Food Production

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Local food production becomes more important as the economy and the value of the dollar declines.  Small family gardens grown with non-hybrid seeds and homemade compost can supplement food supply lines interrupted by unemployment, high fuel costs and civil unrest.   The Victory Gardens of WWII need to be planted again now.

When Cuba lost access to Soviet oil and petroleum based fertilizer in the early 1990s, the country faced an immediate crisis – feeding the population – and an ongoing challenge: how to create a new low-energy society.  The video links that follow tell the story of the Cuban people’s hardship, ingenuity, and triumph over sudden adversity – through cooperation, conservation, and community.

Compost and organic fertilizers are needed to recover from the use of petroleum based fertilizers.    The transition time to restore healthy soil can be significant.  During Cuba’s energy crisis the average person lost 20 pounds.

How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

More YouTube Videos

Biodynamic Agriculture

Biodynamic Farming with KK Haspel.

Biodynamic Stir – Hippy Gourmet at Alderlea Farm in Duncan, British Columbia

Permaculture information

Organic Fertilizer in Fishersville Virginia

Native American techniques

Corn provides a natural pole for bean vines to climb. Beans fix nitrogen on their roots, improving the overall fertility of the plot by providing nitrogen to the following years’ corn.   Corn, beans and squash also complement each other nutritionally. Corn provides carbohydrates, the dried beans are rich in protein, balancing the lack of necessary amino acids found in corn.

The Modern Homestead

Gardening methods for a small space

Square Foot Gardening – Material for building a 4′x4′ garden costs $84.95 (Apr 09) when ordered from Mel’s web page.  Compared to a row garden, Mel claims his method uses 20% of the space, 10% of the water, 5% of the seeds and 2% of the work.  The initial material expense is offset by very little cost in subsequent years, when that is needed is a little homemade compost in each square.  No power equipment is needed.  Watch Mel tell his story (3 min, 19 sec).


Grow 100 lbs. of Potatoes in Four Square Feet

Container gardening can be done almost anywhere, in the cities, suburbs or on the farm and without power equipment.

Kurt Saxon

Hydroponics

Greenhouses

Seeds (no genetic modification)

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is a source for heirloom seeds and other open-pollinated (non-hybrid) seeds with an emphasis on vegetables, flowers, and herbs that grow well in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Hybrid seeds are not suitable for saving seeds because they will not reliably be a reproduction of the parent plant and may not germinate.

Be aware of the danger to freedom if Monsanto (or an associated company) seeds are used by you or your neighbor.  Search the web for “terminator seed” to become informed.

Compost

Wheatgrass and Sprouts

Wheatgrass and sprouts are nutritious supplements that should be added to a food production program.  Sprouting information is available from:

The Wheatgrass Book by Dr. Ann Wigmore is responsible for introducing many people to the healing and nutritional value of wheatgrass. Ann Wigmore gives a thorough analysis of the incredible powers of wheatgrass and how it can improve your health and your pets. Only the juice can be digested by humans.

Easygreen Sprouter

EasyGreen

Wheatgrass can be grown inexpensively in trays, or one can purchase an expensive automatic sprouter such as the “Easy Green” ($179).

tornado-with-box-small

Back to Basics or Tornado Juicer

Extracting wheat juice can be done inexpensively with a manual juicer such as the all stainless steel Back to Basics (a.k.a. Tornado) ($99.95). Many automatic and expensive juicers are available also.

Extracting Wheatgrass juice in a Vitamixer