Dad's Survival Guide..Heirloom Seeds, Garden Alternatives

DESTROYING THE NEW WORLD ORDER

ONE TOMATO AT A TIME

(ASIDE: IF YOU ARE STUCK IN THE CITY AND YOU HAVE NO WAY TO PROCURE A CHEAP FOOD SOURCE, THEN DO NOT STARVE! PLEASE HIT THE LINK PROVIDED TO GET VERY LOW COST FOOD. DO NOT BE ASHAMED AT ALL TO DO THIS AS I HAVE BEEN THERE AS WELL. ANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES ARE A GODSEND IF YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE DISPOSABLE INCOME AND NEED TO STOCK UP ON MANY ITEMS THAT LAST A GOOD LONG WHILE. IN TIMES OF PERSONAL EMERGENCIES, THESE PEOPLE HELPED SAVE OUR LIVES! PLEASE VISIT ANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES AT: http://www.angelfoodministries.com/ YOU CAN EVEN ORDER ONLINE WITH FOOD STAMPS OR EBT. DO NOT LET PRIDE COMETH BEFORE A FALL, FOOD IS LIFE.)

Of course, it is time to talk about growing your own food. Now you city dwellers usually tune out here, but you shouldn't. For the city folks, the elderly aS well as the disabled, can grow food right on your balconies, fire escapes, or maybe get the whole building to help in a community garden. None of which will be planted in the ground. One of the most cost effective and easiest way to grow your own food is in Self Watering Container gardening. I have built many of these units, large and small, and my results were awesome. I have also used 5 gallon buckets, (do not use to grow tomatoes unless cherry or bush variety), cheap grow bags from the Dollar Store, and raised beds. This is how my back deck looked last summer. As you can see, Tarzan would have been right at home.

From left to right in the raised bed is 4 different varieties of tomatoes, (Celebrity, Beefsteak, Big Boy, and Sweet Yellow), with Geraniums co-planted to entice beneficial insects and repel the bad ones. It is surrounded by Sweet Potato vines that I harvested 75 lbs. from, hanging Cherry Tomatoes, Potatoes, Onions co-planted with Bell Peppers in the red bags, Chili Peppers in the Blocks, Heirloom Tomatoes with Cilantro, Peppers, and Onions, in both of the EarthTainers on the deck, that I made myself, and i will show you how in a moment. On the far right raised bed is Early Girl Tomatoes. What you cannot see are the Boston Pickling Cucumbers, Watermelons, Cantalope, Kale, okra, Zuchinni, Squash, lettuce, blueberries, and more sweet potatoes behind my shop and front flower beds.

Results:

4 25 lbs of Kennebuk potatoes, 3 50 lbs. bags of Sweet Potatoes, 12 gallons of tomatoes put up, 3 gal. of chili base, 3 gal. of soup base, 4 gals. of salsa, 8 gals. of sliced dill, and spear pickles, 2 gals. of blueberry jam, 20 lbs. of zuchinni, 30 lbs. of squash, 40 large freezer bags of cherry tomatoes, 30 large freezer bags of okra and 30 of Bell Peppers, 12 of chili peppers, 10 bags each of jalapeno, cayenne, and habanero all put up vacuum sealed in the freezer. Kale grows all winter as well as turnips. We will eat this winter no matter what and you can too. Every little bit helps.

How to build an Earth Tainer right.

http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/

How to build an Earth Tainer Real Cheap

http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf

At the first link you will also find growing tips, as well as growing zones. Different numbering system but indicative of each area's growing climate. I am under zone 33 on this map, but National Map is Zone 6. This can be used to find the best plants for your area and when to plant.

I use only heirloom seeds, except when dealing with tomatoes, since I live in a very unstable climate. I DO NOT USE GM seeds, but I do use Hybrids. These are not GMO seeds, contrary to many assertions. It is also untrue that Hybrid seeds cannot be collected and planted next year, because I have done it, but it does take more seeds to germinate as quite a few will fail. Below is a list of where I get my seeds and is no indication of where to get yours. Remember, the more you buy now, then the more money and bartering power you will have after SHTF. More on that later.

http://www.seedsavers.org/

http://www.heirloomseeds.com/beans.htm

http://www.victoryseeds.com/corn.html

and

http://www.cherrygal.com/index.php?osCsid=97099be5bb55d8ed7d5c1dce9...

I find that http://www.survivalseedbank.com/

is a little pricey, but the seed bank is a good concept. I have my own in mason jars buried in various places.

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Comment by Freedomrox on December 25, 2013 at 12:28am: Many won't understand this, but at the time West Tennessee was in a severe drought. We survived. Bought less than 15.00 at the grocery store a month. Good Times!

Comment by Anthony Kimbrough on December 10, 2012 at 8:07am: We grow strictly heirloom from the ones we like... well, that my wife likes, I'm not a big Tomato person. Hybrid Tomatoes will revert back to one or the other parent and not very strong seeds. Buy or trade seeds one time of Heirloom and you are set for life rather than to have to keep buying them. There are loads of Heirloom Tomato seeds at Baker Creek Seed http://rareseeds.com/ . Buy them once, take care of them, and you'll not have to buy again.

Comment by Freedomrox on October 16, 2012 at 12:16am: Yes, one tomato at a time. We all have goals.... :)

Comment by Cryptocurrency on April 11, 2011 at 1:49am: ...one tomato at a time haha.

Comment by Freedomrox on January 16, 2011 at 10:34pm: I retract my last suggestion. i was not aware there was already a blog called "Vegetable Garden 101" I have joined and will be posting there for gardening. See all of you gardener's over there.

Comment by Freedomrox on January 14, 2011 at 6:22pm: I thank you for reading, as i feel the same way...learning all there is to know would not be enough. I have many more subjects to broach when I can find the time, but if anyone has any specific need that needs addressing, please do not hesitate to ask. I may know the answer, or i may not, but I will answer. I am a jack of all trades and master of one. I consider myself the jury-rigging king of making that which will not work into that which does. Necissity is truly the mother of invention, but I know who it's Daddy is....DESPARATION!

Aside: Hippy, I am worse than you are about Maters. Maybe I can create a gerdening Blog as well, and have all the members interested post their own tips and tricks. I never would have guessed that was of the oxheart family, but of course, they are still green and I can't see the whole plant. You are fortunate to have such valuable resources at hand. Tell me what you think of the blogging idea.

Comment by Rivkah Cohen on January 13, 2011 at 9:49pm: Hi reading through your wealth of helpful informtion and checking out the links. Thanks for sharing this information. I am living rural and doing many of the things but I can never learn enough.

Thanks,

Rivkah

Comment by Hippy Awakened on January 13, 2011 at 6:50am: Actually, they are popularly called "Goatbag" in my community. They are an old Amish heirloom, and we get the seeds from 2 different farmers (small family business). They appear to be, from shape and size, a red oxheart. Very few seeds, very solid meaty fruit, and deliciously balanced acid/sweet flavor. We are zone 5B. I had some blossom end rot with one of these plants and also on the Opalcas (my other favorite), so they got some calcium. We have a wood furnace, so i'll throw some ash to 'em this year, thanks for the tip! Oh, and before i go, my 3rd fave...Cherokee Purple...if you can get the seed, try them...they are delicious. Wow, i could talk maters for days :)

Comment by Freedomrox on January 12, 2011 at 2:00pm: Very nice. What growing zone or area are you in? I am in zone 6. I take it those are Beefsteak or derivative? I also compost over the winter and mix in spring in containers. Your pic shows a little too much nitrogen hitting the leaf ends, so consider a little more potash. Just a suggestion. I burn my neighbor's tree trimmings for the ash. and use 1/2 cup of 12-12-12 fertilizer buried just under the soil on opposing sides. Never touch them again except to prune, of which i am not the biggest fan of.

Thanks for sharing. Makes my mouth water.

Comment by Hippy Awakened on January 12, 2011 at 9:44am: Thanks for the great info in your survival guides. For container gardening, I have great luck with vitamin containers that the cattle farmers gave us...one can grow very large indeterminate heirloom tomatoes. It's a small expense to fill them with growing medium, as they are quite large, but they are awesome!