Prepping Without a Green Thumb
November 2, 2011
Guest Post: by Davis Mauldin
Many folks will agree… an economic crash is not “if” but “when.” I believe that we are living in the eye of the storm and any number of happenings could be the spark for a crash. Choose your poison: super high inflation, a derivatives fiasco, a too big to fail failure, 1859-esque solar flares, terrorist attack, a huge quake in California or SE Missouri (New Madrid). The list goes on and on. But the truth is the occurrence will likely catch us completely off guard with a disaster no one expects… something we never in our wildest dreams expected like the 9.2 quake and tidal wave in Japan. Who could have foreseen that nightmare?
My spouse and I have been preparing since our wedding six years ago. We’ve been moving forward by the numbers: food, shelter, water… food, shelter, water. When it comes to storing food, most of those concerned about the future usually have 50 pound sacks of various dried beans and white rice and maybe an assortment of dried something or other. That bland combo of beans and rice, rice and beans might work for a follower of the Dave Ramsey Show while they’re working their way out of being in debt but what about fresh produce a month or two after the collapse?
Put in a garden? that’s easy to say. That’s a prudent idea but it’s easier said than done to provide your loved ones with all they’ll need month after month. My wife and I have tried to grow a garden now for three seasons and will continue to sharpen our green thumb skills next year and the year after. But after three seasons of trying, all we have succeeded in doing is lowering our price per tomato from $48.98 each to under $9 (our tomatoes really tasted good!). That’s making progress but sadly, this level of success and puny production won’t feed your family for very long. What’s a lover of fresh vegetables to do?
Several months ago, I had one of those “ah-ha” moments. Sprouts! We could grow sprouts twelve months a year and there are so many kinds from which to choose (broccoli, radish, alfalfa, clover, garlic, mung bean, etc., etc.). In the past I have grown some alfalfa sprouts in those plastic layered trays but somehow my plastic gismo had disappeared. I went online and did some google searches looking for the lowest prices on seeds and suggested methods for growing these little veggies.
Finding the best bulk prices was pretty easy – google “buy bulk sprouting seeds” and compare – and I decided to use the mason jar method of sprouting (a wide mouth mason jar fitted with a plastic ring and stainless steel or plastic screen insert). With 2 months of non-stop kitchen mini-farming experience, I have declared myself to be an expert and want to explain exactly how you can grow and harvest fresh vegetables every few days year round.You can either use pint or quart wide mouth mason jars for your countertop mini-farm. For a one day ration for 2 people of these yummy and extremely healthy little plants, I have found that the pint-size jar is just perfect (broccoli sprouts, for example, are more than 10 times more nutritious than the full-grown broccoli plant).
If you use the smaller jar, measure a level tablespoon of sprout seeds and dump them into the jar (use two tablespoons of seeds if you use a 32 ounce jar). Next, cover the seeds with an inch or so of water and let the seeds soak for 8-12 hours. My “south forty” sprout farm is located next to our kitchen sink so it acts as an in your face reminder for me to religiously carryout the twice daily rinses. NOTE: The sprouting jars should not be in direct sun light.
After the 8-12 hour soak – with the plastic ring and screen screwed on to the jar – shake the water out of the jar and refill it. Rinse (shake) this seed-filled fresh water for three or four seconds before emptying the water (I set the jars upside down on our toaster oven’s broiling rack to catch any excess water drainage). You’ll find that when you think all the water has been shaken out, if you will rotate the jar about forty-five degrees even more water will drip out. Repeat this rinsing regimen every 12 hours placing the jars upside down on the broiler rack so air can circulate a little bit.
Voila, in three or four days your mason jars will be filled with fresh sprouts. I have a glass container that I shake my crop of fresh veggies into for storage in the refrigerator. Now I’m ready to start another crop. Actually, I have 3-5 jars growing continuously that I have started a day apart. This gives me a non-stop supply of sprouts.
With or without a green thumb and with just minimal effort, you can provide your family with healthy greens all year round… even Mikey will like ‘em… and they’re really good for you!
——————–
Davis Mauldin is a self-declared guru in the area of sprout cultivation. Feeling that economic collapse is inevitable, he and his better half have been prepping for 6 years. Having had little success to date in growing a garden that would sustain them, they discovered that growing sprouts year round is a simple way to provide their loved ones with fresh and healthy veggies. Other important items related to prepping can be found at this web site, http://survivalgearchecklist.net
Davis Mauldin
“I march to a different accordion”
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Jiffy Seedling Greenhouse
March 30, 2011
An excellent solution for germinating seeds and growing the seedlings during their initial phase is to use a Jiffy Seedling Greenhouse, or anything similar.
Benefits of using a Jiffy Seed Starter Greenhouse
Water wicks up from the bottom tray which promotes downward root growth
A clear plastic cover keeps in moisture during germination and first few weeks of growth
Minimal water maintenance compared to other methods
The trays can be re-used
Easy to handle, 72 seedling cells per tray (varies per model)
The following is a short video showing how simple the Jiffy system is to use
Supporting Links
Pasteurize Soil prior to Germinating Seeds
Jiffy Tray for Germinating Seeds
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Jump Start Seedlings with Grow Light
March 21, 2011
It is definitely that time of year when many of us are thinking about our summer garden. Getting started with seeds and seedlings indoors is something that many people do, that is, germinating your own seeds and raising the seedlings until it is safe to plant them outdoors.
Given that the sunlight each day during the early Spring is not as long as it will be in a few months, the perfect solution is to cheat a little and use a grow-light system!
I know that I have tried and failed in the past because my seedlings, although sprouted fine, after a few weeks they became spindly and thin, and sometimes would die off.
Some investigation led me to discover that one of the reasons was likely due to a lack of adequate light! That made sense because the sun is still fairly low in the sky during early spring, and depending on the sun exposure through your windows, may present a lack of enough sunlight to get nice healthy seedlings.
A grow light will solve that problem, and in fact will have a secondary practical use, which is growing an indoor mini-herb-garden. You could situate the grow light system anywhere in the house where it is convenient, and won’t have to worry about being right up near a window.
The skeptic might ask, “What will the electricity consumption cost?”, I know I thought the same question…
The 24 watt, high output bulb (in this example) will only cost about 5 cents per day, about $1.50 per month based on a typical electricity usage charge of say, $0.18 per kWh.
So considering the cheap cost of operation, compared to the price of food today, something like this looks like a pretty good deal.
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Raised Garden Bed, building materials
March 2, 2011First, remind me again why I should consider a garden?
To save hundreds of dollars on groceries. To eat substantially healthier and tastier foods than mass produced – genetically modified – prematurely harvested – irradiated foods. To learn a self reliant skill. Peace of mind. Therapy.
Second, what is the point of a raised garden bed?
They are a bit easier on the back when tending the garden. Raised garden beds are easier and simpler to manage from the perimeter. They enable addition of high quality soil mixtures. Oh, and some people like the looks of them.
A few choices of building materials for the structure of a raised garden bed include pressure treated lumber, cement blocks, or simply a perimeter of rocks, stone, or even logs.
PT Lumber for raised garden beds
Most all raised garden beds are built from lumber, that is, pressure treated lumber (PT). PT wood is ideal in any high moisture and/or ground contact installations.
Why use pressure treated lumber for raised garden beds?
It prevents rot and insects from prematurely destroying the wood.
What is pressure treated lumber?
Pressure treating is a process that forces a chemical preservative deep into the wood. The PT process starts with the wood being placed into a large cylindrical holding tank where much of the air is removed. Then the tank is filled with the preservative under high pressure, which forces it deep into the wood. The tank is then drained and the leftover preservative is reused.
Prior to 2003, the type of wood preservative that was used in residential and commercial structures included ‘arsenate’. It typically had a green hue to it. Due to health concerns, during 2003 the industry switched to a preservative with either copper or chromium. It typically has a dark brown hue to it. The ‘stuff’ comes off readily, so you will want to wear gloves…
Of importance to note is that this newer type of PT lumber requires the use of hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel hardware. Anything else will quickly corrode.
A good size PT lumber for garden beds is 2 in. x 12 in., the 12 inch height is plenty for the soil. Don’t be tempted to use 2 in. x 6 in. even though it costs less and may seem easier to deal with – it’s not tall enough to accommodate the amount of soil you will need. Other typical sizes include 2 x 8 or 2 x 10, which should be Okay for the depth of soil.
Typical PT lumber for garden beds (data from Home Depot)
2 in. x 12 in. x 8 ft. PT Hem-Fir Lumber, copper azole coating
55 lbs each
$19.97
Materials cost, 3 x 8 foot raised garden bed using PT lumber (about $50)
(2) 2 in. x 12 in. x 8 ft. = $40
Hot-dipped galvanized screws = $5
Tax man = ~$4
Concrete Block for raised garden beds
Although pressure treated lumber will last many years, a raised garden framed with cement blocks will essentially last forever.
It will be a bit more difficult to ensure a nice level top flat surface plane while placing the blocks to form a perimeter, and some people may not find the look as appealing as lumber, but it will last, and is a good alternative. One difference is that the typical concrete block is 8 inches tall, so the bed height will be a bit shorter than the wood framed example.
Typical Concrete Block (data from Home Depot)
16 in. x 8 in. x 6 in. Concrete Block
24 lbs each
$1.38
Materials cost, 3 x 8 foot raised garden bed using cement block (about $24)
(slightly less than 3 x 8 foot inner dimension)
(16) 16 in. x 8 in. x 6 in. = $22
Tax man = ~$2
Rocks/Stone/Logs
Okay, the rest is up to your imagination. Depending on the ‘look’ of your yard and surrounding geography, any of the above may suit you just fine, and may cost you nothing to build.
The point of the article is to hopefully encourage some of you to start thinking about your garden plans, to consider a raised garden bed and the materials that you will frame it with.
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Garden Vegetable Calories
February 25, 2011
When considering what vegetables to grow in your survival garden, you may want to think about the calories that you will get in return for the work that you put in.
The following is a list of garden vegetables that have been normalized to an approximate 3.5 ounce serving, which is 100 grams, or about half a cup. The calories listed for these vegetables are for raw vegetables. In other words, no extras added…
I was very surprised to discover that garlic is very high in calories, the highest in this list. Not that you would rely on garlic alone for calories, but then again, you might be surprised at the good taste of roasted garlic, and how much you may be able to eat. It is very healthy for you too!
I was fairly confident that potatoes would be near the top of the list. I happen to really like potatoes, and know that they are fairly easy to grow. For a ‘survival garden’, I would begin with lots of potatoes.
Corn is also high on the list of calorie rich vegetables. Leeks and Kale are high in calories too. Beans of course are in the middle of the list, and a good source of calories and protein.
Then the list begins to drop lower with vegetables that are lesser in calories. They are all good, and have their place in a food plan, but just pointing out the calorie content is all.
For example, tomatoes, which are the most common grown garden vegetable, and arguably the tastiest, is very low in calories compared to other vegetables. Despite that fact, you wouldn’t catch me without some tomato plants in my vegetable garden.
None of this takes into account the other nutritional values that each of these vegetables may have. For example, vitamins, protein, carbs, etc… In this context, it’s all about calories versus labor.
If you were wondering what might be the most calories that you can get from your vegetable garden, you should start thinking about garlic and potatoes! That actually sounds pretty good together!
Calorie List of Raw Garden Vegetables
3.5 ounce, 100 grams, about half a cup
Garlic (149)
Potatoes (93)
Corn (63)
Leeks (61)
Kale (50)
Onion (42)
Brussels Sprouts (41)
Carrots (35)
Cauliflower (35)
Okra (35)
Broccoli (34)
Green Beans (31)
Beans, green (30)
Collard Greens (30)
Beets (25)
Cabbage, Red (25)
Celery (25)
Egg Plant (24)
Turnip (22)
Rhubarb (21)
Asparagus (20)
Bell Pepper (20)
Pumpkin (20)
Spinach (20)
Tomato (18)
Lettuce (17)
Radish (16)
Squash, zucchini (16)
Cabbage (13)
Cucumber (12)
If we left out some good ones, comment and let us know…
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Start Planning Your Survival Garden
January 13, 2011
With the new year upon us, it’s time to take that first step in gardening, the planning. The time to plant your seeds will be here before you know it.
PLAN – DIAGRAM the garden spaces
“I don’t have room for a garden” you might say. “I don’t want to dig up part of my back yard just to get a few tomatoes.” Does that sound familiar?
Over the years we have tried several methods of gardening. We’ve sectioned off portions of the yard, and used raised beds as well as containers. Even when we were kids growing up, there was always that portion of the yard that was referred to as ‘the garden’.
A ‘technique’ we tried a few years ago has given us great success.
We call it ‘landscape gardening‘ or ‘spot gardening‘.
It began when we started discussing our garden during one season. We had several areas of the yard we could use, but as Ken pointed out, only one area got full sun most of the day. As many of us know, some vegetables love full sun, some partial sun so they won’t burn. We also wanted to make sure, especially with the prospect of rising food prices along with the health benefits of eating home grown natural vegetables, that we utilized every bit of landscape space that we could to produce for us.
We have a decent amount of land to use, given that we live in a typical suburban size lot of about 1/3 acre, it’s just not all in one ‘patch’. So we decided to intersperse our garden vegetables with our other yard plants (flowers, trees, grape vines etc.). After all, no where is it written that all of your tomatoes ‘must’ be in the same spot. We had some in the front yard, some in the back yard. We had the same thing with squashes and broccoli. Coming up the walkway, visitors were greeted with the aroma of rosemary and sweet basil.
Using this method, we were able to find just the right spot for each plant. This enabled each plant to thrive. Our broccoli produced for months. We harvested 270 lbs. of tomatoes from only 6 plants!
So, first decide ‘where‘ you will be planting, drawing a diagram of your yard and observing the spots where the sun shines most of the day versus part of the day. Perhaps you live in an apartment, and only container gardening will work for you. If that is the case, then design your layout so you will know exactly what size containers will go where. Fit as many as you can!
Next, decide ‘what‘ you will plant. What will grow the best in the spaces you have designated as ‘garden’? What would you like to grow for your own satisfaction?
Hopefully some of you will try your hand at gardening this year!
You should seriously start to think about getting your Seed Trays
Consider getting a Seedling Heat Mat
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Grow a Rosemary Herb Shrub
October 1, 2010
Save money, and experience a healthful and potent flavor by growing your own Rosemary herb shrub.
I have had two Rosemary shrubs growing outdoors for a few years now, and it has been a simple process to get a final product “herb”. I decided to grow Rosemary because I really enjoy the flavor on foods, especially when sprinkled on chicken. When I eat meat, I eat lots more chicken than beef (being health conscious) and therefore I normally go through a fair amount of Rosemary. At the grocery store, Rosemary might cost around $4 for a spice jar, so growing your own does save money. When I dried my first batch of Rosemary and tried it out, I was very surprised at how much better the flavor was than grocery store. Really, it is a lot better!
Rosemary is a great additive flavor for chicken, pork, lamb, and salmon as well as many soups and sauces. Rosemary actually grows on a small evergreen shrub and the leaves look like flat tiny pine needles. The Rosemary leaves offer a great health benefit because they are a highly effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and also increases blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration. This book, Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking With Herbs
The Rosemary shrub branches or sprigs can be cut and then used “fresh” by removing the individual leaves, or use the entire branch for things like tossing into a soup to extract the flavor, etc… Rosemary can also be dried, after which the little leaves are easily removed from the branch by simply running your hand down the length of the branch. They can then be crushed into smaller pieces (if you want them smaller) and kept in a sealed container for use at any time.
So if you like Rosemary herb, I highly encourage you to go buy yourself a little Rosemary shrub (or two) and enjoy the wonderful flavor of fresh grown Rosemary. You will be shocked how good it is.
If your winter temperature drops below 30 degrees F, then you will need to grow it in a pot so you can bring it indoors for the winter. If you do that, be sure to keep the Rosemary pot near a sunny window because it will need a good 6 to 8 hours of sun per day.
Hang the Rosemary branch to dry. First rinse the freshly cut branches in cool water. Then, tie several together with a string and hang indoors for several weeks. I love the initial aroma in the room when I hang the branches.
Remove the leaves from the branch or sprig. After the leaves are dry and brittle, hold the tip of the branch with one hand, and then with the other hand loosely wrap it around the branch and slide down from top to bottom. Most of the little leaves will come right off.
Crush the leaves smaller. After the leaves are removed, you can crush them smaller by simply picking up a handful and crushing in the palm of your hands until they are as small as you want. Store in an airtight container.
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