Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today - an On going Thread #2]

May 05th,2008

[nw_arizona_granny]

Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training

I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood

[nw_arizona_granny]

[A fantastic source of information, a must read for every greenhouse owner or one planning to build...granny]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/solar-gh.html

[A small snippet of the report]

Solar Greenhouse Resources
Horticulture Resource List
By Barbara Bellows, updated by K. Adam
NCAT Agriculture Specialists
Published 2008
ATTRA Publication #IP142
Abstract
greenhouse
Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture.
Photo: NCAT

This resource list discusses basic principles of solar greenhouse design, as well as different construction material options. Books, articles and Web sites, and computer software relevant to solar greenhouse design are all provided in a resource list.
Table of Contents

* Introduction
* Basic Principles of Solar Greenhouse Design
* Solar Greenhouse Designs
* Solar Heat Absorption
* Solar Heat Storage
* Insulation
* Ventilation
* Putting It All Together
* References
* Resources
o Books
o Articles, Fact Sheets, and Web Sites
o Computer Software

Introduction

Since 2000, U.S. greenhouse growers have increasingly adopted high tunnels as the preferred solar greenhouse technology. Rigid frames and glazing are still common in parts of Europe, and in the climate-controlled operations in Mexico and the Caribbean that produce acres of winter crops for North American markets. (For more on climate-controlled technology, see Linda Calvin and Roberta Cook. 2005. “Greenhouse tomatoes change the dynamics of the North American fresh tomato industry.” AmberWaves. April. Vol. 3, No. 2.).

All greenhouses collect solar energy. Solar greenhouses are designed not only to collect solar energy during sunny days but also to store heat for use at night or during periods when it is cloudy. They can either stand alone or be attached to houses or barns. A solar greenhouse may be an underground pit, a shed-type structure, or a hoophouse. Large-scale producers use free-standing solar greenhouses, while attached structures are primarily used by home-scale growers.

Passive solar greenhouses are often good choices for small growers because they are a cost-efficient way for farmers to extend the growing season. In colder climates or in areas with long periods of cloudy weather, solar heating may need to be supplemented with a gas or electric heating system to protect plants against extreme cold. Active solar greenhouses use supplemental energy to move solar heated air or water from storage or collection areas to other regions of the greenhouse. Use of solar electric (photovoltaic) heating systems for greenhouses is not cost-effective unless you are producing high-value crops.
Hazards due to increased weather turbulence:

* Hail
* Tornados
* High straight-line winds
* Build-up of snow, ice

The majority of the books and articles about old-style solar greenhouses were published in the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, much of this material has gone out of print, and some of the publishers are no longer in business. While contact information for companies and organizations listed in these publications is probably out of date, some of the technical information contained in them is still relevant.

The newest form of solar greenhouse, widely adopted by U.S. producers, is high tunnels. The term glazing, as used in this publication, includes reference to polyethylene coverings for hoop houses.

Out-of-print publications often can be found in used bookstores, libraries, and through the inter-library loan program. Some publications are also available on the Internet. Bibliofind is an excellent, searchable Web site where many used and out-of-print books can be located.

As you plan to construct or remodel a solar greenhouse, do not limit your research to books and articles that specifically discuss “solar greenhouses.” Since all greenhouses collect solar energy and need to moderate temperature fluctuations for optimal plant growth, much of the information on “standard” greenhouse management is just as relevant to solar greenhouses. Likewise, much information on passive solar heating for homes is also pertinent to passive solar heating for greenhouses. As you look through books and articles on general greenhouse design and construction, you will find information relevant to solar greenhouses in chapters or under topic headings that discuss:

* energy conservation
* glazing materials
* floor heating systems
* insulation materials
* ventilation methods

In books or articles on passive solar heating in homes or other buildings, you can find useful information on solar greenhouses by looking for chapters or topic headings that examine:

* solar orientation
* heat absorption materials
* heat exchange through “phase-change” or “latent heat storage materials”

This updated resource list includes listings of books, articles, and Web sites that focus specifically on solar greenhouses, as well as on the topics listed above.
Related ATTRA Publications

* Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners
* Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production
* Greenhouse and Hydroponic Vegetable Production Resources on the Internet
* Potting Mixes for Certified Organic Production
* Integrated Pest Management for Greenhouse Crops
* Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production
* Plug and Transplant Production for Organic Systems
* Compost Heated Greenhouses
* Root Zone Heating for Greenhouse Crops

continued, or rather this is just the beginning.....

[PureSolace]

I'm looking for everyone's opinion and thoughts about this:

http://www.survivalseedbank.com/?gclid=CK3h-uOKuJkCFRxNagodICRE6A

New Survival Seed Bank Lets You Plant A Full Acre Crisis Garden!

New “Survival Seed Bank” Produces Thousands Of Pounds Of Nutrient-Dense Food For Pennies Per Pound… Enough To Feed Friends And Family Forever!

New “Survival Seed Bank” Produces Thousands Of Pounds Of Nutrient-Dense Food For Pennies Per Pound… Enough To Feed Friends And Family Forever!

Now you can grow all the survival food you will ever need anywhere in the country with a kit that contains a special seed bank of hard to find, open pollinated… super seeds, grown by small, fiercely independent farmers.

P.S. One last thought — I want to make SURE you understand how much you’re getting here. If you purchased these same seeds “retail” you could very well pay over $500.00. That makes the Survival Seed Bank package a ridiculous bargain. For just $129.00 plus 14.00 shipping and handling (total $143.00), you get enough seeds to plant a full acre survival garden! And… you’ll have confidence knowing that you and your family will be able to eat if the Insiders trigger some huge meltdown. You’ll have the best germinating seeds available. Don’t wait another second — call or order online right now, while you’re thinking about it.

P.P.S. Remember… when these Survival Seed Banks are gone, with the current seed shortage, we can’t guarantee enough heirloom seeds will be available to meet the current high demand.

Thoughts? Comments?

[nw_arizona_granny]

Solar Greenhouse videos and links for information:

http://www.sunnyjohn.com/indexpages/shcs_greenhouses.htm

Solar greenhouse information:

http://www.greenhousegarden.com/energy.htm

---

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/manures.html

Manures for Organic Crop Production
By George Kuepper
NCAT Agriculture Specialist
©2003 NCAT
ATTRA Publication #IP127
The printable PDF version of the entire document is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/manures.pdf
12 pages — 385K
Download Acrobat Reader
Manure

Abstract

Livestock manures are an important resource in sustainable and organic crop production. This publication addresses the problems and challenges of using both raw and composted manures and discusses some of the solutions. It also deals with guano, a similar material.
Table of Contents

* Introduction
* Raw Manure Use: Problems and Solutions
* Composted Manures
* About Guano
* Field-applying Manures and Composts
* Summary
* References
* Recommended Resources

---

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html

Companion Planting: Basic Concept and Resources
By George Kuepper & Mardi Dodson
NCAT Agriculture Specialist and Project Intern
July 2001
ATTRA Publication #IP125/71
The printable PDF version of the entire document is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/complant.pdf
10 pages — 669 kb
Download Acrobat Reader
Abstract

Companion planting is based on the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted in near proximity. The scientific and traditional bases for these plant associations are discussed. A companion planting chart for common herbs, vegetables, and flowers is provided, as is a listing of literature resources for traditional companion planting. An appendix provides history, plant varieties, and planting designs for the Three Sisters, a traditional Native American companion planting practice.
Table of Contents

* Traditional Companion Planting
* Companion Planting Chart
* The Scientific Foundations for Companion Planting
* Options for System Design
* References
* Appendix: Ancient Companions

Traditional Companion Planting

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/biodynamic.html#top

Biodynamic Farming & Compost Preparation

[snipped]

Liquid Manures and Herbal Teas

Herbal teas, also called liquid manures or garden teas, are an old practice in organic farming and gardening—especially in biodynamic farming—yet little is published on this topic outside of the practitioner literature. A complementary practice is the use of compost teas.

In reality, herbal teas usually consist of one fermented plant extract, while liquid manures are made by fermenting a mixture of herb plants in combination with fish or seaweed extracts. The purpose of herbal teas and liquid manures are manyfold; here again, they perform dual roles by supporting biological as well as dynamic processes on the farm; i.e., source of soluble plant nutrients; stimulation of plant growth; disease-suppression; carrier of cosmic and earthly forces. To reflect their multi-purpose use, they are sometimes referred to as immune-building plant extracts, plant tonics, biotic substances, and biostimulants.

Further insight into foliar-applied plant extracts, liquid manures, and compost teas can be understood by viewing biological farming practices in the way they influence the rhizosphere or phyllosphere. (Those microbially-rich regions surrounding the root and leaf surfaces). Herbal teas and liquid manures aim to influence the phyllosphere; composts, tillage, and green manures influence the rhizosphere.

In addition to physical modification of the leaf surface to inhibit pathogen spore germination or the promotion of antagonistic (beneficial) microbes to compete against disease-causing organisms (pathogens), foliar-applied biotic extracts can sometimes initiate a systemic whole plant response known as induced resistance.

Horsetail tea is extracted from the common horsetail (Equisetum arvense), a plant especially rich in silica. Horsetail is best seen as a prophylactic (disease-preventing, not disease-curing) spray with a mild fungus-suppressing effect. During the months when green plants are not readily available, you can prepare an extract by covering dry plants with water and allowing them to ferment in a sunny place for about ten days. Dried equisetum, available through the Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics (5) in Woolwine, Virginia, can also be used to make horsetail tea.

Stinging nettle tea is extracted from whole nettle plants (Urtica dioica) at any stage of growth up to seed-set. To make nettle tea, use about three pounds of fresh plants for every gallon of water, allow the mixture to ferment for about ten days, then filter it and spray a diluted tea. Dilution rates of 1:10 to 1:20 are suggested in the biodynamic literature. A biodynamic nettle tea is prepared by adding BD preparations 502, 503, 505, 506, and 507 prior to the soaking period.

Chamomile tea is derived from the flowers of true chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) which have been picked and dried in the sun. Fresh flowers may be used too, but they are only available during a short part of the growing season. To prepare the tea, steep about one cup of tightly packed flowers per gallon of hot water. Stir well, and spray the filtered tea when cool. Chamomile is high in calcium, potash, and sulfur; it is good for leafy crops and flowers and promotes health of vegetables in general.

Comfrey tea is another tea commonly used in organic farming and gardening. Comfrey is a rich source of nutrients; it is especially good for fruiting and seed filling crops. It can be made by packing a barrel three-quarters full with fresh cut leaves, followed by topping the barrel full of water. It is allowed to steep for 7-14 days, then filtered and diluted in half with water prior to use.

The Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Association (4) can supply literature on herbal teas. Two pamphlets you may be interested to know about are:

Pfeiffer, Ehrenfried. 1984. Using the Bio-Dynamic Compost Preparations & Sprays in Garden, Orchard, & Farm. Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 64 p.

Koepf, H.H. 1971. Bio-Dynamic Sprays. Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 16 p.

Compost teas are gaining wider recognition in biodynamic and organic farming for their disease suppressive benefits as well as for their ability to serve as a growth-promoting microbial inoculant. See the ATTRA publication Notes on Compost Teas for more detailed information.

Back to top
Planetary Influences

Lunar and astrological cycles play a key role in the timing of biodynamic practices, such as the making of BD preparations and when to plant and cultivate. Recognition of celestial influences on plant growth are part of the biodynamic awareness that subtle energy forces affect biological systems. A selection of resources are listed below. On examination of the variations in agricultural calendars that have sprung from the biodynamic experience, it is apparent that differing viewpoints exist on which lunar, planetary, and stellar influences should be followed.

Stella Natura – The Kimberton Hills Biodynamic Agricultural Calendar, available through BDFGA for $11.95, is the biodynamic calendar edited by Sherry Wildfeur and the most prominently known calendar of this type in the United States. It contains informative articles interspersed with daily and monthly astrological details, and lists suggested times for planting root, leaf, flowering, and fruiting crops.

Working with the Stars: A Bio-Dynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar, available through JPI for $12.95, is the biodynamic calendar based on Maria Thun’s research and is more prominently used in Europe. Of the three calendars mentioned here, Thun’s calendar relies more heavily on planetary and stellar influences. It contains research briefs as well as daily and monthly astrological details, again with suggested planting times.

Astronomical Gardening Guide, available through Agri-Synthesis in Napa, California (11) for a self-addressed stamped envelope, is the biodynamic gardening guide compiled by Greg Willis of Agri-Synthesis. This calendar, which is a simple 2-sheet information leaflet, focuses on lunar phases.

continues...

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/organicmatters/conservationtillage.html

Pursuing Conservation Tillage Systems
for Organic Crop Production
by George Kuepper
NCAT/ATTRA Technical Specialist
June 2001

Contents

* Introduction
* Organic Farming & the Tillage Dilemma
* Mulch Tillage
* Ridge Tillage
* Killed Mulch Systems

Mowing
Undercutting
Rolling & Roll-Chopping
Weather-Kill
Cover Crops for Killed Mulch Systems
The Challenges of Killed Mulches
Resources & Research on Killed Mulch Systems

* Living Mulches

Cover Crop Selection for Living Mulches
Living Mulch Suppression
Resources & Research on Living Mulches

* Zone Tillage
* Cover Crop Technologies
* Selected Abstracts: No-Till/Low-Till Research and Writings Relevant to Organic Systems

Living Mulches for Vegetable Production
Spring-Sown Cover Crops and Undercutting
A Living Mulch System for the South
Snap Beans in Killed Mulch Culture
More Research from Maryland: Cover Crop Mixtures vs. Monocultures
Vetch Mulch Repels Colorado Potato Beetle
Living Mulch as Beneficial Insect Habitat
Combining Killed-Mulch and Living Mulch Technologies
Allelopathic Effects on Crops
Bell Peppers in Cowpea Mulch
Tomatoes in Killed Rye/Vetch in Massachusetts
No-till Pumpkins in NY State
Optimum Timing for Rolling
No-till Organic Broccoli
Desert Production of Transplanted Lettuce
Farm Production of No-Till Garlic
An On-Farm Living Mulch System in Montana
California Research Underway
A Guide to Zone Tillage

* Summary
* References
* Further ATTRA Resources
* Acknowledgements

[PureSolace]

Thank You Granny :)

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/intercrop.html

Intercropping Principles and Production Practices
By Preston Sullivan
NCAT Agriculture Specialist
©2003 NCAT
ATTRA Publication #IP135
The printable PDF version of the entire document is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/intercrop.pdf
12 pages — 648K
Download Acrobat Reader
Abstract
Alternating strips of alfalfa
Alternating strips of alfalfa with corn in northeast Iowa.
Photo by: Tim McCabe, USDA-NRCS

Intercropping offers farmers the opportunity to engage nature’s principle of diversity on their farms. Spatial arrangements of plants, planting rates, and maturity dates must be considered when planning intercrops. Intercrops can be more productive than growing pure stands. Many different intercrop systems are discussed, including mixed intercropping, strip cropping, and traditional intercropping arrangements. Pest management benefits can also be realized from intercropping due to increased diversity. Harvesting options for intercrops include hand harvest, machine harvest for on-farm feed, and animal harvest of the standing crop.
Table of Contents

* Principles
* Pursuing Diversity on the Farm
* Intercropping Concepts
* Intercrop Productivity
* Managing Intercrops
* Examples of Intercrop Systems
* Escalating Diversity and Stability to a Higher Level
* Escalating Diversity and Stability to an Even Higher Level
* Intercropping for Disease Control
* Adapting Intercropping to Your Farm
* References

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/farmscape.html

Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control
Pest Management Systems Guide
By Rex Dufour
NCAT Agriculture Specialist
Published 2000
ATTRA Publication #CT065
The printable PDF version of the entire document is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/farmscaping.pdf
40 pages — 1.4M
Download Acrobat Reader
Abstract
Fong Farms
Hedgerow of Insectary Plants at Fong Farms Ltd. in Woodland, CA

This publication contains information about increasing and managing biodiversity on a farm to favor beneficial organisms, with emphasis on beneficial insects. The types of information farmscapers need to consider is outlined and emphasized. Appendices have information about various types and examples of successful “farmscaping” (manipulations of the agricultural ecosystem), plants that attract beneficials, pests and their predators, seed blends to attract beneficial insects, examples of farmscaping, hedgerow establishment and maintenance budgets, and a sample flowering period table.
Table of Contents

* Introduction
* Farmscape Planning
* Other Considerations
* Farmscaping for Birds and Bats
* A Recap: Steps to Farmscaping
* Federal Cost Share Programs
* Summary
* References
* Useful Contacts
* Useful Web sites
* Additional Reading
* Appendix A
* Appendix B
* Appendix C
* Appendix D
* Appendix E
* Appendix F
* Appendix G

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/perma.html

Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and Resources
By Steve Diver
NCAT Agriculture Specialist
Published 2002
ATTRA Publication #CT083
Abstract

Photo of hands cradling seedling.
Photo: clipart.com

This publication offers definitions and descriptions of permaculture and its central principles. It offers listings of resources and publications on permaculture in the United States, Australia, and worldwide.
Table of Contents

* Introduction to Permaculture
* Permaculture Defined
* Characteristics of Permaculture
* The Practical Application of Permaculture
* The Ethics of Permaculture
* The Principles of Permaculture Design
* Permaculture Resources
o United States
o Australia
o Around the world
* Books on Permaculture
* A Few Good Books for the Permaculturist’s Bookshelf
* Agroforestry Resources
* E-Mail Discussion Lists, Web Forums, & e-mail Web Archives
* Permaculture Web Links and Resources
o Manuals, Primers, and Syllabi on Permaculture
o On-Line Articles, Fact Sheets & Proceedings
o Permaculture in North America
o Permaculture in Australia
o Permaculture in Europe
o Permaculture Around the World
o Plants for Permaculture
o Permaculture Technologies
o Bioregional & Eco-Village Links
o Virtual Libraries on Permaculture & Sustainability
o Agroforestry Web Sites
o Holistic Management
* About this Publication (formerly The Permaculture FAQ)

Introduction to Permaculture

The word “permaculture” was coined in 1978 by Bill Mollison, an Australian ecologist, and one of his students, David Holmgren. It is a contraction of “permanent agriculture” or “permanent culture.”

Permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems. It is a land use and community building movement which strives for the harmonious integration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable, productive communities. The focus is not on these elements themselves, but rather on the relationships created among them by the way we place them in the landscape. This synergy is further enhanced by mimicking patterns found in nature.

A central theme in permaculture is the design of ecological landscapes that produce food. Emphasis is placed on multi-use plants, cultural practices such as sheet mulching and trellising, and the integration of animals to recycle nutrients and graze weeds.

However, permaculture entails much more than just food production. Energy-efficient buildings, waste water treatment, recycling, and land stewardship in general are other important components of permaculture. More recently, permaculture has expanded its purview to include economic and social structures that support the evolution and development of more permanent communities, such as co-housing projects and eco-villages. As such, permaculture design concepts are applicable to urban as well as rural settings, and are appropriate for single households as well as whole farms and villages.

“Integrated farming” and “ecological engineering” are terms sometimes used to describe perma-culture, with “cultivated ecology” perhaps coming the closest. Though helpful, these terms alone do not capture the holistic nature of permaculture; thus, the following definitions are included here to provide additional insight.

Back to top
Permaculture Defined

1. From Bill Mollison:

Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments.

[CottonBall]

Nine years ago, Zimbabwe had about 4,300 white-owned commercial farms. Today only about 300 remain, and many are reduced to small plots of land. Many of the invaded farms are sitting idle or neglected despite a desperate need for food in Zimbabwe, where three-quarters of the population is dependent on food aid from foreign donors.

At a dairy operation near the Etheredge place, a group of armed men are in control of the property, and the farmer has fled. “He will be allowed back to collect his belongings,” says a young man carrying a shotgun. Then, showing some unease about the challenge ahead, the gunman asks a visitor whether he thinks the farmer might be willing to return as a “partner” to show them how to run the dairy operation.

Exactly what the entitlement attitude leads to. The unskilled and nonworking want what those that have been working have. But, even after they get it, they have no idea what to do with it or how to even keep it operational. This is what will happen when our current crop of dumbed down students take over the reins from the retiring baby boomers. If it even takes that long for things to fall apart.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.journeytoforever.org/garden.html

Organic gardening

— “Organic gardening is not just a middle-class hobby. It’s part of the wider environmental movement, it’s part of a sustainable future. I believe that you could feed the whole world using organic methods.” — Jackie Gear, Executive Director of the HDRA, Britain’s Organic Association, 1991.

— “The truth, so effectively suppressed that it is now almost impossible to believe, is that organic farming is the key to feeding the world.” — “Biotech has bamboozled us all — Studies suggest that traditional farming methods are still the best”, The Guardian, August 24, 2000
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/
2000/aug/24/foodanddrink.ethicalfood

— “Organic farming could produce enough food to feed large populations, according to British scientists at the Festival of Science in Sheffield.” — “Organic farming can ‘feed the world’”, BBC Science, September 14, 1999
http://www.purefood.org/Organic/orgfeedworld.cfm

— “Feeding the world?” Quietly, slowly and very significantly, sustainable agriculture is sweeping the farming systems of the world — Jules Pretty, Director of the Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex, examines the myths and realities of sustainable farming’s quiet revolution.
http://members.tripod.com/~ngin/article2.htm

“It sounds like an environmentalist’s dream. Low-tech ‘sustainable agriculture’, shunning chemicals in favour of natural pest control and fertiliser, is pushing up crop yields on poor farms across the world, often by 70 per cent or more. But it’s no dream. That’s the claim being made in the biggest ever survey of green-minded farming. The findings will make sobering reading for people convinced that only genetically modified crops can feed the planet’s hungry in the 21st century. The gains are greatest among poor farmers...” — “The greener revolution”, New Scientist, 3 February 2001

Journey to Forever organic garden

Part of the Journey to Forever garden
We built an experimental garden at our base at the Beach House in Hong Kong, an interesting mix of Square Foot Gardening and Container Gardening, advanced yet simple and flexible organic growing systems. Though initially developed mainly for city-dwellers (parts of our garden came from a scaled-down version used in a 450-sq-ft 19th-floor city flat with no balcony), we’ll be using these methods very far from cities.

Brimming with healthy vegetables
These systems need less space and less work, they’re cheap, and they produce high yields of top-quality food.

One square foot garden unit measuring only 16 sq ft holds an average of 130 plants and produces enough high-quality vegetables for one person. It doesn’t have to be a single unit, two half-sized units will do just fine — or whatever fits.

— “The square foot garden is divided into a size and shape that gardeners of all ages, sizes, and levels of experience can understand and cope with easily. The system is simple but versatile. It can be adapted to fit all kinds of gardening situations” — Mel Bartholomew, author of “Square Foot Gardening” (1981)

There was no garden at the Beach House before, just a big cement patio overlooking the sea, and under the cement, three metres of beach sand.

Keith digging through the cement patio to build the growing beds
A stunted umbrella tree (Elephant’s Ear) was trying to grow in a hole in the cement, with some old bathtubs and tyres standing here and there where a previous tenant tried raising some vegetables. But most of the soil in them washed away in the rains.

Soon we had tons of fertile soil in deep raised no-dig growing beds and hundreds of happy looking plants growing in them, with scores of varieties in square feet in the beds and in the containers. Our tomatoes grew more than 12 feet tall!

Squashes growing in a bathtub

Bananas and papayas grew in big baskets and Chinese dragon pots, a mulberry cutting grew to a three-metre tree in a sunken bathtub, squashes and gourds in baskets and another bathtub grew up old bamboo ladders onto the kitchen roof. Sweet potato vines sprawled over the patio from a bed made of old logs on top of the cement. A variety of greens, bush beans, dwarf peppers and cherry tomatoes thrived in special one-square-foot baskets — a novel way to start your own portable garden.

The garden attracted lots of hardworking bees, many sorts of butterflies, toads to eat the bugs, and a lot of different birds — a rich, balanced ecology.
Handmade soil

The Beach House garden demonstrates that you can build a beautiful organic food garden even on cement without any soil — you make your own high-quality soil by composting food scraps with crop wastes and other waste-products. This waste recycling system is clean, hygienic and nuisance-free, and proven to be safe for children and in the home.

Turning a compost pile at the Beach House
If you have garden space, so much the better — this is how to get a LOT of good, healthy food out of a very small area with a minimum of fuss.

If you only have a balcony or a roof, you can build a container garden. If you don’t even have that you can make a window garden, and extend it by using grow-lights in the odd spare corner, and still grow a lot of your own food.

Whatever your situation, you can still make your own organic soil out of food scraps, grow your own healthy food, and do your bit to reduce waste.

— “You can raise a surprising amount of food on your roof, deck, patio or windowsill. The rewards can be large, even if your space is small” — Chuck Crandall and Barbara Crandall, “Movable Harvests” (1995)

Other settings

This growing system is ideal for schools gardens and as a resource for school biology and environment projects.

In the US the Square Foot Foundation is working to get a garden in every school, with Internet resource links promoting inter-school collaboration and providing expert support.

Midori transplants seedlings, using yoghurt pots, paper cups and milk cartons.
In Britain the HDRA’s newly launched Schools Organic Network is helping schools to start and manage organic gardens for education. “Today’s children could be forgiven for thinking that bananas come from boxes, peas come frozen in packets, and tomatoes from tins. The real origin of these foods — that they come from living plants which grow in the soil — is not apparent.”
http://www.hdra.org.uk/schools_organic_network/index.htm

Our food-growing and waste-recycling system can also be easily adapted to the community gardens we plan to start in towns along our route.

And the garden served as a test-bed for some of the techniques and approaches we’ll use in village rural development projects.
Village development

Why do small farmers need kitchen gardens? Because they help to ensure the family’s food security.

There have been cases where development efforts have succeeded in increasing farm yields and productivity but this has led to a decrease in the family’s nutritional status. In many societies weeding is “women’s work”, and more crops meant more weeding, and less time to tend the

Close spacing creates a living green mulch to protect the soil.
family vegetable patch (also women’s work), and therefore less food for the children.

Square foot gardening is an engineer’s solution to the problem of how to grow enough food for your family with the minimum waste of space, time, work and resources while getting the best results.

One square foot garden unit measuring 4ft x 4ft — only 16 sq ft — will produce enough high-quality vegetables to feed one person every day.

We’ll try to build at least two of them everywhere we go, in addition to whatever other work the local communities want us to do for them.

UPDATE
Since we wrote this we’ve found that other groups are using this approach, and it’s very effective:
“In Kenya, the Association for Better Land Husbandry found that the farmers who constructed double-dug beds in their gardens could produce enough vegetables to see them through the hungry dry season. According to a review of 26 communities, 75% of the households are now free from hunger during the year, and the proportion of households buying food fell from 85% to 11%.” — Alternative Models (or Approaches) to Food Production, by Jules Pretty and Rachel Hime, University of Essex, UK, Jean Marc von der Weid, AS-PTA, Brazil, October 2001
http://www.forumfoodsovereignty.org/ingleseweb/
documenti_forum/documenti_base/alternative.htm
Technology

Like most Journey to Forever projects, the emphasis is on a mix of technologies. Gardening is an ancient art with a great heritage, and gardeners haven’t mechanized like farmers have — they still tend each plant one by one, the same old tried-and-trusted way. The square foot system just makes it easier.

All the local villagers liked our garden

We also use some sophisticated bio-control, waste recycling and soil bio-activation techniques, but they’re easy to grasp and simple to use.

Many of the local villagers in Lantau still grow their vegetables the old way, and at first they were sceptical of our garden, with all that sand underneath. But when they saw the results they thought it was great, they kept saying so.

Rows are for tractors — it’s hard to see how they benefit gardeners. We planted a deep growing bed in circles. Circle-planting optimizes companion planting, successions and plant spacings for different plants. It’s highly productive but needs a very fertile soil, and it’s much more complex than square foot gardening

The circle bed in full production — high yields of top-quality vegetables and herbs

Different crops grow well together — high fertility allows for close spacing

The square-foot idea is easy to grasp. Any farm women only has to see a square foot garden to understand how the system works, and can easily adapt it to local crops and conditions: deep, no-dig, raised beds; a different crop in each one-foot square; small plants in the front (facing the sun), bigger ones in the middle, climbers up a trellis at the back.

Apart from a companion planting chart (some plants love each other, others hate each other), a plant-spacing chart showing how many of each species to plant in one square foot, and a cropping calendar, that’s really all you need to know.
Soil fertility

The key is to make the soil fertile enough to keep pushing up that many healthy plants — square foot gardens need rich soil, at least 12 inches deep (these beds “grow” themselves deeper), or 16 cubic feet per unit.

So we’ll also build two compost heaps (at least!). There’s always enough waste material around to make compost.

One heap will be a quick-acting one — we’ll put a cubic metre (half a ton) of wastes through a power shredder, greatly increasing the surface area of the material and speeding up the rate of decay. Rapid bacterial breakdown will drive the temperature inside the heap well above 60 deg C within a day.

After a week we’ll shred it again, and a week after that it will be ready — rich, black, crumbly stuff that looks nothing like its origins and has a clean, earthy smell, the ideal soil, enough to build our two demonstration square foot units and plant them. No need for expensive chemical fertilizers!

But few villagers have power shredders, so at the same time we’ll make another heap the low-tech way, in layers, which works just as well but takes longer to cure. This heap will get just as hot after a couple of days, and after two weeks we’ll turn it, using ordinary hand tools, mixing it in thoroughly. A few weeks later it will be ready for use.

City farms

Organic gardening
Why organic?
Building a square foot garden
Plant spacing guides
No ground? Use containers
When to sow what
Seeds
Garden pond
Gardening resources

Composting
Making compost
Composting resources
Composting indoors
Vermicomposting
Humanure
Composting for small farms

Small farms
Small farm resources
Community-supported farms
Farming with trees
Farming with animals
Pasture
Pigs for small farms
Poultry for small farms
Aquaculture for small farms
Composting for small farms
Controlling weeds and pests

Small farms library

[CottonBall]

Are we so into the electronic age that it is really too much trouble to mail an envelope?

Seems so, doesn't it? I have 2 friends that I still communicate with with letters. One has email but we prefer to talk the old fashioned way. It is somehow so much more personal to get a letter. I know she went through more thougth and inconvenience to do so - rather than to fire off a quick email. My stack of nice stationary is still there, though, because I only write to a few people any more with nice stationary and writing by hand.

[CottonBall]

Expect soaring prices along with moderate to severe shortages by spring.

I wonder if they mean now or next spring? Anyway, I don't know much about gardening, unfortunately. I don't know if $129 for all the seeds they mention is good or not. I did get some nonhybrid seeds with my order of the yearly supply of the basics from Emergency Essentials. It's $~40 for a #10 can (Garden Seeds). I'm going to have to settle for cold weather crops and fast growing ones due to the short mountain summer, so I may not use all these when the time comes.

[upcountry miss]

How sad! Family and family traditons are so important to me, it is sad to realize that not everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy these. However, now is the time to instill the importance of these in your son and hubby. When the SHTF I will have a good group to band together for survival.

[DelaWhere]

>>>With the millions of seeds that are now saved, why is it that simple trading is not going on a large scale?<<<

Laws, Laws and more Laws....

Look through seed and plant listings - We cannot ship to CA, AZ, WA, OR - etc...

Just look at Delaware Law...

Ҥ 1305. Shipping, labeling and certification requirements.

(a) No person(s) shall sell, ship or give away, by private carrier, commercial carrier or any other means, any plants, plant materials or nursery stock from any nursery, business, or premises within the State, without an accompanying nursery stock certificate as prescribed in § 1303 of this title. The aforementioned information shall be plainly printed upon a tag, label, etc. that is not easily destroyed, which shall be firmly affixed on the exterior and in a conspicuous position upon each carload, box, container, package, etc. It is the responsibility of both the consignee and consignor to contact the Department to obtain a current nursery stock certificate and to examine all shipments for the presence of all certification requirements.

(b) Any person(s) or consignor who ships or moves plants, plant material or nursery stock out of state or internationally by private carrier, commercial shipper, or any other means, is required to contact the Department to obtain the phytosanitary certifications required by the consignee’s location. When the Department finds the aforementioned shipment in compliance with the consignee’s location phytosanitary requirements, it will issue the required phytosanitary certificate to the consignor. The consignor shall conspicuously affix a copy of the phytosanitary certificate to the exterior of each carload, box, container, package, etc. It is the responsibility of both the consignee and consignor to contact the Department to obtain the necessary phytosanitary certificates and to examine all shipments for the presence of all required certifications.

(c) When applicable, all shipping containers must be conspicuously and appropriately marked on the exterior as to whether contents must be held for agricultural inspection or whether the contents have been pre-cleared by the Department, under the terms of a pre-clearance or interstate origin of inspection program (phytosanitary pre-clearance). It is the responsibility of both the consignee and consignor to obtain all required pre-clearances and to examine all shipments for the presence of all required certifications.

( 21 Del. Laws, c. 216, § 10; Code 1915, § 659; Code 1935, § 577; 3 Del. C. 1953, § 1302; 65 Del. Laws, c. 491, § 1; 68 Del. Laws, c. 329, §§ 6, 7; 70 Del. Laws, c. 332, § 1.; )”

Further, on seeds, you must:

“For vegetable seeds in containers of 1 pound or less:

a. Name of kind and variety of seed;

b. For seeds which germinate less than the standard last established by the Department under this chapter:

1. Percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed;

2. Percentage of hard seed, if present;

3. The calendar month and year the test was completed to determine the percentages;

4. The words “below standard” in not less than 8-point type; and

c. Name and address of the person who labeled the seed or who sells, offers, or exposes the seed for sale within this State;

(6) For flower seeds in packets prepared for use in home gardens or household plantings or flower seeds in preplanted containers, mats, tapes or other planting devices:

a. For all kinds of flower seeds:

1. The name of the kind and variety or a statement of type and performance characteristics as prescribed in the rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter;

2. The calendar month and year the seed was tested or the year for which the seed was packaged; and

3. The name and address of the person who labeled the seed, or who sells, offers, or exposes the seed for sale within this State.

b. For seeds of those kinds for which standard testing procedures are prescribed and which germinate less than the germination standard last established under this chapter:

1. The percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed, and

2. The words “below standard” in not less than 8-point type.

c. For seeds placed in a germination medium, mat, tape, diluent or other device in such a way as to make it difficult to determine the quantity of seed without removing the seeds from the medium, mat, tape, diluent or device, a statement to indicate the minimum number of viable seeds in the container;

( 36 Del. Laws, c. 91, § 2; Code 1935, § 656; 44 Del. Laws, c. 66, §§ 1, 3; 3 Del. C. 1953, § 1502; 52 Del. Laws, c. 70, § 1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 147, § 1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 764, § 6; 65 Del. Laws, c. 104, § 2.; )”

Do we want to be exposed to:

“(b) The Department shall conduct the aforementioned inspection or examination yearly or as directed by the Secretary, at such time as it deems best, with or without notice. The Department reserves the right to conduct unannounced inspections as frequently as it deems necessary to insure compliance with all sections of this chapter.”

“(c) If the Secretary determines that the provisions of this chapter have been violated, he or she shall order and direct that the nuisance be abated by whatever means necessary (including, but not limited to, destruction, confiscation, treatment or return shipment). The abatement of this public nuisance shall be at the expense of all of the aforementioned person(s) and shall be without any form of compensation. “

Then comes the penalty...

“Any person who violates any section of this chapter or interferes with the Department or its representatives in the enforcement of this chapter, as determined in an administrative hearing, shall be assessed a civil penalty of no less than $100 nor more than $1000 on each count.

( 70 Del. Laws, c. 332, § 1.; )”

Notice that you don’t even get a court hearing - but an “administrative hearing”

Now, how many seeds, plants, cuttings, etc. would you like to exchange?????

A depressing situation to say the least...

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10201651-83.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

March 21, 2009 12:03 PM PDT

Report: Smart-grid hackers could cause blackouts

by Zoë Slocum

* 11 comments

Deployments of smart grids should be slowed until security vulnerabilities are addressed, according to some cybersecurity experts, citing tests showing that a hacker can cause a major blackout after breaking into a smart-grid system.

The idea behind smart grids, a burgeoning energy sector in which even Google is playing a role, is that automated meters and two-way power consumption data can be used to improve the efficiency and reliability of an electrical system’s power distribution. A washing machine in a household hooked up to a smart meter, for instance, could be set up to run only at lower-cost, off-peak hours, and a home sporting solar panels could give power back to the grid.

Through the U.S. economic-stimulus package, the Department of Energy is set to invest $4.5 billion in smart-grid technology. And while many utilities are embracing the initiative by installing smart meters in millions of homes nationwide, security experts and others caution that the technology may not be ready for prime time. According to a CNN report published Friday evening:

continued.

---

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10200710-38.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-PoliticsandLaw

March 20, 2009 6:00 PM PDT

A bill to shift cybersecurity to White House

by Stephanie Condon

* 23 comments

Forthcoming legislation would wrest cybersecurity responsibilities from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and transfer them to the White House, a proposed move that likely will draw objections from industry groups and some conservatives.

CNET News has obtained a summary of a proposal from Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) that would create an Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor, part of the Executive Office of the President. That office would receive the power to disconnect, if it believes they’re at risk of a cyberattack, “critical” computer networks from the Internet.

“I regard this as a profoundly and deeply troubling problem to which we are not paying much attention,” Rockefeller said a hearing this week, referring to cybersecurity.

Giving the White House cybersecurity responsibility was one of the top recommendations of a commission that produced a report last year to advise President Obama on cybersecurity issues. However, the Homeland Security Department, which currently has jurisdiction over cybersecurity, has insisted the reshuffling of duties is not needed.

Given the enormity of cybersecurity threats, the responsibility is a natural fit for the White House, said James Lewis, a director and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which issued last year’s commission report.

continues......Yesterday, I had a report[3 times] that employees of the U.S. Gov can not reach the website “Atlas Shrugged”, one of the “truth telling websites”, from a Gov computer, it comes back as a “Hate Speech site”, so will Free Republic any day now.........granny

---

Cyber Security reports:

http://news.cnet.com/security/

[nw_arizona_granny]

You are welcome.

I should have also said that some of the varieties in the photo will not grow at all here in my windy part of Arizona, a very important part of the project.

The link that Cottonball sent you, “Be Prepared company” is one of the food companies that a lot of people use for stocking up.

$40. appears to be a realistic price.

[nw_arizona_granny]

As many hours as I spend on the computer, it still is not real and I at times have to ask me, if it is the best thing for me?

I love my Freeper friends, but I also loved real people once.

The world has gone mad.

Stationary, was something that I enjoyed all my life, what fun it was to buy and make it.

[nw_arizona_granny]

>>>With the millions of seeds that are now saved, why is it that simple trading is not going on a large scale?<<<

Laws, Laws and more Laws....<<<

Which forces folks to find a way around them.

Seeds are often used in craft work, dyed and glued to a board to form a montage, so if I were you, all my seeds would be labeled, “For craft work”.

You have no control over what I do with them here.

Here, 30 years ago, I could sell my goat milk for pet food, so all my jar lids said in a bold black marker “For Pet use only”.

The lady who then owned our Health Food Store in Kingman, took a regular supply of it for her 2 little girls, also my baked bread, all for pet food of course.

She called me a few years ago, to tell me that both girls were in college and that part of them being there was due to being able to feed them my goat milk.

She did not want them on fake milk and they did not do well on cows milk, but did very well on goat milk for pets only.

We have to have all these laws on seeds, for if we go underground, it will hurt the ‘big guys’, guess the politicians feel they can’t run for election on what we could send them.