“US is also different in that we have single family homes with large back yards to grow crops unlike Europe/Japan etc who live in apartments.”
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Most people have no idea how to can, preserve, dry, smoke, salt, pickle, etc, although I doubt there is any greater motivator than necessity. The problem is that in many US zones your harvest only in several months out of a year for the majority of crops
“The problem is that in many US zones your harvest only in several months out of a year for the majority of crops”
Most midwestern states have a growing season of April to October.
We planted green beans last year three times
As long as there is access to the internet, you can find out how to can, preserve, dry, smoke, salt, pickle, etc....
The problem is that in many US zones your harvest only in several months out of a year for the majority of crops
Actually there are ways to have a 4 season harvest. A guy in Maine has written several books about how to do it—he uses an unheated greenhouse, but you can also build a “hot” box. Thats a bottom layer of manure for heat with containers of plants on top.
In Missouri, I grow winter wheat, winter rye, and garlic mostly during the cold months, with cover crops on the rest for green “manure” in the spring. As an experiment, I grew some lettuce and carrots outdoors a couple of winters - just used a row cover topped with straw. Lettuce was available all winter long, and the carrots came in earlier than normal.
I am currently growing a lemon tree, Bay Laural Tree,
rosemary, parsley, tomato and bell pepper in front of a patio door, and some lettuce in an unheated greenhouse. Where there is a will and determination, there is a way-and plenty of books to learn how to do it.
Mormon Pioneers also had to use winter crops to survive.