CrabGrassAcres

Who changed the weight limit? When? I missed that!

I'm bringing lye and coconut oil for soap as well as rendered lard. Also have several pounds of castile soap made up that I'm bringing. I've never made goat milk soap, I'd rather use the milk for cheese or drinking. Will we have the luxury of using goat milk for soap anymore?

 

I'm also bringing 3 top flight bird nets, 25x50' each for the tops of poultry runs.

 

Can I fasten a bunch of barrels to the outside of the wagons? I was doing some figuring and 12,000 pounds is 30 barrels that weigh 400 pounds each. I can't fit that many IN the wagon (only have 20, but I have a lot of grains and stuff in totes.) If I can fasten some of the barrels outside, I can put totes inside.

 

(Busily taking stuff out and putting it in. GONNA make it fit!) LOL

 

 

ETA Hey Stephanie, are you having your homeschooling class figuring out weights and how much you are putting on the wagons?

 

Mt Rider, I have a 1500 gallon cistern for the water wagon. Full it weighs 12,000 pounds.

I have 25 cattle panels I want to bring. They are 4' tall by 16' long. I figured I can bend them over the top of wagons and fasten them to the sides. That still allows plenty of room above my barrels for lightweight stuff. If we distrubute them on my wagon and my sister's two they will be available at night or for longer stretches to make corrals for livestock. My sister also has a round pen. I'll bring some tposts as well and some rolls of fencing that I have. Might as well bring a solar charged electric fence too.

 

I'm going to put the jars of canned goods in the barrels of grains. As the jars empty they can be washed and repacked in the barrels with grain inside and around them. I figured the space left can be filled with grain from another barrel until that barrel is empty. Then the empty one can be used for a water barrel if needed or other items can be put in it for safekeeping.

Heading over to my sister's farm and having them help move the livestock over there. No way to mount a gaurd here with only one adult. Daughter is not able to help at all.

 

Where is this train jumping off from?

I decided to sign up my sister and her family. 2 adults and 3 teenagers. So they get 2 wagons pulled by oxen. They are bringing their flock of Nubian goats, herd of Dexter cattle, 6 horses, 1 Great Pyr, 2 cats, 1 rat terrier and a pair of African Grey Parrots (which they really should leave at home, but can't tell them anything. LOL)

 

They have some long guns and he reloads. He does carpentery (not for a living though). She home schools and is into Nourishing Traditions. They are just starting to do some prepping but I have set aside grains and beans etc for them and they can load those on their wagons along with all the livestock feed that they have on hand. They have turkeys and chickens and regular guineas and ducks that they can bring. Not sure what all she has for kitchen, but she collects old fashioned kitchen stuff and can bring all that.

 

Their teens can help with driving wagons and herding animals. I think they would be an assest to the train.

 

Guess I'm loaded except I need to go pick up those Angora goats. Just found some, about 10 miles from me in the town where my sister lives. I'll get a buck and three does.

Oh my, you are hurrying us, aren't you!

 

I'm bringing the lavender guineas. I have 5 so I can bring all of them. 3 females and 2 males.

 

I don't have any African Greys. Would you like the trio of Cotton Patch? Or perhaps a trio of Embdens or American Buffs?

 

Turkeys can indeed be herded, as can geese and ducks. Probably wouldn't want to be held back to a goose or duck pace though. A dog crate is a good size, one of the big wire ones.

 

I won't have time to dry all my meat if we are leaving so soon. Maybe I'll have to split the jars between everybody and we'll just eat them as we go.

Oh good, I was hoping some more children and young adults would be coming!

 

I'm adding rolls of window screening and cage wire and some panes of window glass.

I'm not sure about taking canning jars of food. Maybe I should try to dry the contents?

 

I have 20 good metal barrels with tight lids. I think I'll pack most of my stuff in those.

 

If anybody needs additional poultry, I have more than I can take with me. I'd be glad to have some of you folks take breeding groups of chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks. The birds would be yours so you'd need to provide feed and such.

 

I think I should take 2 yolk of oxen. I want a couple of saddle horses too. If I'm going to live primative, I should get over being afraid to ride.

 

Anybody taking cows should just have them bred first. Some are sure to have bull calves and that would take care of breeding later.

 

I might try to get a couple of Angora goats too, before we leave.

Arby, if you want, you can take my treadle sewing machine. It has all kinds of attachments and does lots of neat stuff. I don't sew much any more, so I could just come visit when I want to sew something. I don't think you'd ever be able to use yours again. I also have some extra grains you can take on your wagon.

.Firegirl, check with Stephanie, I think she has a Nubian buck. I'm bringing an Alpine buck, so you probably don't need a buck, just does.

Participants: Crabby and dear daughter

 

 

 

Skills: Animal care, gardening, herbal lore, midwifery, rough carpentry, nursing, canning, drying food, nutrition, butchering animals, hatching birds and raising them, teaching, music, sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, quilting, painting.

 

 

 

 

Animals

5 does, 1 buck (dairy goats, my buck is an Alpine)

4 Great Pyrenees LGDs

Trio of geese

Trio of turkeys

6 chicken hens and 2 roosters

Trio of guineas

Trio of ducks

Pair of piglets?

 

The goats can walk, as can the dogs. The birds will have to go in crates.

 

For the animals, I'll need some buckets and feed pans. About 400# of grains for animals.

 

My wagon will be pulled by a pair of oxen.

 

Kitchen:

 

Wonder Jr Grain Mill

 

Big Berkey water filter and extra candles.

 

Cast iron meat grinder

Cast iron spider, cast iron dutch oven on legs with flat lid for baking, cast iron pot (5 gallons) for washing and making soap or whatever you need a big pot for. (I don’t own these, but hope to.) I do have several large cast iron skillets.

6 tin plates, 6 spoons, 6 forks, 6 knives, 6 tin cups

 

Set of nesting stainless steel pots with lids

Large metal bowl for making bread.

Cast iron bread pans, 4.

Long handled metal spoon, spatula, tongs, ladle.

Set of kitchen knives and sharpener.

Folding table and 2 folding chairs.

 

All American Pressure canner

 

Extra lids, rings and jars.

 

Stainless steel coffee pot

 

Stainless steel kettle

 

Food:

 

Grains

 

Beans

 

Flour

 

Sugar

 

Salt

 

Dried veggies and fruits

 

Spices

 

Lard

 

Dried meat

 

Hard Tack

 

Portable soup

 

Chocolate

 

Coffee beans

 

Tea

 

Powdered Milk

 

Water

 

 

 

 

Health Sanitation:

5 pounds activated charcoal

 

assortment of herbs

 

Several large bottles of benedryl, Tylenol, aspirin, motrin, multi vitamins, vitamin c, vitamin d, etc.

 

Several gallon jugs of cod liver oil.

 

Collection of fish antibiotics

 

First aid trunk (not going to list contents, but it is large and comprehensive.)

 

Soap, alcohol, betadine, vinegar, turpentine.

 

Pine salve.

 

Cayenne pepper.

 

 

 

Laundry

Two galvanized tin washtubs, scrub board and hand operated wringer.

 

Gardening:

Shovel, hoe head, rake head, plow head.

Seeds. (Including fruit tree seeds.)

 

Clothing:

In a chest, 2 pairs sturdy shoes each and 2 pairs stout boots each. Extra soles and shoe nails and leather working tools.

Socks, 12 pair each. 6 pair cotton and 6 pair wool.

6 skirts each, 3 gingham or muslin and 3 wool

6 shirtwaists each, 3 summer and 3 winter

1 light coat and 1 heavy coat each

2 warm shawls each

1 raincoat each (oil cloth)

 

2 warm sweaters each

2 good sunbonnets each

1 good Sunday hat each

12 pairs long legged underdrawers each

2 sets wool longjohns each

6 sturdy bras each (I ain't wearing no corsets and that's that!)

2 summer and 2 winter petticoats each

2 linen nightgowns and 2 wool nightgowns each

2 night caps each

2 pairs wool mittens each

2 pairs work gloves each

2 pairs mens denim overalls each (cause sometimes a skirt just ain't gonna do)

 

Several bolts of material. Thread, yarn, buttons, pins, needles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tools:

Treadle sewing machine (I have a nice one and it will be really good to have.)

 

Ax, hammers, hand saws, files, planes, splitting wedge, drill brace and bits, chisels, screwdrivers, cat’s claw, crow bar, pliers, bolt cutters,

 

Metal stove pipe for the clay stove I’m making when I get “there”. Iron griddle for the top of my stove.

 

Screws, nails, nuts and bolts and washers.

 

Rope. Lots of rope.

 

Tie wire, different gauges.

 

 

 

 

 

Lighting:

6 lanterns, 6 Aladdins, extra wicks, mantles, chimneys and lamp oil. 50 pounds candle wax. Wick thread.

 

 

 

 

Shelter:

Tarps, (I need a tent, maybe a canvas wall tent)

 

All my warm blankets and quilts.

 

Canvas ground cloth

 

2 folding cots

 

 

 

 

Protection and hunting:

12 gauge shotgun

 

22 lr rifle

 

.303 British Enfield rifle

 

.22 lr hand gun

 

.38 special snub nose revolver

 

Ammo for above and reloading supplies and equipment.

 

 

 

 

Books:

Bible, song books, concordance, Bible dictionary, as many of my extensive collection of how too books as possible.

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Oregon Trail, by Francis Parkman, Jr

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1015/1015-h/1015-h.htm

 

Y'all might find this interesting.

 

I haven't started packing yet. Had to have a new computer. LOL

 

My old computer was dying so I stopped at a second hand and found a really nice one for $100! Should do me for quite some time.

After I cut all the meat I could off a front leg from my sow I butchered, I cut the leg into three pieces at the joints. Cleaned off the foot real well and boiled it to bits. Took off the rest of the meat and put it back in the pot with navy beans, whole green peas, lentils and yellow split peas, when those were done I added dried onions, dried celery, dried mixed bell peppers and parboiled rice. I seasoned with salt and a little bit of jerky marinade.

 

This is good and I could probably eat it a couple times a month. I made a huge pot so I'll have to freeze some for later or can it. Prob just freeze it.

Alexis, just use the mylar in the bucket. You don't need to do the extra work or expense of making smaller bags too. Do get the O2 absorbers and put them in the buckets. Should be good for 20-30 yrs if you start with fresh beans and corn.

 

The shortening doesn't last as long and should be rotated every yr or two if at all possible unless stored in a freezer. If kept frozen it can be kept a good 10 yrs or so. If it accidentally gets thawed it can be refrozen with no problem.

I assume that most people are going to have pots already. You do need a grinder, like a corona. You should try to get a pressure cooker if fuel is a problem. If you heat with wood, just cook on the heating stove. Otherwise, you can use twigs or even a solar cooker.

Rechecking prices

 

Pinto beans 50# $24.86 now 25.43 Jan 19 2008

Field corn #50 8.50 6.50

Shortening 18.68 22.49

 

So while corn has gone up, beans and shortning are actually less.

 

Buy one container liq shortening $18.68, 2 bags of beans $49.72, 6 bags of corn $51.00, Total 119.40 .

Terrible disease. I was 3 when the vaccine came out. My best friend's MIL got it and she was pg with BF's husband. It stunted him, he is smaller than anybody in the family. His mom did ok for a long time then started having trouble again.

I take activated charcoal to adsorb the toxins and get rid of the symptoms at the same time.

I've never cooked it like that. I think the reconstituted texture would be better than the frozen texture though.

 

Cricket, I don't blanch it, just slice it about 1/4 inch thick and spread on the trays. I try to work fast and get it right into the dehydrator.

Yes, I've dehydrated yellow, zucchini, patty pan squash and cucumbers. I use any of them in stew or soup, just drop the dry veggie into the pot. I like the squash reconstituted and fried up with potatoes and onions. Melt a little cheddar over it. I sometimes chop some of the dried veggies up and add them to spaghetti sauce or chili.

Next time I cook for 100 (Hoping never again!) I better have a bunch of helpers or I ain't doing it!

http://members.tripod.com/~AlchemyAcres/archive.htm

I'm looking for more info on the Abingtons (the family that lived next door to G. Washington's father.) The Kimbrells (Kimble, Kimball, Kimbel, Kimbrel), Brashier, in Alabama, S Carolina, NC, Virginia and the colonial area. Particularly I am looking for Ransom Kimbrell and info about the masacre and survivors since that is where I lost the thread.

 

Also looking for info on the Biddy family of Alabama and the Bells, Popes and Welches of Mississippi. The Gilmores came over with Flora McDonald and I'm trying to trace them to my family in MS.

Mini, my daughter is Celiac, I'm not. Sometimes I just want stuff she cannot have, so I fix it for myself and fix her something different. Some things I like and she hates and some she loves and I hate. If hubby doesn't like stew, make a big pot and freeze it in individual portions. Feed him what he wants and heat a bowl of stew for yourself. Maybe do the stirfry, but cook each item individually, mix yours the way you want and let him pick and choose what he wants.