Rule of 3 and Survival Seed

Sure it would be easy enough to put away hundreds of pounds of wheat, after all if kept dry and sealed from pest, it will last forever. All is well and good, 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 readers to stock an assortment of foods or at least wheat, assorted beans, oats, honey and other stables.

Knowing the limitations of my food storage and the need to restock eventually the pantry, I began to look into sources of renewable foods that will ensure my survival after my stocks are used up.

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.

Take food for instance, I have my food storage which is the first line of defense against hunger, backed up by hunting, trapping, foraging, small livestock, and my raised tire gardens.

When it c
omes to survival gardening, obviously you must start with seed; therefore it becomes necessary 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 of foods you like to eat.

Never use a microwave oven to dry seed. You can use a conventional oven if you keep the door open and the seed is heated to no 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 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 eight 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.