April Preparedness Tally

What did you do to increase or manage your preparedness in April?  We did a few things, didn't get to a few others.

I made a target for my compound bow with a bale of wood shavings and hand-stitched a burlap cover. Didn't get any practice due to an injured left elbow.  If you haven't looked into a reasonably-priced bow, or made one yourself (saw a video re: making one from PVC pipes -- it was a nice bow), it is a very frugal alternative to some types of firearms.  No, don't keep a bow under your pillow to defend against intruders, but for areas where it isn't safe to use a varmint gun, a bow may work.  Reloading your ammo is a lot faster, too!

We organized and rotated some food storage, checked and reorganized meds in the first aid/med bags, and ended up with some extra firewood when the big tree came down. By the time we need heat, it should be a dry enough. Nice to have a little something back for what the tree work cost!

Also tended the fruit trees -- thinned the apples, fertilized the serviceberries and pulled weeds from the Jerusalem artichoke patch.  Next month is canning time for currant and serviceberry jams, so rotated my pectin to use the older stuff next.

Also got a new tooth after breaking one. Don't forget to keep up with your dental care. Having a bad tooth in an emergency situation can be debilitating. If you need care and can't afford it, check with your dentist to see if they have a sliding scale or do any free work.  There are also websites for free dental care foundations and programs.

Did a few other things that we don't post on the blog, but it was a productive month. 

What did you do in April? Any new frugal tips to share?