Permaculture for when the SHTF

[lcertuche]

I've been listening to a lot of people talking about the right of the government to go into your home and taking your foodstores. Of course this has been the case since the Civil War when so many Southerners almost starved to death because of this.

SHTF or not we should be able to feed our families whether we have foodstores or not. I like the idea of growing plants that look like common weeds in or near the fences, woods around ponds that don't scream groceries.

Some ideas I have thought planting is herbs, multiplying onions, Jerusalem Artichokes . Of course foraging wild berries, fruits, mushrooms, common weeds like dock, poke salad, sorrel, hickory nuts.

I love to hear other ideas on this subject.

 

[Hinotori]

By the way. I'm hungry now

 

[Mini Horses]

With too much time on my hands last night (couldn't sleep) I visited some sites from Google searches. Some of the prepper sites offer up similar to what we have listed on "our" site for stocking, needing, etc. The emphasis was made that some of these needs should not be "shoo-shooed" by the people who think preparation is only for disasters such as war but, in fact, some of our strongest weather disasters often leave us without most everything for several weeks or months! Often an escape plan is needed.

The thoughts of what is around us to use is quite valid. We should all consider these things & know what to forage. Plus, for the "city folks", some wouldn't recognize a garden or many fruit bearing trees if they were standing next to them (sadly). That part of our "stash" is reasonably safe from some humans, not storms, if we can stay in place.

SOLAR use is a real consideration for me because if the gas is not available, well that generator ain't worth much!! Even tho I do load up gas containers for seasonal issues, it will only run so long, even with miserly use...my well pump would be #1 use. Solar ones are expensive but, I am going to save for it, as a back up. Then there are solar lights, dehydrators, ovens, water heating devices, window box heaters, etc. -- many of which have instructions in various internet blogs, Utube & such. Yes, I have made printouts of instructions in past. I hope to make a couple things & try them out this summer. The outside grill (not gas ones) can be used with wood vice bagged charcoal....and a few cinder blocks, some metal grill and you have a way to cook/bake. I also have a good amount of old cast iron pots, skillets, dutch ovens, baking pans, etc.

Solar and my supply of hand tools. Many very old ones. Those are taking on new meaning. I have also decided to look into cost to purchase & use training for a crossbow.

Guess this was my night to review things. 25-30 mph winds out there now with fantastic 73 temps. Just hard to hang on to things!!! Slowing my work projects, big time.

 

[MoonShadows]

I want to grow sunflowers for winter chicken feed, but the dang gophers go down the row and each every seed I plant!

I tried that last year, but the birds and squirrels ate them before they were ready to harvest. I even tried putting bags over some of the flower heads...read it online...but that didn't work either.
So I went back to Plan A!
Royal Wing Black Oil Sunflower Wild Bird Food, 40 lb. - $16.99 at TSC.

 

[MoonShadows]

Another thing to do if you have stored food is to NOT store it all in the same place/area. Most folks store there food (canned goods, emergency supplies, etc.) in the basement. It is best to scatter your food supply around, including putting some in any other buildings/hiding spots you may have on your property). You want to have one "expendable" and "obvious" storage area so if the government or invaders come in during a SHTF episode, they find it easily and think they got all your food and supplies....but the majority you actually have hidden.

I was reading an article a while back about the biggest mistakes people will make if there is a SHTF episode at some point, and this was one of the tips. Another, which I never thought of is to not make your house and property into a fortress, because any fortress can be breached...but to make your place look like it has already been ransacked. i.e. scatter unneeded furniture, household items, etc. outside, so it looks like the marauders have already ransacked your place.

 

[Amiga]

Jerusalem artichokes (I call them sunroot, since they are not from Jerusalem nor are they artichokes . . . no big deal, the story of their name is fascinating).....I have grown them here in New England for many years and they stay pretty much where I plant them. If I miss a tuber, then I have a plant there next year.

Apios americana is a good plant to have - beautiful, looks a little like wisteria. Produces edible tubers - I boil them and scoop out the creamy flesh.

Speaking of invasive, if you know of a patch of Japanese knotweed that does not get sprayed, I am told the early shoots are tasty.

There are entire books on these things. Another tip I came across for hiding pantry items was to dip metal parts (lids or entire cans) in wax before placing in a hideaway place to avoid rusting.

Violet leaves and flowers are yummy and can be dehydrated and stored as well.

So many folks would not recognize a food plant, that having a good number of perennial vegetables around is probably overall the best strategy. Another weed I like that you can look up is lamb's quarter. Young leaves are nice, the seeds can be used to make porridge. And don't forget stinging nettle. Very nutritious, and excellent as a tea, or cooked like spinach - one could make saag or a spinach-like cream soup from it.

A number of cultures use ceramic crocks for fermentation, and bury the crocks underground while they ferment...might be difficult to find them, and someone might not be sure the contents are edible XD

 

[baymule]

Green briar tips are good to eat, tastes like asparagus. I snack on them all the time. The edible ones are the ones that have the tendrils. I read a post once by a man who dug up the green briar bulbs and planted them in a row. He then put up a trellis for them, harvesting the tips for food. At the end of the season, he cut off the vines, letting them dry on the trellis. Then he cut the vines off and used them for kindling for his wood burning heater.

The bulbs can be used for food too. You wash them good, slice them up and soak in water 24 hours. The starch in them will leach out in the water and you can drink it or use it for a soup base.

Yaupon leaves, dried and toasted, makes a good tea.

 

[MoonShadows]

Now that's a gourmet meal!

 

[MoonShadows]

 

[SSLM]

Hello! I'm new to the forum and thought I'd share a couple things here that I hope are useful

Book:
The Secret Garden of Survival. It's really the permaculture forest idea but from the perspective of having food planted in ways that don't look like a garden and are, therefore, "secret" and not screaming to everyone "I'M A GARDEN". It's not comprehensive on permaculture, but gets you thinking...and it talks about a lot of what you are all thinking on this thread!

For me, the biggest thing is WATER.
Storing water is not practical for anything long-term, so I've been looking into ways to either run the current well pump on solar or other options like hand-pump, etc.

I found these 2 different options that I'm considering but haven't done yet.

One is the "simple pump" It goes right in your current well and can be a hand-pump or a pump run by solar and can pump right into your current bladder tank.

The other option is a reasonably priced solar system capable of running the current well pump and other items in the house. This would require a bit more work to set up but I found a fantastic option for this as well at a reasonable price linked above.

It took me forever to find this source as most of the smaller, or portable, systems just can't handle the well pump.