13 must have homesteading items...

[Glockster69]

Stop starting shit.


Sent from my HAL 9000

I replied, is that against the rules?

 

[grasshopperglock]

I replied, is that against the rules?

No as usual. You add zero. You do nothing but snide comments. Whatever your deal is. Take it else where. Reply to somebody's else's threads.

 

[grasshopperglock]

no freaking way that solar set up can run an forced air blower big enough to run a forge. the math don't work bro

It's the idea. Anything that's close to working.

 

[vmax]

It's the idea. Anything that's close to working.

the hand crank forge blowers will work.

running electric applainces on solar takes some planning and you have to balance your output, storage and load.
high amp draws like coffe makers are not impossible just take planning to run, you have to start thinking in watts

I'm building a structure in 3 weeks that should make a nice platform for my solar panels in the future. I won't be able to run the whole place on it but If I can keep some lights on and run the fridge I;'ll be happy

 

[TheDan]

that panel would charge at a much slower rate than the power would be consumed in the batteries.

That was my thought on that as well. You'd have to let it sit in the sun Mon-Fri and only drive it on Sat

A dozen more panels at base camp would make it more useful, but you're never going to be driving that cart to "town" so to speak.

 

[Mreed911]

Propane. Easier to store in a large tank, doesn't degrade like gasoline does. Downside is it'll be harder to get more than you have in your large storage tank...

http://www.livinggreenandfrugally.com/convert-atv-run-propane/

 

[vmax]

Propane. Easier to store in a large tank, doesn't degrade like gasoline does. Downside is it'll be harder to get more than you have in your large storage tank...

http://www.livinggreenandfrugally.com/convert-atv-run-propane/

finite resource

 

[deemus]

A

Wine would make an excellent bartering tool.

You are assuming the grapes actually be available. Where is Texas do you think you will be harvesting a large enough crop of grapes to make wine?

 

[Younggun]

Don't have to make it from grapes, still think whisky would be more valuable.


Sent from my HAL 9000

 

[deemus]

Don't have to make it from grapes, still think whisky would be more valuable.


Sent from my HAL 9000

Different process though. Not sure that wine making kit would work. I do agree corn liquor could have serious value.

Would it matter that you can smell that stuff from a ways away? That might produce problems with keeping others out of it.

 

[Younggun]

The smell can be diffused a bit, and really hidden with a ton of work. (Need to find my old foxfire books). But never completely covered though.


I think if you create anything of high value to barter with word will get out and someone will want to take it from you.

Same reason high value items need so much security today.


Sent from my HAL 9000

 

[matefrio]

I think if you create anything of high value to barter with word will get out and someone will want to take it from you.

That's why you need to have\develop skills folks value.

 

[TheDan]

You are assuming the grapes actually be available. Where is Texas do you think you will be harvesting a large enough crop of grapes to make wine?

Right down the street from you in Grapevine
Grapes will actually grow in lots of places in Texas, but they seem like a pain to cultivate to me. The good news is that wine can be made from any kind of fruit. I would rather just eat the fruit, but often you'll get more than you can eat before it would spoil.

 

[Mreed911]

Right down the street from you in Grapevine
Grapes will actually grow in lots of places in Texas, but they seem like a pain to cultivate to me. The good news is that wine can be made from any kind of fruit. I would rather just eat the fruit, but often you'll get more than you can eat before it would spoil.

Seems beer and grain alcohol would be MUCH easier on a smaller scale.

 

[TheDan]

Seems beer and grain alcohol would be MUCH easier on a smaller scale.

No way. Far fewer steps and ingredients to making wine than beer. If you can get enough fruit together to make fruit punch, then you can turn it into wine. Have fun growing enough barley to make beer. You going to turn that solar golf cart into a tractor?

 

[atticus finch]

You are assuming the grapes actually be available. Where is Texas do you think you will be harvesting a large enough crop of grapes to make wine?

There's a large patch of grapes growing alongside the 121N about 10 or so miles north of 820, appears to be a church doing the growing, also noticed the same at the AG station just north of Stephenville.
I was surprised to see them but evidently grapes can be grown here in Tx.

It is surprising what all can be grown here, I read an article in Tx monthly about a ranch down south that produces their own olive oil from the trees on the ranch. Evidently catholic monks planted the trees over 100 years ago. I hadn't thought either would withstand the colder temps here, evidently both can be grown.

A still for home-made whiskey might likely be more useful in a grid-down situation, whiskey having multiple uses however the capacity to make wine might be a useful ability.

 

[deemus]

There's a large patch of grapes growing alongside the 121N about 10 or so miles north of 820, appears to be a church doing the growing, also noticed the same at the AG station just north of Stephenville.
I was surprised to see them but evidently grapes can be grown here in Tx.

It is surprising what all can be grown here, I read an article in Tx monthly about a ranch down south that produces their own olive oil from the trees on the ranch. Evidently catholic monks planted the trees over 100 years ago. I hadn't thought either would withstand the colder temps here, evidently both can be grown.

A still for home-made whiskey might likely be more useful in a grid-down situation, whiskey having multiple uses however the capacity to make wine might be a useful ability.

I just don't think there's enough volume of grapes to make large quantities. The wineries in the Hill Country import their grapes from California. They don't make wine from their own grapes you see growing there.

I supposed small batches? That might be doable. But there is a reason most Texas wines are not very good. Texas seems to not grow good grapes for wine. But in a SHTF situation, I guess crappy wine would be better than none.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Not wet enough here and too hot for grape vines to flourish. But they do grow... There are other things that you can make wine out of that grows plenty down here.

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

 

[Crusader_73]

Don't forget the instructions on how to make wood pulp into paper.
My list goes:
1. Clean source of fresh water
2. A way to make alcohol other than wine. (make for a great disinfectant and in a pinch, you can get drunk)
3. Toilet paper. (For all y'all out there that have ever used stick and leaves, you know what I mean. Also, people will trade almost anything for a roll of toilet paper.)

 

[Bobo]

Muscadines are native to East Texas and do quite well when cultivated. My uncle made a pretty dang good wine from them.