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Prepping Without a Green Thumb
Many Silver Bear Cafe readers will agree... a collapse is not "if" but "when." I happen to believe that we are living in the eye of the storm and any number of occurrences could trigger a crash. Pick your poison: hyperinflation, a derivatives meltdown, a major bank failure, 1859-esque solar flares, an EMP/terrorist attack, the "big one" in California or New Madrid. The list goes on and on. But the truth is the trigger will probably blindside us with something no one expects... something we never dreamed of like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Who could have predicted that catastrophe? My wife and I have been prepping since we got married six years ago. We've been progressing by the numbers: food, shelter, water, security... food, shelter, water, security. When it comes to food storage, most preppers typically have 50 pound bags of pinto beans and rice and maybe an assortment of freeze dried something or other. That boring combo of beans and rice, rice and beans might work for a follower of Dave Ramsey while they're digging out of debt but what about fresh vegetables a month or two after the lights go out? Grow a garden, you say? That's a good idea but it's easier said than done to supply your family with all they'll need month after month. We've tried to grow a garden now for three years and will continue to work on sharpening our green thumb skills next year and the year after. But after three summers of "attempted gardening," all we have succeeded in doing is lowering our price per tomato from $57.13 each to under $10 (they were really good!). That's progress but sadly, this level of gardening success and puny production won't feed your family throughout the year. What's a lover of fresh produce to do? Recently, I had one of those "ah-ha" moments. Sprouts! We could grow sprouts all year long and there are many varieties from which to choose (alfalfa, broccoli, mung bean, clover, garlic, radish, etc., etc.). In years gone by I have grown some alfalfa sprouts in those plastic layered gismos but somehow my plastic gismo had disappeared. I went online and did a little research looking for the best prices on sprouting seeds and suggested methods for growing these little veggies. Finding the best bulk prices was pretty easy - google "buy bulk sprouting seeds" and compare - and I decided to try the mason jar method of growing them (a wide mouth mason jar fitted with a plastic ring and stainless steel or plastic screen insert). Now with two months of continuous kitchen mini-farming under my belt, I have declared myself to be an expert and want to explain exactly how you can grow and harvest fresh vegetables every few days year round. You can either use pint-size or quart-size wide mouth mason jars for your countertop crops. For a one day ration for two people of these delicious and extremely healthy little plants, I have found that the pint-size jar is just perfect (broccoli sprouts, for example, are more than 10 times more nutritious than the full-grown broccoli plant). If you use a pint jar, measure a level tablespoon of sprout seeds and dump them in the jar (use two table spoons of seeds if you use a quart jar). Next, cover the seeds with an inch or so of water and let them soak for 8-12 hours. My "south forty" sprout farm is located next to our kitchen sink so it acts as a visual reminder for me to faithfully carryout the twice daily rinses. The placement of the jars should not be in direct sun light.
Bingo, in three or four days your pint jars will be packed tight with fresh sprouts. I have a glass container that I shake my harvest of fresh veggies into for storage in the refrigerator. Now I'm ready to start another crop. Actually, I have 3-5 jars growing continuously that I have started a day apart. This allows for a non-stop supply of these tender little plants. With or without a green thumb and with just minimal effort, you can provide your family with nutritious greens all year round... even Mikey will love 'em... and they're really good for you! Davis Mauldin |
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After the 8-12 hour soak - with the plastic ring and screen screwed on to the jar - shake the water out of the jar and refill it. Rinse (shake) this seed-filled fresh water for three or four seconds before dumping the water (I set the jars upside down on our toaster oven's broiling rack to catch any excess water drainage). You'll find that when you think all the water has been shaken out, if you will tilt the jar about 45 degrees even more water will drain out. Repeat this rinsing regimen every 12 hours placing the jars upside down on the broiler rack so air can circulate a little bit. 