Chapter 7: How To Grow Your Own Food

 

In a long term Doomsday scenario, stockpiled food resources eventually run out and need to be supplemented.  While basics, such as meat and fruits, may be available from hunting and foraging, a more diverse and healthy diet is attainable by the small scale farming of one's own food in such a situation.  Getting experience with growing your own food before an emergency strikes can be a great way to improve your health and your family budget.

 

A small garden can yield great amounts of healthy, organically grown food during the warmer months of the year with enough left over to preserve for the rest of the year.  By planting companion crops together, you can save space and maximize your harvest.  One popular companion crop planting system, known as the Three Sisters, was used by the North American Indian tribes.  This system used corn, squash and climbing bean planted in close proximity to each other.  Each of the three crops provided assorted benefits that helped the other two plants in the triad to reach full potential. With systems such as this, a good prepper can easily can and store enough food to get through the coming year or two within just one growing season.  With a little water, a little organic fertilizer and a green thumb, a prepper can definitely be prepared for hard times before they come. 

 

Even apartment dwellers can grow fresh fruits and vegetables in most areas.  A simple arrangement of large flower pots or buckets can produce very effective miniature gardens in a limited amount of space.  Fruits, such as tomatoes or strawberries, and vegetables, like green beans or peppers, are good choices for these small balcony gardens and can produce multiple harvests throughout the season.  Check with your local homeowners association before planting such gardens to ensure you aren't violating any association rules but, in most cases, potted plants are not considered a violation as long as they are properly maintained to avoid causing vermin problems for others in the community.

 

While raising livestock and poultry for meat and eggs is certainly a good choice for the long term survivalist, it is not feasible for everyone.  If you live in an area where you can have food animals, such as goats, cows, chickens, turkey or quail, and you have the ability to sustain a flock of poultry or a few head of livestock, then preparation for Doomsday events might include creating your own mini-farm.   As an added benefit, having your own poultry and livestock means you have a consistent source of organic fertilizer for your crops. 

 

Keep in mind that raising livestock requires a prepper to put aside additional supplies of feed to keep their animals going until they can grow enough corn or other feed to create a self-sustaining farm.  For larger herds of livestock, this task would be nearly impossible but for the survivalist who wants to keep a few goats or a milk cow on hand, a bit of preparation could make it work.  Pound for pound, poultry is more likely to be the best use of resources as a single hen of certain breeds can lay more than 300 eggs annually on a relatively small amount of feed and water.

 

Just like human food, animal feed must be stored safely to avoid loss or contamination in the event of a disaster.  A discarded deep freezer makes an excellent storage container for dry feeds due to its ability to withstand the rigors of temperature and its rodent proof construction.  Simply, fill the clean and dried freezer with feed; add a can of desiccant to keep moisture out and some dry ice to remove any oxygen before closing the lid.  By doing so, you can store dry feeds for several years to have on hand in the event of Doomsday.

 

Dried feed can be supplemented in times of disaster by allowing your livestock to free graze but this also presents certain hazards.  While it would probably be safe to allow your animals to graze in a pasture after an earthquake or other natural disaster, some man-made Doomsday scenarios could be more problematic.  In the event of a nuclear or biological threat, this practice could expose your food animals to chemicals or biological agents that could be passed on to you.  It also puts your livestock in a position to be stolen by looters or other individuals who are trying to survive in a post-disaster scenario.  In keeping with the prepper's mentality, plan for the worst and hope for the best.  Put aside enough dry feed to take care of your livestock until they can safely be free grazed or until you can grow enough crops to make your miniature farm is self-sustaining.

 

Feed is not the only consideration when keeping animals for food in preparation for Doomsday events.  Just like humans, animals require shelter.  While the shelter requirements may not be as stringent as those of humans, they still require careful consideration, particularly if you anticipate the type of event where above ground shelter may not be feasible due to exposure or theft concerns.  While a small flock of chickens could easily be kept in an enclosure, underground barns for large livestock, such as cattle, can be very expensive to build and maintain. 

 

Both animals and crops require water to survive.  Farming in a Doomsday scenario will require the prepper to have a safe and reliable water source or enhanced versions of water collectors and distillation units to provide enough water for use by humans, livestock and crops. 

 

Basic veterinary and animal husbandry skills and supplies should also be taken into consideration.  In the event of a global Doomsday, it is not likely that you could just call on the local veterinary clinic to handle problems that may arise with your livestock and poultry.  If you plan to farm for survival in a post-apocalyptic world, then learning how to assist livestock in the delivery of young, how to handle complications or to recognize and treat animal illnesses is important.  Antibiotics and the proper tools for the job, paired with the appropriate knowledge are the keys to keeping your food animals healthy and productive.

 

In a post-Doomsday world, the ability to farm and grow your own food may be the key to long-term survival of the human species.  Acquiring a working knowledge of the basic skills before disaster strikes is imperative if this is part of your Doomsday preparation and survival plans.