Re: Very Important Information For ALL - Food Shortages [Fledgling's post has been added to.]

I agree, R.G.

About seed-saving...

...People have been doing this for centuries. One U.S. man paid for sending out his collection to a quarter million home gardeners, asking that they please 'grow them out', and send seeds from that, back to him.

...In the early 1900's a group of Russian agricultural scientists realized that the world's food plant 'grandfathers', the wild plants that began our present food plants, were in danger from encroaching building.

They determined eight areas all over the world where these grandfather plants came from, and went there to gather the important seeds.

It is said that, during famine, some of these scientists starved to death, surrounded by tons of grains, etc., too valuable to eat.

It is also said that the storage facility was saved from bombing in the second world war because it was kitty-corner from the theater where the leader of the bombing country (you know his name) wanted to give his victory speech.

Since, some Russian farmers have been 'growing out' some of the seeds, but many rot in storage.

...Apparently, Monsanto, and other companies, bought all the seed companies they could get their hands on. (Some seed companies held out, I believe.)

I think that's why there were suddenly oodles of new, brightly colored seed packets in nurseries, each 'brand' in its own seed rack. (Did you notice?)

...Also apparently, it is against the law to use an old-time variety name on a 'different' (altered?) variety of plant.

:D

So, all we have to do is get out old gardening books and compare the variety names to those offered today. However, watch out for names that SOUND similar, but aren't!


Here's one way to grow the best plants...

...Choose a plot, however small, that is the least polluted you can find, AND has been covered with weeds and grasses for at least one full year...longer is better. And, at least 60 feet from any busy road.

...Grow your seeds to 'bedding plant' size, and transplant them into your growing plot, right among the weeds and grasses! Just use a trowel or hoe to lift an edge of the turf, put in your plant, and press the turf back in place. Then trim the weeds and grasses around, a bit, to be sure there is no shadow falling on the food plants. Let the clippings fall where they grew.

Some food plants are not transplantable, so plant those in holes cut in the turf.

Some seeds may be broadcast on untilled soil, and some of those can be broadcast with another type of seed, giving double cropping, early and late. Read the books of a Japanese man who discovered this. Google "no-till".

Consider planting climbing food plants by a fence or trellis or poles, as beans, for example.

Water as close as possible to dawn...using water that has been cleaned by ultra-violet light, if humanly possible. Don't touch the leaves until the sun has dried them. Therefore, water by drip lines, or flooding shallow trenches...somehow.

Share/trade harvests with your neighbors, but you pick. There are too many ways to pick, and you may not like their way.

Use and preserve every edible part...read, read, read about this. We have had great good luck with dehydrating. We've cut wonderful Hubbard squash into thin slices and pieces, leaving tender skin on; dehydrated them (which is quick...a day or two); run the dried bits through a blender...and get a powder that makes soup, quick and easy.

Boil or simmer the powder (very concentrated so you don't need much) in water or milk, for only a short time, adding garlic, salt, butter, or anything you wish. Delicious!

[Rosemary is great with winter squash, like Hubbard, plus butter.]

Winter squashes climbed our fence one year. So would summer squashes and cucumbers. I believe. Ever made 'icicle' pickles from bigger cukes? Or, pickled beets? I love to grind store-bought 'pickling spices' in the blender, and sprinkle it on anything that strikes my fancy...especially 'bubble and squeak'.


At one time news of genetically-mutilated foods (anything!) scared the beejeebers out of me.

Then I realized two things we DO have control over...

...First, that every outbreak of 'trouble' will be reported in the news, whether anyone understands the 'cause' or not, and,

...There are dozens and dozens of things we CAN do. There are more of us than scientists and companies, anyway...and we've been at it for thousands of years!

We also believe in 'inner' help...and Nature is far smarter than science. I wonder how many altered seeds have just failed to grow.

We're talking about millions of years of 'natural selection' here, folks.

They're going to change it all in a few fiscal years?

Get up in an airplane and take a peek at how big the natural world is!

And, bless it. Bless the natural world, and every small effort being made by millions of people. Sing to well-being...just in case.

Track down the film made by National Geographic...depicting the forms and shapes of North America over millions and millions of years. It's stunning, breathtaking, and a fear-stomping education.

If we can survive Ice Ages and upheaval and volcanos, lava flows, and barren wildernesses, lightning, and flooding seas (miles deep) like that, then surely we can survive a few for-profit companies, etc.

Laugh, and cuddle your babies. It's more fun.

Fledgling

P.S. Plant food trees and shrubs...and don't prune or spray with commercial 'chemicals'.

Visit your local organic growers, and their associations. Listen. And see who is talking about no-till growing.

Read up on 'organic' growing and standards. There are hundreds/thousands of government workers carefully writing up the very best they know about natural gardening. Find them, read them, and support them.

Gardening, like religion and politics, should not be discussed in polite company...that can lead to fist-fights. :D

We are far more powerful than we know, without having to 'march'.



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