Prepper Ponderings

Big Berkey

Last night I received my new Big Berkey from our great sponsor, The Berkey Guy.  I've been putting this off for quite some time, but finally bit the bullet.  This is a nice looking unit that will be fine sitting on the kitchen counter for daily use, and is durable enough to keep in storage and break out in an emergency. 

We have clean well water, so I think I'll end up keeping mine in storage until I need it.  A couple times a year, we get long term, torrential downpours that cause dirt to seep in the well and we get brown water for a few days.  That will be an ideal time to break it out and use it.  If I lived on city water, I'd definitely use it on a daily basis, with the addition of the fluoride filters.

Clean water is essential to life.  Any of the Berkey line will be a great addition to your water plans.


Rice

I put up 30 more pounds of rice today.  We use the 3 liter Deer Park water bottles (holy crap that link is expensive!) for our vehicles, and as we rotate the bottles out every couple months, I've started using them for my rice storage.  The going rate around here is $1.39 - 1.59, but we can sometimes find them on sale for $1.09.  The Food Lion brand 3 liter waters are sometimes on sale for $.99.  After being sure the insides are completely dry, I use a funnel with about a 3 cup top and a 3/4 inch wide spout to pour in 10 pound bags of rice.  I've found that I can get 30 pounds perfectly into five bottles.  That equates to 2 pounds of rice per liter of space if you have smaller or larger bottles.  I fill them nearly all the way to the brim, and screw the top on tightly.  I'm thinking about adding oxygen absorbers, but I don't know how that will work.  I'll probably give it a try on a couple bottles as a test.


Chainsaw

I used my new Husqvarna for the first time today.  It is SO much better than my old $109 Craftsman.  I got a 16" blade, primarily because most of my cutting is saplings and small diameter trees, along with reaching up to some branches.  Anything bigger is not needed and is heavier.  It cut right through some trees, branches, and even the big nasty bushes that had been growing in front of the house for years.  It starts right up, has little vibration, and is easy to maneuver.  I should have done this years ago instead of going through a new cheapo one every two or three years.  Quality costs, but it's worth it in this case.