Survival Gardens

reply to post by rickymouse


Those darn kids never listen!

It was worth a try and thanks for the info, now I know how well it works.
Funny you mention how mama knows, I have a female here that actually comes right up against my house during rut, I have pictures of 4 big bulls pushing her around, and her coming right up to the window for protection.
I still don't know how she thought it would help though.Made for a strange day at my house.

reply to post by grownshow


UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks, has an excellent reputation in arctic agriculture. They are truly focusing on how to better feed such an isolated state. They have been running trials all over the state for years now and have made some wonderful advances.

On the other hand, though I do trust them, there is alot of strange research going on up here these days and some of the old guard has been replaced now, so who knows?

With that particular strain, I would probably trust it to not be genetically modified, but surely hybridized the old-fashioned way. Especially if it is already at market, that in itself takes several years with new strains.I will do some asking around though and see what I can find out.

Originally posted by woodsmom
There are countless threads on BOB's and tactical gear and weapons and surprisingly few on how we might continue to survive for ourselves past a massive calamity. Food can be grown anywhere with a few seeds and a little knowledge. Different regions will have different crops, so do your research on your local area. Your local agriculture county extension office or equivalent is always a good place to start.

Bravo! When i came here tonight it wasn't until page 4 of the threads list did I find one about plants.

What good is 6 months cache of food stocks if you dont have 'crops' coming in (or already there) to augment them?

My first couple years I went after all the annuals, while avoiding the perennials. Now my 90% of my property is converted over to perennials. Like most everyone, I cab grow all the annuals here at some time of the year, but my climate blesses me with extreme diversities as far as perennials go. But whoever you are theres tons of useful perennials you can do where you live.

What put me off is they cost more, and generally take longer to get towards their productive optimums, but that last bit is the biggest reason why they should come first: get them established now to have more meaning and use if and when you 'need' them. SHTF tomorrow, and you decide you should have apples or oranges, that ship has already sailed in that case: now you're down to those tedious, disease prone shortlived by design annuals. Plant the perennials now even if, especially if you dont intend to do an annual vegatable garden.

Research is the key. I look mostly to our closest local college with an agricultural program. Who better to know EXACTLY which varieties grow best here? Also, I plan to plant with small plants, not seeds. Not only will this reduce the time needed, but I think I'll get more clear results (and be more motivated, seeing a garden of greens and other colors). I've been researching what I need for months now, so I think I've got the right info I need. I've also talked with local growers, to get their perspectives. (especially since they know I'm doing it for me, and not as competition).

My only hurdle is start up money (mostly for the needed fencing to keep animals out), but I'm working on it. Just so many other projects with more priority, but hoping to do it this year.

I don't even worry about specific cultivars anymore. I go after as many as possible. The last time I did tomatoes I had 24 different cultivars growing, and they all did about the same.

You'll get some slight variations in which ones produce early, and which last furthest into the season. For us this issue mainly applies to spring season plantings, as the heat is real hell on most the fruits (plants kind of like the heat, but not their fruits). 2nd season that year I had the same array, and a couple actually survived the first few nights of frost (that was the last super-cold winter we had).

Of course as far as what I'm growing these days its mainly perennials. But the diversity approach above is the ongoing rage. I'm so exceedingly multicropped, that combined with the lizards & treefrogs, I've only had to break out my homemade garlic-onion-pepper tincture 'pesticide' once in the past 2 years. Oh, and nematodes for the damn termites that nearly wiped out my rootcrop investments last year.

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


Thanks! The perennials are a great idea, and so very low maintenance once they have been established.
Asparagus is one of my favorites. I have been trying to dig out my garden gate so I can get into the beds and shovel some snow off and start this season.
Rhubarb is another excellent perennial edible, as well as any kind of berry. They go great with the fruit trees.
I also rely on several herbs to make their appearance for me every year. Mint, chamomile, thyme and St. John's Wort are a few great choices, at least for cooler climates. I have always thought of established mint as a weed, it just goes crazy, but I have been told that it doesn't grow like that everywhere either.

It took me several years to stock the yard with the enough to return with full beds every year too. I had a lot of help from friends, every time they made the drive to come visit one couple we know would bring a trunk load of plants or bulbs or cuttings, etc. with them. It is nice to be able to focus on the veggie beds come spring and have everything else just come to life around me. I can't wait for summer, it actually snowed here again today.
I do have several flats of starts going though, it's actually time to plant the next round this week. Yes, variety is key. The wider variety you have the more varied nutrition you receive.

The ability to feed ourselves is power over our own lives regardless of the current world climate, though we have been watching closely here too. My theory has long been that an easy way to control people is through a hungry stomach, their children's or their own. The ability to at least supplement our diet with what we produce helps me sleep easier at night.

reply to post by Gazrok


The older generation of farmers and greenhouse owners are a wealth of information. I learned most of what I know from my Grandpa who has been farming in the mid-west his whole life, and an old boss of mine who owned one of the largest greenhouses in Alaska. The experience up here after growing up down south was invaluable because my old boss had already been through the trials of growing in Alaska and the adaptations it took.
The locals have the best tidbits of information. I have also found that these folks will usually be happy for the conversation and share quite a bit, as long as you aren't competition.

reply to post by Keron


Just out of curiosity, how long before final frost did he start his seeds indoors?
It is that time of the year for me to be starting seeds. I already have my broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, tomatoes, herbs, onions and the snapdragons that my son planted for me from last years seed.

I am asking because I have ( through trial and error) figured out when to plant everything but the corn indoors. Your Grampa is in a similar growing area to me, so I thought maybe instead of wasting any seed I would ask real quick.
Timing is everything when starting seed indoors, I want nice stout little plants, but not so much growth that they have become root bound either. Thanks in advance!

Originally posted by woodsmom
reply to post by Gazrok

 

The older generation of farmers and greenhouse owners are a wealth of information. I learned most of what I know from my Grandpa who has been farming in the mid-west his whole life, and an old boss of mine who owned one of the largest greenhouses in Alaska. The experience up here after growing up down south was invaluable because my old boss had already been through the trials of growing in Alaska and the adaptations it took.
The locals have the best tidbits of information. I have also found that these folks will usually be happy for the conversation and share quite a bit, as long as you aren't competition.

Yes on the older generation being a wealth of knowledge to people who will listen. It's no wonder the government wants to break down the family and marginalize elders (or put them away in homes where no one will hear them), among other things. Sadly, not many Western cultures have a functional family where knowledge is passed down from the old folks.

Another idea is to find old farmers almanacs. They are a wealth of knowledge as well, for dealing with planting times, pruning, pests, and many more etc.

But as you point out, talking with others who are actively farming for years will be the best source of regional knowledge.

It sounds like you're living in a great place =)

Good job!
Thanks for sharing~
Surviving & thriving...to the root of things


LOVE

reply to post by Philippines

It sounds like you're living in a great place =)

Can't complain...kind of place my wife and I always dreamed of...just sucks we have to work so much to pay for it, so we don't get as much time to enjoy it....

reply to post by Philippines


I love my Farmer's Almanac, unfortunately I live in Alaska and it doesn't pertain to our odd growing season up here. We have light almost all night all summer long, and that gives me a chance at the corn. However, we have a shorter season than most and a cool one to boot. I am lucky if I have an extended period of 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. I thought I would give it a shot to see what an experienced Northern farmer had to say on the matter of staring corn indoors. There are not many people who do so there is not as much info available. I wouldn't trade my little homestead for anything, but it definitely comes with it's own challenges.

Thanks for stopping in again!

This is an excellent post. I really think that growing your own food is often overlooked by "people in the know" and we always usually focus on the usual guns/gold paradigm. Reality is tho that food and water become gold in the SHTF scenario.

I don't think they overlook this and instead plan on raiding gardens for fema under martial law, but that this should be well thought out and planned, ie. ongoing systems like aquaponics, so there is constantly food being availabe but not huge stockpiles.

reply to post by Unity_99


You might be surprised at how many people think that. I had someone sit in my living room tell me that once, and he had nothing to do with the gov't. I told him exactly what his end result would be ......... Self sufficiency can help us in so many situations, I don't understand the mind set of "I will just take it from someone who has it" and I never will. I will help feed people in any way that I can, just not by force, from anyone.

That is the beauty of a good garden though, done right it can produce for your family as well as extra. Think of it as barter materials as well. I am also of the mindset that food will be gold in any SHTF scenario, large or local.

Originally posted by Gazrok
Also, I plan to plant with small plants, not seeds. Not only will this reduce the time needed, but I think I'll get more clear results (and be more motivated, seeing a garden of greens and other colors).

You know with Gibberellic Acid (GA3) seeds sprout several times faster than usual. Most seeds in the world, sprout as fast as science could ever allow, with maximum germination rates likewise. It's to seeds as rooting hormones are to rooting cuttings. There's some other chems employed by university & government labs that also boost germination rates, while there's some seeds that wont respond to GA3, but I stock them all.

GA3 coupled with some of my other technics, you save a lot of money on plants, and get more than one per unit. Of course seeds in terms of perennials, youre usually better off getting the plant. Some dont even make seeds. Others you could wait forever and not get fruit. While others, seeds the only way to go, even for me (super rare fruit trees, etc, that you cant get here).

Then you have things that just one plant doesn't get the job done: carrots, radishes, onions and too many others to list.

My particular area is well known for it's farming, so no shortage of finding places to buy the plants already started, and all varieties that are local and grow well locally, so that's another reason for skipping the seeds step. I do want to have some seeds stored though, of course.

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


Thanks for the info on GA3, it looks really promising. It is also nice to find little helpers that fall into the safe, organic category! I found this link on it, the they describe it as an artificial cold for the seed, that would really help people in warmer climates grow seed that needs it's own chill period without taking over your fridge.

GA3

I am sure this will get lost, but, I wanted to say thanks to Laura, and the Bushcraft on Fire team! I got to catch part of the show on Thursday before I lost the connection. In the time I was listening Laura answered my question about the corn. I appreciate it, and I will be planting a bunch more seeds today with my boys! Luckily I am still waiting on the snow to GO AWAY!!!

A survival garden is a great idea. If the shtf it is important for people to understand that having all ones eggs in one basket is not good. Hiding some plants amongst nature is a good idea, not all in the garden. Plant some potato plants lining the yard, people don't usually know what a potato plant looks like unless they have raised them. Just dig a hole, plant the potato, and cover it with leaves or grass clippings. Go back later and toss some topsoil and or straw around the plant and disguise it with some leaves or clippings.

This can be done with a lot of plants, people will be looking for gardens to rob.

Why do things have to fit into the way that we have been conditioned to do them to work?