April 7, 2012 No Comments

Learning to live a more sustainable life-one that relies less on the store and more on your own skills seems like a pretty challenging task when you look at the big picture. But I don’t want you to be intimidated. I’m here to help you and I’m here to prove to you that you can do it yourself. You can grow your own vegetables, create a functional and economical long-term food storage system, raise your own animals and build the skills to provide for your family in an emergency.

Think it Through; a Girly Perspective

Hey there. I’m Rachel and I’m going to be your guide through all things emergency-domestic. Obviously, you found Dan’s Depot because you have an interest in emergency preparedness and I’m here to help you build skills you’ll be glad to have when there’s nowhere else to turn; no doctors, no grocery stores, no gas stations.

I’m going to prove to you that panic isn’t necessary and that eating well and living securely can be a part of your everyday lifestyle. On this blog, you will read posts by burly, manly survivalists and while I do consider myself to have a survival mindset, I’m still dainty and delicate—proving that there’s a place in the survival world for you no matter how fragile you may think you are.

So where do we start? I think we should start with what’s going on right now. Spring is here and it’s time to start thinking about the summer’s bounty: gardening. Now wait. Don’t close me out just yet. I don’t mean you have to plow up your back yard and replace it with rows of sweet corn. I just want you to start thinking about what you can do where you are. Maybe you live in a tiny city apartment, or a wide expanse in the country, but either way there are options for you that will allow you to grow your own vegetables and herbs; saving you money and reducing the amount of pesticides and chemicals you take in. Not to mention how much better they taste.

Rachel Ballard, RNC-MN, BSN
CEO iHealth Communications
www.ihealthcommunications.com

What’s Growing Now

The biggest mistake you can make is planting at the wrong time. If you don’t save your own seed from year to year, I’d recommend getting in the habit at the end of this growing season. But for now, don’t be fooled: you can’t just trot down to the store and pick up a pack of seeds and throw them out on the soil-you must start your seeds indoors and it should have been done, oh, say, February. If you didn’t do that, you can buy plants in a few weeks as the stores begin to fill up. It’s TOO EARLY to plant corn, beans, and tomatoes-you have to wait until the danger of frost passes. I usually wait until the first of May or so.

But right now there are a few items you can get out:

Broccoli
Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts
Onion sets
Even a row or two of potatoes
Sugar snap peas
Lettuces

These veggies love cold weather; in fact, the warmer the growing season for these beauties, themore bitter they will become. So don’t wait until June to plant lettuce or you’ll be highly disappointed.

Tips for Getting Started

Getting your spring veggies going is simple. Grab a well-drained flower pot, rusted wash tub or other container with a fairly large hole in the bottom. Place a rock over the hole if it’s really large so your soil doesn’t fall out and fill with a high-quality potting mix. If you are planting lettuce, it likes a light soil that doesn’t pack, so you might mix in some sand (about 1/3 sand, 2/3 soil) to keep things light. Water frequently and in a few weeks you will be enjoying your own pesticide-free salads.