The Pickled Prepper

To give you an inside look at a prepper’s life, below are the entries in Pete the Pickled Prepper’s Diary, which are in order of most recent to oldest. If you look back, the earliest posts take place during initial COVID-19 quarantine in March of 2020.

A Prepper's Diary

Gas is so expensive, people cannot afford to go boating

The Other Day, I Stayed Home and Saved Money

I am staying home to save money, and I am not alone. People are cutting back on vacations and scaling back their weekend plans as gasoline inflation bites them
Large chunks of firewood

Picking the Right Tool for the Job

It's a good idea to uses your tools and preps in the real world before you need them. You might have picked the wrong tool for the job.
Clothes hanging at a dry cleaner.

Country Living Means Driving 50 Miles to Run an Errand

Rural living can mean long drives and inconveniences, but we find it worth it. City life means crime, noise, traffic, high costs and too many people.
New splash

Welcome to our New Look and Feel

We’ve modernized the look and feel of the Pickled Prepper site, added some new features and improved navigation.
The Lorob Bees oxalic acid vaporizer

Rain, More Rain, Snow, and Gassing my Bees

We got warm weather, but there was no sun, just rain and more rain. As soon as it clears up and warms up, we're going to kill some varroa mites.
Out water pipe runs up the left of this old logging road.

Bitter Cold Headed Our Way

Cold temperatures are sweeping the U.S. with frost warnings in Florida and blizzard warnings in the Northeast. We're looking at sub-zero temperatures.
Frozen pipe spewing chunks of ice.

Cold Temperatures Bring Ice in All the Wrong Places

There's more to being a prepper than storing food; to be truly self-sufficient, you have to be able to fix things yourself.
A man alone on a mountain

We Should All Spend More Time Alone with Ourselves

The snow has forced us into isolation and limited what we can do. I like it.
Our dog in the snow

A Warm and Sunny 16 Degrees

After a couple days of blowing snow and sub zero temperatures, a sunny day was a welcome respite. The days are getting longer, too.
at a cost under $6.50, this headlamp was a bargain.

Winter Storm, High Winds Arrive with a Vengeance

Its been on the news for days before it finally manifested, the winter had such high winds I consider it to have been a blizzard. And it's not over yet.
A mountain snowstorm

Viral Storm Ignored in Face of a Serious Snow Storm

This area is getting whacked by Omicron, but people are busy preparing for a major snowstorm threatening to hit our mountain community.
headlights at night

One Advantage of Living on a Mountain

There are many advantages of living halfway up a mountain in an out-of-the-way location. Privacy is one of them.
Snowy road image by Ioannis Ioannidis from Pixabay.

Snow Delights the Dog, but the Chickens Hate it

Winter finally arrives at the homestead with temperatures in the twenties and a few inches of snow. More cold is expected.
The omicron variant is sending COVID cases skyrocketing across the country.

COVID hits Close to Home

The omicron variant is sending COVID cases skyrocketing across the country, including our family members, so we decide to stay close to home.
Bees seen through the inner cover

Prepper Diary: Warm Weather Means More Work on the Homestead

An unexpected warm spell presented the perfect opportunity to get some work done on the chicken coop and beehives.
Black tactical boots worn in the woods.

Beyond the Basics: What You Should be Stockpiling Now

When you are prepping for the long term, you need to go beyond food, water, self-dense, and medical. Footwear is one good example.
Christmas presents

Give the Gift of Prepping

Whether you give a gift to help someone become prepared or just to create some happiness, it truly is better to give than to receive.
A half moon is seen in late afternoon

Winterization is Complete, Just in Time

The leaves are gone, and temperatures in the 20s are expected. Looks like the last of the warm weather is behind us.
The odd egg was laid by a different breed of hen.

Prepper Diary and Homestead Update for November 10

As fall comes to a close, its time to winterize the homestead and make sure the livestock is protected from snow, wind, and cold weather.
A light snow fell yesterday.

Prepper Diary November 5: Snow Signals the Start of Winter

Fall is segueing into winter a few degrees at time. We've moved from chilly nights, to frost, to killing frost and now snow.
A view of scenic West Virginia in the fall

Prepper Diary and Homestead Update, October 28

The hens are laying and the homestead continues to do well as we enter the colder months, due in part to our work this spring and summer.
The novel coronavirus

My COVID-19 Test Results are In

After getting a cough and having wheezy breathing, I get tested for COVID.
Four small eggs from our chickens with one commercial large egg.

Prepper Diary October 17: A Long Awaited Day Arrives

It's full fledged autumn here. The leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping, and we're getting ready for winter. Are you ready for a "dark winter?"
An animal's eyes

I Have a Late-Night Encounter and I get a Big Shock

Sometimes things go bump in the night. Sometimes the dog barks and we don't know why. Then I saw a pair of glowing eyes in the distance.
Working with young plants in a greenhouse. Image by Ekaterina Ershova from Pixabay.

My Wife has been Bitten by the Prepping Bug

Some preppers complain about unsupportive spouses, but I've never had that problem. Lately, my wife is becoming quite gun ho.
Anatolian Shepherd Sitting on a Rock

Our New Dog is Sneaky

Sometimes I wish I had a dumb dog, a dog that wasn't smart enough to be mischievous or sneaky. But I don't think that would be anywhere near as fun.
Bees on Asters (left) and Goldenrod

Goldenrod and Asters Help our Bees Prep for Winter

You could consider bees preppers. They stock up nectar (carbs) and pollen (protein) to help carry them through the long. cold winter.