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The rule of threes and sowing seed
Let’s face the facts; no matter how well prepared or how much we put back against the day of need, our survival food storage will eventually be depleted. Storing a years worth of food, keeping it rotated and replaced with fresh stock is difficult enough, trying to lay back sufficient foods to last five years or more, becomes next to impossible for the average survivalist. Sure it would be easy enough to put away hundreds of pounds of wheat, after all if it is kept dry and sealed from pest, wheat will last forever.
All is well and good when using this method, that is; until wheat is all you have to live on; some people can develop adverse reactions to wheat and eating only foods made from wheat day after day, would likely increase this allergic response in some people. This is why I urge my readers to stock an assortment of foods or at least wheat, assorted beans, oats, honey and other stables. Why take chances with your survival, by limiting yourself to only one food source?
Knowing the limitations of my food storage and the need to eventually restock the pantry, I began to look into sources of renewable foods that will ensure my survival after my stocks have ran empty. Never become dependent on one source of food, remember the survivalist rule of threes – three separate and distinct methods or sources of supply. Here at the homestead kitty I am working toward providing myself with such independence. For instance, I have my food storage which is my first line of defense against hunger, backed up by hunting, trapping, foraging, small livestock (rabbits, chickens and three goats), and my raised garden plots.
When it comes to survival gardening, obviously we must start with seed; therefore it becomes a necessity to have a source of viable seed on hand. Look for non-hybrid ("heirloom") varieties, you want to be sure the seed saved from year to year will breed true and continue to do so. Hybrid varieties for the most part are unpredictable and seem to only do well during the first year of planting.
Most garden varieties should be included in your stock. Include such vegetables as: artichoke, asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, gourds, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard green, onions, parsley, parsnips, peanuts, peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, soybeans, spinach, squash, sunflowers, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip, watermelon, zucchini etc; In general put back seeds that grow well in your area and seeds of foods you like to eat.
I buy most of my seed stock from Gurney's Seed and Nursery. I occasionally run across suitable varieties at local hardware stores in the spring, but most are of the hybrid type and not suitable for inclusion in a survival seed stockpile. Remember it is best to get only non-hybrid seed.
A 10-year storage life for most varieties can be achieved by drying seed to less than 8 percent moisture. To do this, dry seed at 100 degrees F for six hours. Obtain this temperature by spreading the seed out in direct sunlight. However, because sunlight is harsh and easily can exceed this temperature, drying in the shade is better.
Never use a microwave oven to dry seed. You may use a conventional oven if you keep the door open and the seed is not heated to more than 100 degrees. Package the seed in moisture-proof containers and store it in a refrigerator or deep freezer. A moisture-proof container is one that stores seed safely while submerged in water. Use sealed cans or mason jars, rather than plastic bags.
In general the drier the seeds, the longer they will store. There is a chance of producing what is known as "hard seed" if moisture is reduced below 8 percent. Hard seed resists germination under favorable conditions because it does not absorb enough water. When planted, the seed gradually absorbs water, germinates and produces seedlings over an extended period. A seed lot containing 50 percent hard seed is little better than a lot containing 50 percent dead seed, because neither produces a stand of seedlings when they should.
Beans and peas are particularly subject to this condition and therefore should not be dried as completely as other seed. If they have been over dried, they germinate better if exposed to a humid atmosphere for two weeks before planting.
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Cattails as a survival food
Whenever I talk to someone and they tell me they know nothing of wild plants and have no idea what to look for if stranded in the wild or were in need of a food source to supplement their foods storage after an emergency. I try to point out a common wild food source that nearly everyone knows and can identify; cattails.
While this site is not dedicated to wilderness survival per say; leaning more toward natural or man made disaster, I think it is important to take the time to at least become acquainted with the basics of outdoor survival skills. A majority of outdoor survival training could prove invaluable after tshtf.
The cattail is one of those plants that grow wild just about everywhere in the United States, and is often regarded as a weed by most people passing by. But it is indeed a very useful plant for the survivor, as an extra food source or to save money on your grocery bill.
Cattails can be found year-round in swamps and marsh areas, and along banks of streams, ponds, rivers, irrigation ditches and other wet environments, making the cattail an excellent source of survival food, or a supplement to the table.
Caution: If you are uncertain about the purity of the water in which you are collecting cattails you should not eat the cattails raw. A huge amount of water from the source is taken up by the plants and if polluted could make you sick.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Cattails
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