preppers

i was just watching the natgeo show "doomsday preppers". this one guy had a years worth of food stockpiled against the "economic armeggedon". to increase his food production capability he plans to turn 1000 sf of his yard into "the most productive gardening method using the square foot garden method". i got a giggle out of it, thought y'all might too.

Man..that guy is going to be busy!

you say 1000 square feet like it is a bad thing...

I just say it because I have about 150 squares and that keeps me very busy...I can't imagine 10 times that amount...whewwhhh

I only say it because I am TRYING to have enough growing in my garden some day to feed myself, and to make for a retirement that food is free.
If somehow the work in my garden could make it so I did not have to work elsewhere.

Works for me. I think it is a great idea. And if you do things like dried beans or want to can tomatoes or anything, you need a bunch of squares.

I DO DO those things.
I still am working on all of those things, trying to get better at them.
A few more years of work though.

And if you are in British Columbia instead of southern California even more so. Haha.

I have a feeling your a lot better than your giving yourself credit for

my goal is about 1200 squares, i retire in about 15 yrs and would like for the greenhouse and garden to bring in some joyjar money, fill all of our freezers and keep me active. i have a terrible tendency to computer surf if i dont have a chore to do outside. i reckon that many squares would give me a few chores, don't you? lol

Yeah, I know what you mean. Thats an ambitious and admirable goal. You know, this upcoming year I found a family(through advertising)that was wanting me to grow their produce and veggies. The agreement is for the first-6 weeks as a trial, but they will continue to the next 6 week, and then the final 6 weeks in the fall if their satisfied. I'm confident they will be. It's $20 per week. I'm delivering to them since Im in sales and they are close. It's good for them, easy for me, and it more than pays for my garden hobby expenses this year. Maybe you ought to think about doing something like a CSA with your SFG? I've thought about it but I have a full time job. And, I dont have the space for it like you do. I know a guy who does this and he is making really good money. In fact, he has to turn away customers because he can only take on 60 "shares" during the 18 week season....just a thought

that is certainly an organized man. if i do manage to get it up and running, i might be able to sell to the mennonites. there is a large community just a few miles from me where everyone goes to get produce. often i have been there and they'd have run out of squashes or peppers. and other than dill, i never see herbs there. a lot of my garden will be herbs, so they might be an outlet. they will be building my greenhouse this spring, so i won't be putting any squares in until that is done. sure don't want them tromping around on it, and want to give them plenty of room to work. like i said i have a few years before i can retire, so i have time to learn.

HAHAHA!

I saw that show and thought the guy with his own personal seed bank and the guy with 1000sqf should get together!

On the other hand I was kinda drooling over the seed bank!

I have gotten SOOOOO many plants started already, I really do not know what I am going to do with them all, however the local gardening store is already offering to sell my plant starts.
and then I have several places that might sell my veggies. Perhaps it is the kind of thing one can do to "test the waters" for retirement.
I LOVE gardening so much, I would do it no matter what, however to see if I can make a few buck here and there is OK too.
Might help ....
Hope to retire in about 2 years, at least down to about one day of work a week.

GWN wrote:you say 1000 square feet like it is a bad thing...

I am only up to 256 sq f + big tomato tubs, potato bins, tree and raspberry tubs. I am looking for more room too. If I had grand-children instead of dogs ......dreaming

Debs ....needs labor that will work for cookies.

I seen that show a few months ago.They were on Anderson's show and again on MSN in the last week or so. I thought the bicycle grinder was pretty cool myself.

Lavender Debs wrote:...
Debs ....needs labor that will work for cookies.