BACKYARD GARDENING

Did you ever think that we could have a food shortage in America?  What if we had another catastrophic weather event such as Hurricane Sandy or a tornado like in Joplin, MO?  What about the massive flooding in the Mississippi Valley?  California does not have enough water to grow enough food.  Are you honestly prepared?  If the power grid was successfully damaged and there was no power to run cash registers or gas pumps, then what?  It has been said that in an event such as this that the average grocery store would be empty in a matter of hours.  How about all of the genetically altered foods and radiated foods?   Foods raised in bulk and processed in bulk raise big questions as to the food quality as well as probable reduced nutrition.

Red Admiral on blackberry blooms 

Have you ever thought of raising your own fruits and vegetables?  There is something about preparing a garden spot, planting a few seeds, watering and then watching them grow.  There is just nothing better than fresh lettuce, tomatoes, green beans and herbs.  Get a little carried away and add corn, squash, cucumbers and much more.  If you have a freezer you can even store up for off season good eating or you could really go all out and can your own produce.  That way if your freezer is not running you still have good food.

I encourage you to start somewhere.  Just a few pots on the deck for tomatoes or a little plot along the back fence could grow green beans and cucumbers.  Keep some seeds on hand in a cool dry place for future growing needs.  (See the tab on survival.)

See my posts on bucket gardening.  I know a couple that have 2200 buckets in their garden area.  Granted they have a produce business but you can start with 10 or less.

• Heirloom seeds are the best because you can save seeds from this years planting and plant them next year for like results.  Heirloom seeds are from plants that have been around for many years and continually produce at the same level as before. Hybrid seeds are only best the first year and thereafter do not reproduce as well.  NON-HYBRID EXPLAINED

GARDEN KNOW HOW

HOW TO GROW VEGE"S

ANNIE'S HEIRLOOM SEEDS

BAKER CREEK HEIRLOOM SEEDS

JOHNNY'S HEIRLOOM SEEDS

CANNING 101

BALL CANNING SITE