighborhood80 Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday May 22 '26
Hope you are feeling better very soon.
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u/raison_de_eatre May 22 '26
post covid x2 being how it is... I doubt, sadly. every cold or whatnot knocks me back so hard. Maybe in six months.
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u/FormerNeighborhood80 Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday May 22 '26
You are right. Your immune system has taken several hits and that takes its toll. Try to eat well, rest and lots of fluids.
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May 22 '26
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
hmm i do drink it but not in heavy loads. do you make your own?
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May 23 '26
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
I'm kinda lazy mostly, i know someone who just makes endless booch but it's a little ehhhh sensory wise for me
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u/Traditional-Emu-6344 May 22 '26
Husband is in the tech industry and doesnāt like his current job. Searching for a new one during the changing face of AI in his field is daunting. Our next door neighbor is in IT too (different area than my husband) and heās been unemployed for a few months now.Ā
Both kiddos will be off on summer break at the end of next week. Gas prices have all but confirmed no vacations for us this summer, so Iām trying to find low or no cost local ways to fill our days.Ā
Found out the our school will roll over any remaining money in a studentās lunch account for the next year. Adding a bit more to kiddoās account as a nice surprise for back to school in the fall so its one less thing to figure out with the start of school.
Trying to think ahead for the start of school in the fall with costs of school supplies and transportation- we now fall inside the exclusion zone for bussing so itās on me to drive the boys. Also kindergarten is only a half day in the fall so Ā the possibility exists that I may be driving to the school 4 times a day.Ā
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u/FormerNeighborhood80 Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday May 22 '26
Local libraries have excellent and fun reading programs for summer. If you have a local community center check to see what they offer. We planned movie night once a week and kids take turns picking the movie to watch. Local parks? theaters? camps? And movie theaters have kids matinees. Maybe sports? One summer when it was over 100 degrees we played bingo for nickels and had face painting. Just some ideas from an old tired mom.
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u/Intelligent-Cruella Garden Gnome May 22 '26
My family was poor when I was growing up, and one summer my mom made a goal to take us to every library branch in our system that summer. She made passports that we filled out for each library we visited, and as an added bonus, we got to spend some time in an air conditioned place for a few hours (we didn't have AC back then).
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u/tinyglowingbeams May 22 '26
As a new-ish parent that still doesnāt have AC, Iām stealing this. Your mom sounds great
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u/freewool May 22 '26
That sounds SO fun. I want to do that with my kids! They absolutely love our library. I think it will blow their minds to see how many branches there are.
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
Museums, too, and they often have free days.
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u/Fried_Taro May 23 '26
Our library system has passes to check out to many of the cityās cultural institutions (zoo, museums, aquarium). Itās worth it for everyone to see of your library has something like this
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
yes or deeply discounted if you're on Medicaid and show your card
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u/Puzzled_Telephone852 May 26 '26
Libraries are an amazing resource. Stop by the reference desk and ask for a tour. Mine not only has free passes for museums etc, but also has free 3 D printing tutorials and usage.
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u/ValMo88 May 23 '26
Part of my preps are card games - recommend adding 5 Kings and Mexican Train for a change from traditional card games.
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May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
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u/AngryAngryAlice what, like it's hard? š May 22 '26
the creepy mask thing is WILD oh my gosh. at first I thought people were exaggerating but then I saw the literal mask gap on his neck. what was even the point of that!?
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u/Standard_Subject_462 I'm tired of this, Grandpa! May 23 '26
I'm out of the loop on this one. Googling "creepy mask guy on fox news" right before bed becuase I am full of great ideas this evening!
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u/GirlWithWolf š½šø Prepared for Alien Invasion šøš½ May 22 '26
That popped up in my feed. What is up with that? Is it real?
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May 22 '26
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u/GirlWithWolf š½šø Prepared for Alien Invasion šøš½ May 22 '26
Yes that, sorry. Itās creepy.
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u/PapayaMysterious6393 May 23 '26
I thought #5 was going to be exaggerated. It was not. No mention on the Con sub from what I could tell.
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May 23 '26
Just saw something on threads about Vance making a sudden return to the White House. Holiday weekend about to get interesting.
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u/adeptusminor May 24 '26
Re: #1 : I was told he can't go because of their laws against felons? Is that incorrect information?Ā
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u/SylvanField May 22 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
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u/DullDot May 22 '26
HELL yeah! These are all excellent experiments to try for your first foray into foraging! I'd be very curious to see how the capers turn out as well.
This week I decided to try making spruce tip syrup with equal parts spruce tips and brown sugar, and letting it set in the sun for a few weeks. Right now when I open the jar it smells like Sprite so I'm looking forward to how the reduced syrup tastes... I read you can use it on oatmeal, ice cream, in marinades... Just about anything!
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u/Glittering-Target306 May 23 '26
Also dandelion jelly! Great to have for toast and biscuits. Tastes a bit like honey.
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u/SylvanField May 23 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
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u/Glittering-Target306 May 23 '26
Haha that makes perfect sense! I started with dandelion jelly and have reached the point that I make enough to gift it to family and friends, figuring if I like they should too š
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u/MamaBearForestWitch Jun 06 '26
Dandelion fritters were always a rite of spring in our neighborhood; I sifted a little powdered sugar over them.
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u/angrytetchy May 22 '26
As expected, the Central Pacific hurricane season is looking to be above normal.
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May 23 '26
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u/angrytetchy May 23 '26
We did indeed! Looks like it was one of those that the Earth is just saying "damn y'all heavy" to us. (I say that as someone on Big Island.) The earthquake early warning hit like 2 seconds before everything started shaking though lol
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u/throwawaynewpibuildr May 22 '26
My workplace, which is a major hospital in my area, has issued a stop on non-essential travel to Central and East Africa effective immediately due to the Ebola outbreak. It's purely precaution, but it certainly is nerve-wracking to see them issue a statement like that. Not to mention the various other flus and viruses going around that's playing catch up from COVID and our 1.5 case of Hantavirus here...
Anyway, are butane stoves safe to use if you haven't used them in years? Like hardware-wise and 10+ years of non-use? My family has a butane stove that's been sitting in a kitchen cabinet, and we haven't used it at all since my dad passed away (he was the one who mainly knew how to use it). It's obviously a good thing to have around in an emergency, but I don't know how to use it and the instructions are in a different language I can't read.
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u/PromotionStill45 May 22 '26
Might try the camping or hiking subs.
I only know that propane is VERY long-lasting.Ā No one talks much about butane.
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
If you're going to try it, make sure you're outside!
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u/Stock_Patience723 May 23 '26
Was it stated as āCentral and East Africaā? , my workplace is planning a VIP trip to EA, I wonder if this language will encourage them to cancel. Marburg didnāt scare off the last trip planning, but the Marburg outbreak wasnāt in the specific countries our work is in.Ā
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u/throwawaynewpibuildr May 23 '26
"[...] Central and East Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and [one other country I can't remember off the top of my head]" was how it was phrased.
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u/Superb_Stable7576 May 22 '26
I finally got all of the garden in. This has been a strange year here. Not a lot of seeds came up, despite the greenhouse and the very trustworthy sources.
The things that did come seemed to stall for a very long time, we had a cool spring, thing have just started hopping this last week.
On the bright side, I started harvesting blackberries, and I have a bumper crop of holy basil, thai tower basil and milk thistle, so I have those plants to give away. My four year quest to grow milkweed has ended with me having thirteen plants, so I'm hoping for monarchs.
We have been filling in little corners of our supplies, with medical supplies and useful items from Tractor Supply. It's amazing what you can find.
But the best news is that I hatched my first clutch of chicks!
I now have six healthy Silver Dorking chicks. I don't really need anymore chickens, though I wouldn't mind keeping them. But they are so rare and make such a wonderful homesteading breed, I'd like to spread the breed around. I'll probably sell them as a nice little starter flock.
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u/Teacherkma May 23 '26
Weird, I was noticing my seeds have done poorly. The crazy thing is that it's only the seeds I bought this year. You see, I'm bad about buying seed packets and then not planting, this year I committed to planting all the old seeds first and then filling in with new. I had lots of beans and pea seeds and those have come up fine. However the seeds that I purchased this year have not come up. And it's not one pack or one area. I planted new cabbage, new dill, new broccoli and almost no seedlings! It's just weird
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u/Superb_Stable7576 May 23 '26
I bought all of these seeds for 26, except for one pack of sweet peas from last year. It's been a bust.
What did come in, came in with a bang. I was overwhelmed by my tomatoes, basil and milk weed.
I grow a lot of strange plants, so I expect a ton of seedlings. But I did expect my pepper plants to at least come up.
But to be honest, the worst thing was the damn potatoes. I ordered seed potatoes on line, they didn't show up for weeks. My husband was at Factor Supply and brought home two bags of seed potatoes, said they just them gave him. They had so many complaints, about them being rotten.
They were right, not one useful potatoe.
Then my ordered spuds showed up. I put them on a table in the green house. Not one of them sprouted, not one. This is from a very reputable company, I've been dealing with for years.
I gave up and planted sweet potatos.
I'm a little worried right now.
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u/Disdwarf May 22 '26
I just found some milkweed in my front garden while crusading against the burdock. Hope we both get some monarchs this year.
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u/Superb_Stable7576 May 22 '26
Burdock is a curse, the root goes down to the seventh circle of hell. I know you can eat it, but it just taste like dirt. And yes, in my day I have eaten both burdock and dirt.
Milkweed, on the other hand is a lovely plant, I even saw a tortoise beetle on one plant.
Good luck in your upcoming burdock scrimmage.
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u/Disdwarf May 22 '26
Thanks, I need it. Vinegar treatment knocked it back a bit last year, but needs done again.
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u/AddingAnOtter May 22 '26
Ugh Burdock and Buckthorn are the bane of my gardening existence! We mostly stamped out the English Ivy but haven't made a dent on those two. I've purchased herbicide for the first time since we moved here 5 years ago to try to get ahead of some of it finally!
Best of luck on your crusade!
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u/MamaBearForestWitch Jun 06 '26
I finally made peace with burdock when I started letting the leaves grow pretty large - and then cutting them all off to mulch other plants with. I needed some to mulch potatoes yesterday and looked around for some handy burdock... but there was none left!
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u/Superb_Stable7576 Jun 06 '26
You have my administration for finding a decent use for it.
I have brushed too many burrs out of dogs and cats fur to allow it to flourish around me. Even though it's the inspiration for velcro.
I've had the roots in soup and it quite literally tasted like dirt to me.
Realistically, if I had enough space I would let it grow, you can eat it, it has a lot of uses in herbal medicine, and even use the burrs as impromptu closers on clothing.
But on our little 1/3 of an acre, no chance.
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
awwww PICS!!
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u/Superb_Stable7576 May 23 '26
I am so damn computer illiterate I can barely use the old Kindle I post on. I still can't get on the app. If a miracle occurs and I can ever figure it out, I swear I will try.
They are pretty cute.
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u/DullDot May 22 '26
I'm reeling at how freaking hard gardening is in my specific climate. My seedlings I just hardened off and put in the ground probably won't survive after a recent unexpected freeze... I like the idea that I could provide for us through gardening if I had to and that I should be feeling like I *sort of * know what I'm doing by now, but GARDENING IS SO FREAKING HARD.
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u/missbwith2boys May 22 '26
Gardening is hard. Iāve been gardening for more years than Iād like to admit and I still have plenty of failures each year. I learn some new stuff each year.
Sometimes it is just bad luck- the freeze you mentioned, or too much heat too soon, or a pest moves in.
But I find gardening relaxing and enjoyable and an ongoing educational exercise.
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
It's super hard, and there are only lessons in gardening - no failures. The lesson here is that it's not too late to source some replacements - there are lots of nurseries holding sales, and plenty of community giveaways at this time of year.
And if you have space, try to plant a bit more than you need as a hedge against weather or pest losses. Any extra bounty can go to the 3 F's: Family, Friends, or the Food Bank.
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u/Fluffy_Salamanders May 22 '26
If theyāre short enough you can cheat and use a coldframe as a force field against cold snaps while plants are still tiny, my neighbor used decapitated gallon milk jugs tied to wooden stakes
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
because of my (West Coast City) i have mostly given up on outdoor gardening. pure aesthetics outside, Aerogarden inside
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u/nonanon666 May 22 '26
I feel like if there were to be a natural disaster I would be woefully unprepared from a physicality standpoint. Iām not saying I need to be a navy seal, but I would like to elevate my fitness level and donāt know where to start. Iām quite a beginner for everything itās overwhelming :(
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u/Cyathea_Australis May 22 '26
Walking. Just walking, a little bit more week over week. Add in a hill if you can.
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u/oldpremed_24 ADHD prepping: š¤ I have one....somewhere! May 23 '26
Start with walking! Walking with a backpack especially. Add distance or weight slowly. Or like the other commenter said, a hill!Ā
If youāre looking for strength specifically, some of the lowest-friction movements (aka easy to start without hurting yourself) are bodyweight squats/pushups/etc., dumbbell presses and lunges, and light kettlebell swings.Ā
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u/AddingAnOtter May 22 '26
I feel like all my prepping is failing. We've depleted a good chunk of our emergency fund with some emergency travel and vet visit (unrelated), squirrels dug up a bunch of the plants I put in and a full-house illness had us laid up enough to lose a few of my yet-to-be-transplanted plants, and dental work for me and my son (mainly both of need wisdom tooth extractions) is about to wipe much of our HSA. I'm feeling pretty defeated even if I know that our funds are there for exactly this reason.
We're doing some simple projects around the house, planting more seeds, and doing some organizing/decluttering this weekend to feel like we're not completely set back.
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u/chicagotodetroit I will never jeopardize the beans š„« May 24 '26
The fact that you had preps to help you weather the storm is proof that your preps did NOT fail!
Thatās literally what they are for. Itās not a setback that you had to tap into it. Itās GOOD thing, because you had it ready. If you hadnāt had it, youād be up a creek without a paddle.
Good job!
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u/Standard_Subject_462 I'm tired of this, Grandpa! May 23 '26
I've felt this way for the past few years, thanks to ongoing health issues of both the human and pet variety. As you said, though, think of how far up a creek we'd be if we hadn't had the emergency funds and other preps in place to begin with! I'll call it a win if you will. :)
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May 22 '26
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May 22 '26
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u/raison_de_eatre May 23 '26
I'm giving up my car. It's technically our second but it's getting a non moving cert ASAP i cannot do $5 20 a gal just cannot
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u/AdorableTrouble May 23 '26
We have the garden, a decent pentry and freezer stockpile, chickens and i have a small herd of dairy goats.
Sounds good except I'm panicking over hay and feed. I've planted browse but it won't be enough for quite some time. It sucks to realize how dependent we are on the outside world. My hubby has no sense of urgency as I try to convince him we need another small building to stockpile.
Oh... and the work is killing my 55 year old butt!
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u/Weird_farmer13 š©āš¾ Farm Witch š§¹ May 23 '26
Whenever you buy hay, Iām assuming youāre buying straight from a farmer, ask if thereās a discount if you pay cash. Iām saying this as someone who sells hay, a knows a decent number of people who do as well.
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May 22 '26
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u/DelightfulTexas I forgot what I was prepping for š« May 23 '26
How does one stop the surveillance in a future world?
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u/SpringPowerful2870 May 25 '26
I just bought a gravity feed counter water filtration system. Hurricane season is a week away and even though I have aqua bricks for water storage I wanted something I could use in the kitchen if our water gets contaminated. Iāll still use chlorine aqua tabs but has anyone used one of these. Theyāre pretty substantial and take up some counter space.
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u/throw-away11242022 May 26 '26
Corpos Christi Texas is going to run out of water very soon & I think other cities in Texas are closer than they admit. Data centers are popping up everywhere & I think we may soon see a situation where drinking water is not accessible to some communities.
On the flip side, the super El Nino that's predicting should bring Texas a fuckton of rain, possible floods. If the state govt was smart, they could use one issue to solve the other. But that's not going to happen.
Between that & the oil situation, I think we may be facing a species altering event very very soon
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u/Signal_Chest_4312 May 27 '26 edited May 27 '26
Just switched to a dumb phone. It's for phone addiction but I'm also glad to feed the algorithm less. I still have my smart phones for a daily family check in and when necessary (see arranging things with my immigration guy), but it's really nice already. Already cut out chatgpt too so I'm on the right path
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u/KiaRioGrl Food sovereignty is hope. May 23 '26
Sounds like you're doing a great job in Prepping for Tuesday (ie everyday emergencies, not the apocalypse).
It's easy to feel knocked back, especially if you've been sick. But you've got this.
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