What to Take and What to Pack

[Tango]

Okay, we're counting down and I'm imagining possible scenarios and what I would need on hand. We're moving to a rural property and living in a travel trailer while the house is built. I've done a lot of camping so I think I'm prepared for this life for 4-5 months. I've got my animals's needs (horse, goats, chickens, dogs, and cats), spoke with the new vet up there, spoke with the new farrier. Have an appt. with the electrical engineer for a temp post. Have 7 20 lp propane tanks (fridge, and stove in trailer can run on propane or electric). As far as what I can safely pack and possibly leave in storage and what I can cram into the shed and travel trailer though, I'm not sure if I have everything thought out. I'm going to set up my washer in a barn on thr property that currently needs extensive repairs. And I'm going to set up an outside dining/ grilling area. Can you guys please toss out some ideas to help me decide what to keep on the place? And what I might think I need but can do without? It will be me and my homeschooling teenaged son. Thanks.

[MullersLaneFarm]

Marcia,
You can never have too many tarps (painter drop cloths). They can be used for so many things, from temp shelters to ground covers

How exciting for you!!!

[Cyngbaeld]

You will need everything that is on the bottom in the very back of the storage unit. You won't need most of the stuff you keep out.

Do put winter clothes and such in the storage unit BUT be sure you can reach them. Plan on everything taking longer than you think is reasonable.

You only need a few dishes, pots and pans out. Store most of them and store all your small appliances. Keep all your tools out where you can reach them, but under cover. Store all but one or two favorite books and plan on using the library.

Plastic totes are wonderful. You can stash most of your clothes in them. Put extra linen/blankets in one. Have 2 sets of bedding for each of you. The second set can go in a covered tote in the barn or under a tarp. One nite with either or both of you sick and vomiting is all it takes. You will be so glad for the extra covers that are clean.

Get plenty of bungees for your tarps.

Will you have running water?

Be sure and get one or two cordless drills if you don't have any. Amazing how much more work you can do with one.

Set up a sawdust toilet outside unless you have an outhouse.

Good luck. Hope it all goes well for you.

[bethlaf]

Congrats on the new property, where did ya end up buying at?



The things you will need the most............. always have a gun on hand, then the garden and building tools, a radio of some sort.......... good freinds to help ya when ya need it, stuff one or two in your flannel before ya move..... or find one or two when ya move, they can be the dang handiest when ya need them.




_Neal

[Queen Bee]

What do you have in your first aide kit? You should have candle lighters (better than matches when it's wet). How about treats (little things that your son loves but really could do without) such as a good book, candy, phone card(to call a friend on the trip to town) or gift card that he could use when things are rough going? And beleive me every teenage has those days once in a while. Buy several and hide them... use them only as treats...

Water-proof /critter proof containers are a must. Nothing is worse than needing something and finding them wet or destroyed. door furniture that won't blow away in a store or somewhere to keep it safe..

Congrats and good luck.. Debbie

[Alex]

For 4 people -- if your goin' to build your own log cabin;

Pioneer and bush-persons though out recent time needed things to survive and flourish in the woods – and you need those things too:

• pressure canner,

• sleeping bags (4),

• coats with fur on the hoods (4),

• Aladdin kerosene lamps (4),

• cast-iron fry pans - large - medium - and small,

• 30-06 rifle,

• 12 Gauge shotgun,

• 22 rifle,

• first aid kit,

• ax,

• chainsaw,

• cant hook,

• jack-all,

• big rope,

• 15' chain with hooks

• pick up or small tractor with 3pt hitch

• kerosene lamps,

• hammers and sledge hammer,

• splitting maul and wedges,

• plus all the normal camping gear, household items, and regular tools,

• and a sourdough starter.

Get materials wherever you can; take your time you will get everything you need, some for free, if you keep your eyes open.

Good Luck,

Alex

[Tango]

Thanks everyone. Very good suggestions. Bethlaf, I ended up buying in southern TN. Cyngbaeld, I'll have two streams and a couple of springs right away for water but the current well has no motor. It is a priority to put one in asap. What is a 3 pt hitch? I keep coming across that on haying equipment I'm looking at- some say 3 pto hitch. Tarps and bungees? LOL. I've got so many that my son might be riding on the roof to get there First aid kit is being worked on. I need a tackle box or something bigger than the little box we have now. So far we have: band aids in several sizes, scissors, bandgae, gauze, tape, neosporin, sulfa powder, apsirin, allergy meds, prilosec (for me ) and a snake bite kit. I'll need a higher-powered rifle- all I have is a .22. Coats with fur?

[bgak47]

Buy a shotgun. You don't need a highpowered rifle unless you are going to hunt lg game.If you have any experience with one, a handgun would be a good idea.I don't think anyone mentioned a couple of good flashlights.Good Luck!

[Cyngbaeld]

LOL, don't think you need fur around the hood in TN, but it can get cold there. Hope you are in a house before winter hits. But be sure and park that camper under some trees for the summer.

Glad you have water on the place. A motor on the well pump would be first priority to me too. Amazing how much energy you waste hauling water and dealing with buckets and jugs when you don't have running water.

Be sure to keep your sense of humor handy, you'll need that about more than anything.

[MelissaW]

Hey kiddo! Remember when we were talking about a Ford 8N? Well that is an example of a tractor that uses a 3 pt. hitch. The equipment hooks up in kind of a triangle shape. You match up the holes and slip in lynch pins. Then the hydrolics pick it up. I like the system. I can do most of the equipment myself (and you know I'm fairly clutsy so that's saying something!) except the turn plow which is tippy. I cut out the draft equipment section is this weeks F&D and will send it to you today after I check the Amish paper when the mail comes.

Oh and I can't think of any good stuff to add except maybe those big plastic bags that you can put things in and then suck the air out of with the vacuum to make them small. They are great for extra bedding and warm clothes, and you wouldn't have to worry about moisture!

I'm so excited for you!

Melissa (Sweet C.)

[Jan Doling]

After you get there, watch for garbage cans on sale. Get the kind with wheels and the handles that raise to lock the lid. Use bungee cords to keep them shut and critter proof. Store stuff you don't need everyday in them and keep them outside. You can even bungee several together to keep them from migrating. Use a different color for each type item (i.e. clothes in the blue one, animal food in the black one, etc.)

Keep us posted!

[SteveD(TX)]

A 3 point hitch is the hitch on the back of a tractor that lifts and lowers the equipment for the tractor. Such as a mower, plow, rake, etc. The PTO is the power takeoff, which is what actually supplies power to the mower or other equipment that requires power. Most modern tractors and even older ones are equipped with both. I have an old Ford 8N; it's a good economical tractor easy to work on that does a decent job of light farm work, mowing, etc.

[Blu3duk]

If you are hiring your building done for you, have the contractor build you a storage shedon property, double the size you can rent one, and triple if it doesnt set you back to much. It will pay for itself in short order, becuse everything you want to use will be on site where you are living, and not in town, or in another state.

And then when you move in, you already have a nice out building ready to use for more storage, or convert into a guest house/ rental cabin [gotta use forethought].

A 10x20 storage shed with a shed roof is not very costly to build, even with concrete under it for a slab floor, it should set you back more than $2k being built by someone else, and should be half that, after all it does not need be liveable, only weather resistant for now.

If you rent a stoage unit, here in central idaho a 10x20 costs $60 per month, which is $720 per year, in 3 years time you have saved the cost of building a $2K unit on site and from then on it is just an outbuilding that is forever yours to use at no additional cost except the tax value, which should be minimal for a chicken coop style building.

William

[Alex]

FYI


This is Tilly Two just after she got a new paint job -- beauty huh? This was three years ago -- and she needs some touch up again. This tractor is a Ford 1900 -- 33 hp diesel, 4 WD, etc -- a bit more than you would need and a lot fancier.

The blue arms at the back, lifting the red brush-cutter, are a part of the 3 pt hitch -- and that's the main advantage -- you can lift stuff easily -- like big logs for your house.

Enjoy,

Alex

[antiquestuff]

Shotgun for sure (never know...) with ammo of course, Coleman lanterns--I really recoomend a simple older style gasoline one (one that uses Coleman fuel--the liquid stuff) and plenty of mantles and extra parts--like generators, pump reapir kits, etc.--a common one is the model 220F or 228F--really good one, simple to repair once you get used to it, parts available anywhere,

okay, also kerosene lanterns--the wick types, heaters of some sort for back up emergency heat--kerosene ones may be too much for your trailer thing, so maybe an older Coleman propane catalytic one? Try one of the big square like ones which has a grill in front and the back opens up for the propane hoses and regulator stuff, more large pots and pans than you think you need--good for boiling water which you will need unless you have real good purifying/filtration equipment, tools, like hammers, saws, axes, etc., plenty of extra blankets, food of course, and, most imp., get a bigger first aid kit! A tractor with some basic equipment would be very useful...

Are you building yourself or contracting out?

[FolioMark]

Everything that all the others said and two other things:

1) Get a good sized tool box and put in all the things you tend to misplace when you most need them. Things like scissors, pens, paper, pencils, string, matches,
a second canopener, candles, an extra chuck for the drill, spare blades for the jig saw, a box of assorted electric caps and tape. Invariably you will lose the canopener and you do not want to try opening a tin of soup with an ax. :haha:
Keep this toolbox with you at all times, consider chaining it to your ankle. When Im at the homestead, I keep mine hanging at the back of my wheelchair at all times.

2) Have one place that is kept completely tidy, clean, comfortable and quiet where you can escape when things start to overwhelm. Even if its just a little tarp strung between trees, completely away from the bustle and mess of building.
Get a little fold up cot or chaise lounge to leave there and a cushion and a tin of hard candies or some other safe treat. Even the worst day can be saved by an hour spent in the shade in absolute quiet while you enjoy a few lemon drops or a secret stash of chocolate.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Alex

FYI

This is Tilly Two just after she got a new paint job -- beauty huh? This was three years ago -- and she needs some touch up again. This tractor is a Ford 1900 -- 33 hp diesel, 4 WD, etc -- a bit more than you would need and a lot fancier.

The blue arms at the back, lifting the red brush-cutter, are a part of the 3 pt hitch -- and that's the main advantage -- you can lift stuff easily -- like big logs for your house.

Enjoy,

Alex

Lovely Alex, thank you

[Tango]

Originally Posted by bgak47

Buy a shotgun. You don't need a highpowered rifle unless you are going to hunt lg game.If you have any experience with one, a handgun would be a good idea.I don't think anyone mentioned a couple of good flashlights.Good Luck!

I'm hoping for a dear in the woods got the flashlights and extra batteries already in the trailer's cabinets thanks

[Tango]

Originally Posted by MelissaW

Hey kiddo! Remember when we were talking about a Ford 8N? Well that is an example of a tractor that uses a 3 pt. hitch. The equipment hooks up in kind of a triangle shape. You match up the holes and slip in lynch pins. Then the hydrolics pick it up. I like the system. I can do most of the equipment myself (and you know I'm fairly clutsy so that's saying something!) except the turn plow which is tippy. I cut out the draft equipment section is this weeks F&D and will send it to you today after I check the Amish paper when the mail comes.

Oh and I can't think of any good stuff to add except maybe those big plastic bags that you can put things in and then suck the air out of with the vacuum to make them small. They are great for extra bedding and warm clothes, and you wouldn't have to worry about moisture!

I'm so excited for you!

Melissa (Sweet C.)

Thanks Melissa that 3 pto would come in handy with a draft horse also. Makes sense.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

LOL, don't think you need fur around the hood in TN, but it can get cold there. Hope you are in a house before winter hits. But be sure and park that camper under some trees for the summer.

Glad you have water on the place. A motor on the well pump would be first priority to me too. Amazing how much energy you waste hauling water and dealing with buckets and jugs when you don't have running water.

Be sure to keep your sense of humor handy, you'll need that about more than anything.

Note to self - don't pack sense of humor thank Cyngbaeld, I do need that handy Not having the house ready by winter is one of my biggest concerns. I hope to have at least part of it done. AS I'm going to act as owner builder but subcontract the work. That might change when I get up there and meet the builders in the area. I have a fall back plan in case this one doesn't happen. .