Fall, the time for preparing!

Here in New England, Fall is the Harvest season when we get ready for the long Winter ahead. There is great satisfaction as each thing we need is stocked up. It is such a great feeling to look into a full cupboard, see a large wood pile or know our fuel tanks are full. Seeds and herbs drying here and there around the house are a delight and bring real security. Learn now to save your own seeds and keep enough for a couple years ahead. Some preparations actually save money. If you shop less often, you save time and money getting what you need.

First step is to cut the squash in half, to sco...

Here is some of my seed crop of high yielding I...

The previous ear had mostly mahogany colored ke...

It is good to sit down and come up with a list of things which you really need to have and a list of things you would really miss. We all need water and food. If the power goes out how will you get water and keep your food safe to eat? How will you keep at least one room warm in winter? In our last long power outage I really missed having back ground music. A battery operated boom box and some recordings can fix that cheaply. Simple things we can do before the next storm or emergency do not have to be expensive, but can make a huge difference to how comfortably we get through it. I like to have some paper plates and disposable 'silverware' on hand. Camping cook ware and place settings are designed to be easy to wash. Don't be discouraged by having a long list. Just keep it in mind as you choose what to buy and how to live. Lots of little easy steps along the way is what gets us prepared.

After filling the water tray, and getting it ho...

This is a close up of just the Horticulture bea...

Most of this harvest is from seeds that are inc...

Canning season for me begins in July with pickles and relishes. I find places to store canned goods which will not freeze when we are only really heating the kitchen. Then they do not have to be moved during a power outage. You will be very busy adjusting to life in an emergency. This is just one example of planning ahead so when an emergency comes, you have less to do to be ready.

It is much better to have a 'kit' of supplies for each thing. Make it easy to find and move what you may need in one box or bag. First aid kits are very common. You can make up a kit of flashlights and batteries. The same with radios for information and entertainment during an emergency. We have a variety of kerosene lamps and lanterns, so the spare wicks and globes are all stored in one place. In stead of running around the house looking for these things, put the kits near where you may need them during the emergency.

If you have a generator for power outages you will eventually need to change the oil, spark plug and filters. Why not buy them now and store them nearby with what ever hand tools you will need?

The tractor is cultivating and hilling our Flin...

We made a simple harvest container out of a sma...

This large, 12 pound hand cranked mill is quick...

Kitchen and garden tools make life so much easier. Keep in good condition a set of manual tools for every important task. Power tools are nice, WHEN you have the power.

There is a saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. So it is with being prepared.On my website there are articles and videos with details about many things you can learn and do now. So go to my You tube channel and look at the index of articles on my web site.