Generating Power

The best laid plans are often set aside when times are easy going.  But when the doo-doo hits the fan, it's awful to be stuck and remorseful about not having taken steps to be prepared.

After our last great wind storm and losing our electric power, we got on the stick and purchased a generator.  We even had it sitting in our garage with an appointment scheduled for our electrician to come out to rewire our electric panel to switch to generator power throughout our home with the flip of a switch.

So close were we!  And then SNOWMEGADON arrived with HEAVY-WET-SNOW blanketing our area weighing down trees and power-lines alike.  Again, we were so close to having alternative power.  This time our power went out five times in a two day period.  We would just get it turned back on when another tree would topple over somewhere down the line and BAM!  During this weather event, we finally got the generator up and running and performed a practice run.  It worked beautifully.  This same day in the early evening the power went out for a sixth time.  I was never so excited to have the power go out!  I woke hubby up from a nap and he quickly switched the breaker panel and started up the generator.   Yippy-ki-yay & hot-dang!  We barely skipped a beat!

Off Grid Cooking

Hubby and I have got several options for off grid cooking should we lose our power, or just want to conserve energy.

Our kitchen range is duel fuel; electric oven and gas stove top.  With a lighter or a match, we can use the stove to cook on even without electricity.

We've managed a few heat and eat dinners last winter on our wood heat stove .. and I came across this book that even has methods and recipes for such cooking.

American Wood Heat Cookery

We have a two burner high BTU propane stove top for canning and cooking outside.

Our fire pit is equipped with a Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker that can be used for hanging kettles and cast iron skillets.

Last but not least our cast iron Dutch oven to use with charcoal or wood coals outside.  This can be used to bake bread and roast meats.

It's good to be prepared for all seasons with alternative cooking devices that don't require electricity.

And if you're really, really wanting to try slow cooking that mimics an electric crock pot .. you could try a hot hay box and get the same results.

Do you have a means to prepare meals without electricity .. other than a BBQ grill?

Company and Gardening

We have visitors .. my parents .. so in between being a good hostess .. and letting them fend for themselves quite a bit .. the garden is flourishing. 

Our Montmormency (sour) cherries are ready to pick. 

This past spring I made a homemade dormant oil spray (water, vinegar, coconut oil soap, tea tree oil) and applied it to our fruit trees; we have not had any insect pests on the apples or cherries .. A scarecrow, fake owl and bird netting over the tree have helped GREATLY keeping the birds from having breakfast, lunch and dinner.


We're harvesting lettuce, Asian peas, bok choy, onions, black currents, cherries and herbs galore.

With the heat last weak, I decided to try my hand at outdoor Dutch oven (D.O.) cooking.

 The Mr. has set up an outdoor cooking area complete with propane burners and a place to cook in the D.O.

 

Summer is in full swing with home projects (garden gates),

 

mini trips and family get-togethers.

 

 

How does your garden grow?

In The Middle

of the month already.  WOW!

January is a good month to get back on track .. and review the previous year's spending habits.

We are ever grateful to have an emergency fund and didn't have to charge for this repair!  Our home had a plumbing fiasco that lasted nearly three full days ... WITHOUT WATER!  All I can say is, 'thank the Lord that we have 18 inches of snow on our property!  What started out to be a simple 'fix' .. by adding a whole house water filter to help reduce the high mineral content of our well water, turned out not so quick .. and a BIG FIX.  We had so much mineral buildup on plumbing connections that the shutoff valves in the basement failed.  Leaving us to dig and tap our way through snow, under cover of starlight, in a vague area, we tried to locate the main shut off meter some 200 feet from our home.  Not fun!  Hubby was on bucket patrol while the plumber and I dug.  Thank goodness the ground was well insulated from the snow and not frozen.  We finally found the meter and shut off the water.  No flooding inside .. a good thing. (Note to self and hubby .. have meter well flagged for winter.)

Day one without water .. was OK.  We had stores of gallon and five gallon jugs of water that got used sparingly.

Day two ... still OK .. but now I thought I'd try my Big Berkey water filter with melted and filtered snow that had been treated with the recommended drops of bleach.  We just got it for Christmas for such emergencies as this ... followed all the directions .. except we hadn't tried the test adding red food coloring to see if the filters are really working.  We had initially primed the unit when we got it (by soaking the filters in water for a specified time) and began using tap water .. Hum .. well .. before I want to drink minimally treated melted snow water, I thought we'd better do the food coloring test.  And it failed!  So .. we were without drinking water. (BTW .. we have new filters in route).  We had about 5 gallons of drinking water left by day two .. after using much of it to flush toilets once in a while.  By afternoon .. I was melting snow in my canning pots on the wood stove AND kitchen stove.  This water was used for bathing, washing hair, boiled to wash dishes, flushing toilets .. everything but drinking.

Day three .. water was not restored until midnight or later.  What a glorious sound .. the rushing of gurgling water recharging the pipes.  Melting snow throughout the day for dishes, etc.  by now was getting old .. but it worked out fine.  Our main emergency 'hole' was not having the Berkey water filter up and running ... AND not having some paper plates .. dishes piled up quickly .. I'm not a big paper user .. but for emergencies, I think it's a good thing to have.

By the end of this trial, I had a greater respect for the Neanderthals and how they survived in cave dwellings .. hunting .. gathering .. all without the aid of crippling modern conveniences.  We are such a weak people in all reality .. even with our modern ways.

We are ordering a VERY LARGE water storage tank for the garage.