start farming

[Hekkup]

If you are not yet farming, start it now in the next summer. Would be good. You can ask your local town/city council about a garden if you don't have your own land. In Finland it's possible to rent 10x10m areas for cheap price from the technical centres of the city councils. The places are ordinary fields near and inside of the city. You can rent several pieces of land if you want.

If there are no such places available in your city, you can ask the council to create them -- they would just plow the area in the spring and mark the areas with numbers. If the city council won't do it, do some political campaign to start it. The best would be to go to ask about it right now, so that they can think about how to implement such a system if there is not yet something like that.

In Finland the price for such 10x10m garden is 12 EUR for one summer -- not bad at all.

2,5 ares (are = 10x10m) is enough for one person's vegetarian food production for one year (in Finland -- more to south it's more efficient naturally), but then if you want to be completely self-sufficient with food you have to pick up all the berries and mushrooms you can + do some fishing.

Okay... take care everyone. I hope good common sense and good will for politicians in this and all matters, both local and higher level politicians!! Please also spread this message!

[Gnosis5]

Originally Posted by Hekkup

If you are not yet farming, start it now in the next summer. Would be good. You can ask your local town/city council about a garden if you don't have your own land. In Finland it's possible to rent 10x10m areas for cheap price from the technical centres of the city councils. The places are ordinary fields near and inside of the city. You can rent several pieces of land if you want.

If there are no such places available in your city, you can ask the council to create them -- they would just plow the area in the spring and mark the areas with numbers. If the city council won't do it, do some political campaign to start it. The best would be to go to ask about it right now, so that they can think about how to implement such a system if there is not yet something like that.

In Finland the price for such 10x10m garden is 12 EUR for one summer -- not bad at all.

2,5 ares (are = 10x10m) is enough for one person's vegetarian food production for one year (in Finland -- more to south it's more efficient naturally), but then if you want to be completely self-sufficient with food you have to pick up all the berries and mushrooms you can + do some fishing.

Okay... take care everyone. I hope good common sense and good will for politicians in this and all matters, both local and higher level politicians!! Please also spread this message!

My hubbie is Finnish and I had the privilege of visiting there once. Because Finland has long winters how did the Finnish people traditionally preserve their foods? Do Finnish people make sauerkraut?

best,
Gnosis

[ghglenn]

If you are limited on space, might want to google:
"Square Foot Gardening". It is a method of optimizing the space
you have to plant your crops in.

[conaire]

great thread.

thank you.

with all the talk of food shortages that are a'comming, growing our own food is the cleaver, proactive thing to do. i'm going to email my local government now. even a small plot, even one vegetable. just start, see how it goes.

bon appetite.

[sunshineseastar]

thanks for the info....that is a great idea to get in some good practice.....also you can grow sprouts.....grows all year.....you can survive on them......just takes a little practice......but its something you can start today!!!!!!!!

[Pleiadian]

Just a sanity check ..

One should start farming to become self-sufficient? Live off the land? So that when things begin to happen you can still provide for yourself? You have control over what you grow and what goes into it?

[Humble Janitor]

Originally Posted by Pleiadian

Just a sanity check ..

One should start farming to become self-sufficient? Live off the land? So that when things begin to happen you can still provide for yourself? You have control over what you grow and what goes into it?

I definitely agree and want to do this sometime.

[Pleiadian]

so has anyone considered how well you will need to protect your crops?

i would imagine that hundreds if not thousands of people will be out on the prowl looking for food, water etc. ... stealing, killing etc. for survival.

anyone ever considered this aspect?

[Operator]

Originally Posted by Pleiadian

so has anyone considered how well you will need to protect your crops?

i would imagine that hundreds if not thousands of people will be out on the prowl looking for food, water etc. ... stealing, killing etc. for survival.

anyone ever considered this aspect?

That's why you need a 'radiant zone' ...
I don't understand the name though .... operators want their 'zone' to radiate as less as possible !

Cheers

[bilderburger w/cheese]

if anyone has any information about growing plants on a windowsill indoors, that would help a lot of those (like me) who dont have a backyard.

by the way, how ya doin`, operator. : )

[Hekkup]

Originally Posted by Pleiadian

so has anyone considered how well you will need to protect your crops?

i would imagine that hundreds if not thousands of people will be out on the prowl looking for food, water etc. ... stealing, killing etc. for survival.

anyone ever considered this aspect?

The more there are plants growing, the less this happens. It should be the goal for everyone to grow some food, so that there would not be the need to go stealing in the first place. There is huge opportunity and need for political campaigning for the need of food production right now. Even if it sounds a bit crazy, but still. It will turn out to be most sensible thing in not so long time.

And about protecting the crops... Yes, I think it will still be inevitable in reality that stealing will take place... but I think that if someone kills me because of my crops, then at least there still is more plants growing... and thus the world is a bit better place for the remaining people... You know, we can add the radiance of the whole world by contributing to farming in very bad times.

[munkey]

Originally Posted by Pleiadian

so has anyone considered how well you will need to protect your crops?

i would imagine that hundreds if not thousands of people will be out on the prowl looking for food, water etc. ... stealing, killing etc. for survival.

anyone ever considered this aspect?

That was the first thing that crossed my mind, the larger your crop, the bigger target you are.
human morality and compassion go out the window in time of dispare.

I would not discourage anyone from growing their own food and collecting their own seeds, just be aware that in time of hardship, people will target you for food, even if you only have enough for your own family.

[Operator]

Originally Posted by Hekkup

The more there are plants growing, the less this happens. It should be the goal for everyone to grow some food, so that there would not be the need to go stealing in the first place.

Hi Hekkup,

I think you are right ...
Although I am in an almost naturally 'radiant zone' I'd like to think further than service to self ...
One of the ideas to get more food growing is by sharing ! I want to start lots of seedlings and hand them out after a short kind
of speech about how to grow food on primary schools ...

It is actually very efficient because I am reducing waste as well (see below).
And here's a tip for Bilderburger w/cheese (and others):

You can take the 'egg carrying cartons' (sorry don't know the right word for this) as base for sprouting the seedlings.
Also for when they grow bigger you can use all kinds of used cans. Make sure you punch or drill a few holes in the bottom
to allow excess water to drain.
If you use glass pots be aware not to drown your plants (can't drill holes).

You can use the glass pots and lids to store and sort your seeds.
When I have time this week I'll try to make some pictures to show you some examples.

Cheers

[Lance]

Originally Posted by munkey

That was the first thing that crossed my mind, the larger your crop, the bigger target you are.
human morality and compassion go out the window in time of dispare.

I would not discourage anyone from growing their own food and collecting their own seeds, just be aware that in time of hardship, people will target you for food, even if you only have enough for your own family.

A good argument for Permaculture. Most people assume that a 'crop' looks like something they are familiar with. Hide your harvest with hardy perennials and change your diet. Who here would know a mashua from a nasturtium?

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=1398&page=67