Monday, July 25, 2011

Gardening 101

First let me say this ~ no matter how long you have food saved for you MUST be able to prepare a garden and grow food… You must create a sustainable life for your family.

I’m not saying you have to LOVE gardening.  I’m not saying you must have a zillion seeds stocked and be “The Chef of Fresh” I’m not saying you need to keep bees, and be an expert on companion growing. I am saying this:  You ~ MUST ~ be able to grow food in the event grocery stores are no more. If you have a green thumb, if you love gardening, and if you have a zillion seeds ~ good for you!  If not… keep reading.

All seeds are NOT created equal.  Rather than give you a whole lesson on seeds. You need to know what you need to buy right?  NON-GMO (Not Genetically Modified) Seeds.  Why? Genetically modified seeds will not produce fruits/veggies with viable seeds for you to collect and use to replant the following year.

Your going to need a few gardening books there are lots of beginner books. When you choose seeds ~ be sure even if you aren’t going to plant them right away that you print out all the info possible on how to grow the plant and keep it with the seeds.

It’s sad to think of all the folks who don’t know what sunshine tastes like.  You can taste sunshine when you pick veggies/fruits right off the tree/vine and take a bite.  Sun warmed tomatoes sliced and served on bread with a little mayo (Miracle Whip)  mmm yum.

We are investing in self fertile fruit trees, and other fruits that will come back year after year.  Your landscape should be edible.  You can have both a pretty to look at and  productive landscape for your family.

What kinds of seeds are important? Stuff you'll eat! Well this what we currently have on hand in seed form:

Plant Variety
  • barley (grain)
  • beans Blue Lake Pole
  • beans Contender Bush
  • beans ~ MUNG for sprouting
  • beans ~ White Butter Lima
  • beet ~ Early Wonder
  • broccoli ~ Green Sprouting
  • cabbage ~ Copenhagen Market
  • carrot ~ Scarlet Nantes
  • corn ~ Lochelf
  • cucumber ~ Marketeer
  • cucumber ~ National Pickle
  • lettuce ~ Black seeded Simpson
  • lettuce ~ Butter crunch
  • lettuce ~ Oak Leaf
  • melon Cantaloupe
  • oats 16oz 2env Drummond
  • peas Oregon Sugar Pod
  • pumpkin ~ Sugar Pie
  • Radish ~ Cherry Belle
  • rye  ~ Grain 8oz
  • spinach ~ Noble Giant
  • squash ~ Green Hubbard
  • Squash Waltham butternut
  • Squash ~ Yellow Crook Neck
  • Squash ~ Zucchini
  • Swiss Chard ~ Ford Hook
  • Tomato ~ Beefsteak
  • Tomato ~ Large Red Cherry
  • Turnips ~ purple top white globe
  • Watermelon ~ Sugar Baby
  • Wheat ~ Soft White 
And here is another resource to consider, buy a field guide to identify and forage for food.  Unless you are an EXPERT on mushrooms stay away from them in the wild. Never ever eat something if you don’t know what it is!

A great forage guide is available @ Amazon

The Department of the Army

The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants [Paperback]

One last thing don’t forget y’all will need basic gardening tools.  Be sure to purchase good quality hand tools, and work gloves. 


0 comments:

Post a Comment