Category Archives: Other Contributers

Momma Bear: Government Shutdown

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by Leah, Momma Bear -

ShitHitsFanFor some Americans, the S**T hit their fan last week — in the form of a partial federal government shut down. As a military family, that means we are watching the news closely. During times like these military members are required to continue serving, but will be “paid later” in full, once budget issues are resolved. Fortunately, in this instance, Congress voted to continue paying the military during the shutdown, but that is not always the case. Many other federal workers are furloughed, and may not ever be paid back. And it’s all perfectly legal. government-shutdownIn the 90’s when the government was previously shut down, Congress voted to pay those employees back. But due to the current financial state, they are warning people that they can’t count on that this time. The icing on this particular poop-cake is that the 27th Amendment to the Constitution ensures that our Congressmen all continue to receive their pay, while the voters pay the consequences. In the military, when a leader fails to successfully lead they can be removed from their position under grounds of “loss of special trust and confidence” in their leadership. Think we can use that on our current politicians, straight across the board?

We sat down with our kids, ages 15 and 18, and talked to them about what this all means, and how it relates to our family. Telling your kids you might not be getting paid next payday can really put them into a panic. We live outside of Washington D.C., they know that from rent, to gas, to groceries, it is not cheap to live here. We explained that we are lucky because we are financially secure enough to be able to pay our bills for a short time without too much effort, BUT that we would be scrutinizing every penny spent for the duration.

foodshelfThis happens to be one of those times when preppers look like normal, forward thinking people who planned ahead for the day when the government fell into dysfunction. Yes, our family (and the military in general) is currently getting paid, but we’re still federal employees and don’t know what will happen. Many other federal employees are not currently working, or getting paid. So what is a prepper to do!??? It’s time to hit the food storage! At our house, we are still in limbo waiting to find out if we will be moving to a new duty station next summer (some of you may remember that my husband requested I STOP buying more food, so we can prepare for our next move without the surplus weight). Fall is also the time of year when I can fresh veggies, take stock of our long-term food storage, and rotate the goods. This will be the perfect opportunity to work towards cutting down on our food storage, rotating what we have, and saving money. We are looking forward to some interesting meals in the near future!

How is the government shutdown affecting you?

 

Sarah’s View: The First Steps to Debt-Free

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by Sarah Adams -

1288604993JYP2mWLast year I wrote A Prepper’s Budget, about the budgeting philosophy that has helped us work toward being debt-free. That post, however, talked mostly about our ongoing budgeting strategies and did not really address how to get started.

While it depends on what your goals are, as Trace and I have talked about before on this blog, getting debt-free was our primary goal and certainly recommended by many in the prepping world. In order to be debt-free you must stop using the credit cards. You cannot be debt-free if you’re still digging the hole.

debt-ball-and-chainStep 1: Pay your monthly bills. Can you pay all of your monthly bills with your current income? In order to make any kind of dent into your debt, you have to be able to cover all your monthly expenses with your monthly income. If you are not in a position to pay all your bills each month you need to take a hard look at your lifestyle. What can be dropped? Do you need cable? Can you find a cheaper cell phone plan? What about income? Can you pick up extra hours? Once you can cover all your normal monthly expenses, without dipping into the credit card, you’re on your way.

Step 2: Create a financial emergency fund. This is Dave Ramsey’s Baby Step 1 – the $1,000 emergency fund. He recommends keeping this in cash, someone accessible — but not so accessible that you go to it when it’s not a true emergency. The idea is to set aside $1,000 to cover the unexpected; so that when the unexpected does happen you don’t have to use credit (and go deeper into debt). I know it isn’t always easy to save up to $1,000, especially if Step 1 was a challenge, but it’s so important to be prepared for those emergencies that will come so that you can continue down the path to debt-free.

debt snowballStep 3: Debt snowball strategy. Again, we followed Dave Ramsey’s recommendation and paid off our debt using the concept of a “debt snowball”. The idea is that you pay any extra toward the debt with the smallest principal (don’t worry about the interest rates). Say the minimum payment is $50 a month and you add an extra $10 a month to that payment; once that bill is paid you now take that $60 and put it towards the debt with the next-smallest principal outstanding. This $60 is over and above the minimum payment for this debt. As you can see the payments you are making “snowball” quickly.

Step 4: Begin saving. Now that you have paid off, or at least paid down, your debt you can start saving. Once we had our debt paid off, we were able to save for and buy a truck last year with the money we had been using for our snowball. We have also worked to have at least one month’s expenses in savings. Trace and I are currently saving toward the new house, but after that we plan to save up to having the three to six months’ expenses in savings. The best part, by doing it this way, our old debt no longer needs to be included in the amount we need to save to cover our monthly expenses. We have less debt and, therefore, fewer expenses to worry about in an emergency.

We followed the above steps while doing a monthly zero-based budget as I described last year. The budget allowed us to see our expenses each month, in black and white, and helped us project when we could move from one step to the next.

Life-Without-DebtGetting started can be incredibly overwhelming and money is a challenging topic to tackle, but it is so worth it. As a prepper, being debt-free is one of the best things you can do to prepare for any scenario – big, small, local or nation-wide.

 

Nuts & Bolts by Nick: The 911 Bag

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by Nick Romaniello -

ambulanceWith bugout bags, get home bags, EDC, etc, preppers tend to organize many go-to kits for various emergency scenarios. The prepper mentality is largely one of self-reliance, but what happens when injury or health emergency force you to rely on someone else? Do they know everything they should? I have recently experienced a few scenarios, both directly and indirectly, within my own family where medical emergencies rendered a person unresponsive. Without going into too much personal detail, one scenario had me alone with a person who lost consciousness from a drug interaction. Training had allowed me to avoid panic and react properly. A call was placed to 911 and information was conveyed in a calm clear way to assist responders as much as possible. When paramedics arrived on scene, the quest for information continued and I found myself suddenly unable to answer all the questions. “What medications does this person take?” “Who is their Primary Care Physician?” “We are taking them to So and So hospital, do you know the way?” I was suddenly at a disadvantage. A disadvantage that affected this persons effective treatment. What could I do to prevent this disadvantage in the future?

Pregnant women are often the most prepared for a sudden departure to a hospital or birthing center. They know they will be going, but just aren’t sure when. So they get prepared. When “it’s time” they just pick up and (relatively) calmly go, knowing that they will have everything they need. The truth is that we all may be on our way to the hospital and just don’t know when. Remember that “it’s not if, but when” mentality of being prepared and pack a small bag for each household to be grabbed in the event of a medical emergency. When a person is rushed to the hospital (especially if they are unable to speak) you will have important information and gear that will make the difference.

emergency roomWhile I’m sure there are resources out there that discuss this type of prep, I haven’t come across any. Based on my personal experiences alone, I would recommend the following to be included in such a kit:

  • Prescription Information: This includes a list of all current medications, dosage amounts, usual times they are taken, and prescribing doctors contact information.
  • Over-the-Counter or Natural Remedy’s: If the subject is taking anything that may react with prescriptions being taken or medications that may be administered in hospital the ER should be alerted.
  • Allergy Information: If the subject has any allergies to medication, food, latex, etc.
  • Copies of ID: Drivers license, organ donor information, insurance card, and a list of important phone numbers.
  • Personal Essentials: If the subject wears glasses, dentures or anything else needed to function normally be sure to either include spares in the bag, or list a reminder to get them on the way out the door.
  • Hospital Information: Depending on your location, there may be one or many possible destinations for an ambulance. A list of local ER’s with addresses, phone numbers and directions can help greatly when your mind is racing.
  • Clothing and Personal Items: A change of clothes, a book, and some comfort items such as a family photo can bring some peace to a person facing an unexpected hospital stay. Perhaps include some snacks and a book for the person sitting in the waiting room holding the bag. Include dollars and coins for parking and vending machines.

For me this type of kit is a recent concept and is far less refined than the oft-discussed B.O.B. so I would welcome any additional information or ideas to help make the 911 bag, as I am calling it, a more effective piece of prepping gear. A rush to the hospital is never a pleasant experience, but being prepared can help alleviate stress and speed effective treatment.

 

Momma Bear: Book Review: Wool

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by Leah, Momma Bear -

WoolI recently picked up the book Wool, by Hugh Howey. There were a couple reasons I picked up this book: it was a post-apocalypse story set in a missile silo, it was originally self-published as a short story/e-book and then later picked up by Simon and Schuster, and the movie rights have been picked up by Ridley Scott. I will be curious to see if this book ever develops into a movie. While this was a decent book, I would not put it on the same level as some of the genre classics.

I come from a family of big science fiction nerds. I have had a long love affair with science fiction and the end of our world, a science fiction sub-genre known as apocalyptic or dystopian fiction (the basic “we’re doomed” theme). From movies to books, I love it all. Most of us think of the apocalyptic genre as stemming from the 1940’s and beyond, coming from the Cold War at the end of World War II. But the truth is that the genre is actually much older. Mary Wool-1Shelley (the same lady who gave us Frankenstein) wrote The Last Man in 1826, which is believed to be the first modern apocalyptic novel, about a world-wide pandemic. Seventy years later, HG Wells hit the literary scene with such masterpieces as The Time Machine in 1895, and War of the Worlds in 1898. These stories, with their end of the world themes, continue to be popular today as we see them portrayed each summer in the latest movies. In fact, many of our favorite apocalypse movies are rooted in literature. For instance, Blade Runner is loosely based on the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick.

Wool is an intriguing read because it deals with the intricacies of human nature in a post-apocalypse society. Within the silo are the last vestiges of humanity, following some unexplained and no longer remembered apocalypse that has left the outside world toxic. Inside is a tightly contained, controlled, and stratified society in which every birth must be preceded by a death, a one for one population control essentially. Society itself is divided by a person’s occupation and location within the 100+ level silo, with the administrative/political people residing closest to the surface and the workers on decreasing levels until you reach the dark bottom, mechanics levels (though they are the ones who provide everything from air to electricity). But when a few people start to question authority, society within begins to crumble.

I found the setting of Wool particularly interesting because of the current popularity of Doomsday Preppers using old missile silos for end of the world retreats. Today in America, a couple hundred thousand dollars can buy you a rusting hole in the ground without electricity, or a million can buy you a small apartment within a luxury silo. It seems that these silos fall into the categories of “fixer upper” or “buy your survival”, with the latter leaving you unable to choose your neighbor and silo mates.  Whichever you choose, like Wool, it will take more than a few people and some structured society to keep it running. How do you choose the people for your silo team? How do you keep control when the s**t hits the fan and you’re in lockdown?

missile-silo-houseCheck out these links to available silo properties:

For more great apocalyptic reading, check out these lists:

Apocalyptic movies lists:

 

Nuts & Bolts by Nick: The 1st “Prepper” I Knew

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by Nick Romaniello

I was saddened by the news recently that my aunt, Joann Green, had passed away. I don’t intend to hijack a prepping blog to eulogize a family member, but as I reflect on her life I recognize her as one of the first people I know who prepped, and as someone who had occasion to confront the disaster scenarios that we discuss here.

HurricaneHugo

Remnants of Hurricane Hugo

In 1989, my aunt, along with her husband and mother, survived when Hurricane Hugo devastated Charleston, SC. As workers in the insurance industry, they were kept busy after the storm helping others put their lives back together while dealing with their own hardships. I only saw the devastation in pictures, but they had to live and work through it. Watching from the safety of Pittsburgh, my 10-year-old mind could barely imagine it.

About three years later, my mother and I moved to Charleston. We stayed for a time at the new home my aunt and uncle were building after the storm destroyed their previous house. I was fascinated by some of the things I saw that we now call “preps”. The house was built on pilings seven feet above the ground, to protect it from the storm surge of a future hurricane. Pre-cut plywood panels were designed to slip into brackets over the windows to allow for fast securing against flying debris and looting. A room beneath the house was filled with candles, food, jugs of water and other necessities. They were ready for the next storm.

Despite being politically liberal (as am I for the most part) they were also the first people I knew to keep firearms for home defense. Their new home was remote–the closest police station was over a half hour away–that took all of the politics out of gun ownership, leaving only a practical decision to protect themselves in the absence of timely professional help. When my uncle passed away and my aunt remained there by herself, a .410 Remington and a loyal dog were her first line of defense.

During the Tunisian Revolution

During the Tunisian Revolution

Eventually, my globally minded aunt left her rural home to travel the world teaching English. Abroad, she encountered many more disaster scenarios that preppers muse about. A bank collapse while residing in Argentina left many residents rioting without access to their money. Recently, she lived (and remained) in Tunisia throughout the fall of the government that launched the “Arab Spring” of region-wide civil unrest and loss of public services. Rented apartments, varying international laws, and regular relocation prevented the hoarding of supplies and firepower that are sometimes the basis of prepping in the US, but she still JoanneThailandmanaged to sail through these and many other crises relatively unscathed. Her kind personality gained her friends anywhere she went so there was always a strong support network that would be lost to the isolationist. Simple living, mobility, adaptability, and above all a calm and rational demeanor, allowed her to roll with the punches of any situation and get through with a smile and another good story to tell.

As a traveler myself she was my definitely my biggest role model, but as a prepper I learned a lot from her too. She demonstrated to me the value of preparing ahead of time, and remaining adaptable and open-minded above all. She not only endured through, but thrived in many trying times. She showed by her example that life is not merely to be survived, but to be lived as a gift with more optimism than fear.

 

Sarah’s View: What Happens With Your Body When You Die?

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by Sarah Adams -

Death happens. Death happens to all of us, once you are born you will die. Being prepared means being prepared for all aspects of life, and that includes death. And preparing for death includes what happens after death. It’s not a fun topic, in fact it is rather uncomfortable, but having a plan for your body after death relieves your family of at least one decision during a difficult time. Because what happens to your body is definitely a decision they will be asked to make.

One of the things that makes us human is the respect we show for the body after death. For most (all?) of human history there have been rituals surrounding the care and processing of a body after death. These rituals are not universal, they vary with time and culture, but that there is a ritual is universal.

There are many many options available to us today – cremation, embalming, burial in a casket, entombing, donation. What you choose might depend on your religion or family or culture. Do you know how you’d like your body cared for after your death? Does your family know what your wishes are?

Now, since we’re preppers, we need to ask how many of those would be available or practical in a collapse situation?

Coffin-crematoriumA cremator generates temperatures between 1600-1800 degrees Fahrenheit. As far as I know, there’s no way to generate that kind of heat with easy to gather fuels. Modern embalming solutions include formaldehyde, methanol and other solvents. Not only would those materials be difficult to locate in a collapse situation, but people with the skills required to embalm without modern equipment and electricity are few and far between. Even burial is a challenge without modern excavation equipment — think about digging a deep enough hole by hand, now imagine doing it during a collapse. Many of the options we take for granted today would not be practical in a collapse situation.

burialplatform-curtis

So what options should we consider in a collapse? My suggestion would be to look at what native peoples indigenous to your region may have done. Their traditions were probably adapted to the locale. If you live near the coast an ocean burial may be an option. There are also the famous mounds of the Native Americans of the Mississippi River where bodies were “buried” in a mound of dirt instead of in a hole in the ground. Here in the Pacific Northwest it was common to practice “above ground burial” where a body was placed on a scaffold and left for the elements and animals.

I, personally, am a fan of some sort of exposure. In a pre-collapse world I’d like to be donated to the Body Farm; I would like my body to provide some use for science. In a post-collapse world, above ground burial or simple exposure in the forest works for me; my body is put to use, recycled into the circle of life.

The key, as always, is preparation. What do you want? Is it in writing? Does your family know?

 

Nuts & Bolts by Nick: Dual Flush – The Smarter Toilet

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by Nick Romaniello

CrapperWe have come a long way from digging a hole in the ground, to get rid of our bodily wastes, and then wiping with a leaf — but anyone who has been through a disaster can tell you it doesn’t take much to send us back there. Although toilet technology has progressed over the years, most homes still contain toilets that use components developed in the 18th and 19th century. Karl Benz may find nothing in a modern automobile resembling the horseless carriages that he developed in the late 1800’s, but plumbing pioneer Thomas Crapper could easily find his innovations operating virtually unchanged in commodes over 130 years later. While fancy water saving toilets have become the norm elsewhere in the world, the West has been slow to adopt these due to water being plentiful and cheap. We don’t really stop to think about water consumption very often, but the truth is that the average American family uses about 100 gallons of water per person every day! That’s far more than the one gallon per person per day that we consider the survival standard. The biggest household consumer of water is the toilet, responsible for 25-30% of usage. This can be a heavy burden in a water shortage, or even if you have a finite supply such as a private well or small municipal source. Water conservation can help the planet and your wallet, but it can also preserve a precious resource for more important needs.

Dual flushWhile new toilets sold in the U.S. meet EPA guidelines of 1.6 gallons per flush, many homes still contain older, less efficient models that can use around six gallons per flush or more. Replacing an old toilet with a new high efficiency model is an easy project for a do-it-yourselfer, but little effort is needed to take it a step further and install a dual flush toilet. Dual flush toilets look like and install like any other toilet but allow you to choose how much water you flush with. Many have two buttons in place of a flush handle or a flush handle that can be pushed up or down to select the desired amount. When you only have urine and some toilet paper to flush, the first setting only uses a fraction of the amount in the tank. For solids, the second setting uses a full tank to thoroughly flush everything down. Gone are the days of the “If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down” mentality of conserving water. I have installed many dual flush toilets and my customers have always been pleased with the planet and cash saving technology. Dual flush toilets come in as many style options as any other toilet and like anything, the fancier you want, the more you will pay. However, a dual flush toilet doesn’t have to be expensive. I have installed several Glacier Bay (Home Depot brand) and Aqua Source (Lowes brand) dual flush toilets which cost around $100. I have had no reports of problems with these less expensive models even after some have been in use for years.

df conversion kitIf you already have a high efficiency toilet that isn’t dual flush, conversion kits are available that replace the flush mechanism in your tank. These conversions are quick, easy and don’t require the removal of the toilet. While the packaging wouldn’t discourage a sale by saying so, these conversion kits do not work on toilets older than 1995 when the low flow technology became the standard. These kits cost from $30 and up.

Upgrading to any dual flush technology will quickly pay for itself with savings on your water bill and keep less of a life giving resource from going down the drain.

 

Momma Bear: Bugs For Dinner?

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by Leah, Momma Bear -

DSC01552We currently feel like we’re under attack from cicadas! This is the year when the so-called 17-year periodical cicadas emerge in the BILLIONS from northern Georgia to upstate New York. Our yard, here in Virginia, is littered with holes in the ground from the recently emerged larvae. Hundreds of larva husks are dangling from my bushes, and the red beady eyes from the newly sprung cicadas are staring back at us. The mating calls have not yet started, but they aren’t far off. What is a prepper to do with all these bugs? The answer: EAT THEM!?!

bugsAbout 80% of the world’s population eats insects as a primary protein source. CNN recently reported, U.N.: Eat Insects, Save the World, that it has been hypothesized bugs are the future of food production due to their extremely low carbon footprint (compared to traditional proteins like chicken/beef/pork). Mass production of bugs for food does not pollute the environment, they are inexpensive to grow, and require very little space compared to the alternative proteins. Cicadas are just one of many edible insects, enjoyed throughout the world. Other common insects include meal worms, crickets, and water bugs (these look like giant cockroaches). These are all included on this photo I took of a “fast food cart” in Bangkok, Thailand, serving bugs for lunch.

DSC01550Cicadas are definitely edible, and were eaten by early Native Americans. They are best harvested in the newly emerged larvae stage for the most tender eating, though they can also be eaten as the fully developed cicada, though they are much crunchier.  Most insects are fried/sautéed. My kids voted that they would best be served with fried rice, that way they would be mixed in with other vegetables (and maybe they wouldn’t notice them so much). Interestingly, cicadas are a type of arthropod, which is the same category of food as shrimp and lobster. While I personally still prefer shrimp over cicadas, it is nice to know of another protein source that is literally right outside my door!

[Trace’s note: I challenged Momma Bear to serve them for dinner, she responded that they wouldn’t be eating them anytime soon — but was glad to have additional options if necessary.]

bug nutritional chart

Though it's not listed in this chart: 
gram of protein = 4 calories
gram of fat = 9 calories
gram of carbohydrates = 4

giantwaterbugSo, for example, a Giant Water Beetle (pictured on the right) would provide 77.6 calories from protein, 74.7 calories from fat, and 8.4 calories of carbs; for a total of approximately 160 calories per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of Giant Water Beetle.

Nuts & Bolts by Nick: I’m Eating My Preps!

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by Nick Romaniello

I’m sure there are plenty of preppers out there that wouldn’t break into their mylar pouches full of grain for anything short of total Armageddon, but the truth is that emergencies can be varied and subjective. The world of a self-employed home improvement contractor is sometimes one of feast or empty-pocketsfamine especially during the initial years of building a business. The last few months have been financially tricky for me and Mighty Oak Homecraft. Large jobs have run long, delaying the income from final payments. Taxes were due, materials need purchased, yearly renewals of licenses and websites have all converged into a financial super-storm; the result is a cartoon-like escape of moths and dust when I open my wallet.

There is relief on the horizon as more jobs fill the schedule, but when the bank account hovers near the red it‘s nice to have a backup plan so that “feast or famine“ remains only a metaphor. Luckily there isn’t any panic about the financial burden of buying groceries. While I am not yet set up to last for months without resupply, having a reasonable store of food on hand to help stretch out limited resources is a big help. A lean month or two may not be the dramatic type of disaster scenario that many preppers are fortifying themselves against, but in reality (especially in my business) it’s a fairly likely scenario. Even for those with more predictable paychecks, financial emergencies can strike without warning. Unexpected car problems, a layoff, or an injury can put a serious dent in your cash flow. Emergency funds and savings accounts can be an ideal stopgap, but it can be difficult to squirrel away cash if you are living paycheck to paycheck. Being prepared should not be an exclusive hobby for those who can afford to stack gold bars up in their bunker. Even us penny pinchers can pick up a few extra cans each time we shop and before you know it, you have a food cache. Same goes for every gallon of gas you put away. An extra tank full when the chips are down could keep you operational when you might otherwise be thumbing rides.

foodshelfFull scale financial collapse will always be a hot topic in prepping circles and forums, but the commonality of family level tough periods exemplifies the purpose of prepping. It’s not always about the big things that might happen, but more about the small things that probably will happen. Don’t allow yourself to develop a mindset that your preps are only for “the big one”. They are your way of providing help to yourself in the future. Just like any other type of insurance policy, you aren’t required to wait for total loss to make a claim. There are preps that we acquire with the hope and intent that we never need to use them such as a fire ladder, gun, or suture kit. However, some items that we store such as food, gas, or toiletries don’t need to be viewed as such a last resort — plus they need to be rotated anyway! If you are hungry, eat. There is no shame in using your preps for small, short-lived emergencies. Things will get better and you can stock up again. That’s what it’s there for.

 

Momma Bear: Carefully Choosing Seeds This Year

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It’s that time of year again when we are all starting our seeds and getting those gardens back in shape. Last year was our first year gardening — EVER. We had mixed success, primarily because our property is about 80% shade. One thing I learned though is the importance of picking the right seeds. By this I do not mean just picking the right vegetables, but also the importance of using heirloom seeds so I could let some of my garden go to seed and harvest those seeds for the next year.

heirloom_seeds-posterThis year, while surfing the internet for seeds, I came across some interesting articles about seed banks. The National Geographic article, Food Ark, refers to the world seed vault (which I initially thought was kind of a hokey idea). But I kept reading and discovered why it is so incredibly important. I am sure most of the prepper community understand the value of using heirloom seeds, instead of hybrids, for seed harvesting. But, what I found to be both fascinating and horrifying is that 95% of vegetable and fruit varieties have gone extinct in the last 100 years. Mass production, produce values, and hardiness were chosen over variety. While we are busy saving pandas, polar bears, and whales, no one seems to be worried about saving our food. (Another good article is, The Extinction of Food: Why Heirloom Seeds May Be Our Only Hope.)

I am appalled to report that my own heirloom seeds fall into sprng-sgnthe category of hearty store-bought ones. There is nothing unique or special about my seeds. So what can we do to help with this problem? My advice would be that we all seek out these rare varieties, join seed exchanges, and support farmer’s markets and CSA Co-Ops (Community Support Agriculture) whenever possible. Find the uncommon and value its place in our future.

Next I read, EWG’s 2012 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, and looked at a list of what they call “The Dirty Dozen”; the foods we buy and eat that have the most residual pesticides. Again, this was eye-opening information that showed me exactly which of my favorite produce was on the danger list. And worse yet, I am not strict enough about washing my produce. If I wasn’t already a “prepper,” this would be enough to make me seriously consider joining the team!

heirloom-seeds-wordleMy new growing/gardening goal is to seek out a variety of quality seeds, and to grow some of those vegetables on the high pesticide laden foods list that we would normally buy. So this year–in addition to growing tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions from last year’s seeds–I will be growing my own spinach and peppers (two of the dirty dozen). We eat spinach more than most other varieties of lettuce and it grows really well in containers. Additionally we are still on the canning salsa kick so we are really looking forward to the peppers. I will also be networking with some friends in the Pacific Northwest to see if I can get some of their heirloom seeds for next year, and possibly getting involved in the Seed Savers Exchange.

Do you grow any rare varieties?  If so, what?  And would you be willing to share some seeds?!