What's Your Garden Plan?

And is it really going to feed your family in a crisis?

The following image is a garden plan issued by the state of Illinois sometime during World War II.  I shamelessly copied the image which was posted at Last Stand on Zombie Island and reposted on a forum I frequent.  I'm just going to assume that this is something that really was promoted by the state of Illinois at the time.  

 

So what do you think as you review this early infographic?  My first thoughts:

• There aren't any potatoes.  Maybe potatoes were one crop that was plentiful and still shipping everywhere.  Maybe they just didn't grow well in Illinois, but that doesn't seem likely.  
• I've never even eaten parsnips, rutabagas, collards, or turnips.
• I loathe radishes, but I have seeds for them.  Radishes are the earliest crops to reach maturity, which can be really important in times of scarcity.  
• I also don't like head lettuce.  Much prefer leaf lettuce.  Of course, there is no way to preserve either of these.  
• I'm not very fond of beets, either.  Or lima beans.
  
• Where are the melons, cucumbers, and squash?
• No corn or strawberries?
• No garlic?

Maybe there was a second page, but I doubt it.  

Rule #1:  Never rely on the government.  Of course, if you're reading this blog, you already know that rule.  I'm seriously disturbed that long-keeping sources of vitamins and calories like winter squash and potatoes are not included in the above garden plan.  Using that plan as a guideline, families would have two dozen different types of vegetable seeds on their shopping list and think they must have covered all the bases.   But several of those vegetables can only be eaten fresh--not canned, not frozen, and definitely not stored for the long term.  None are high in calories. 

Rule #2:  Learn from history.  This plan was written for a time when most domestic production crops and the resultant canned goods was destined for supporting the troops in the war efforts overseas.  Because gasoline and tires were also rationed, there just wasn't the means to transport fresh produce to grocery stores.  We got a taste test of rationing and short supplies last year.  What happens with a much more serious crisis?

Rule #3.   Be adaptable.  The above garden plan assumes that families will be canning their excess produce.  However, as we saw last year, canning lids disappeared from store shelves.  They still haven't returned.  Amazon has a lot of sellers offering canning lids for pretty reasonable prices.  Unfortunately, most of them are coming from our friends in China, and the reviews aren't great.  If you can't can, can you dehydrate?

Rule #4.  Be prepared.  Where are you getting seeds?  They're plentiful in my local stores right now.  But as we saw last year, there was a massive run on all things gardening.  There will be again when people panic.  Don't rely on "survival seed vaults."  These overpriced package deals generally contain only open-pollinated seeds.  And while being able to save seeds is an important survival skill, it's not one to rely on in the initial year of survival gardening.  Hybrid seeds will produce much more reliably, and surviving that first year is essential.  Make sure you have both hybrid and heritage seeds.  Keep in mind that open-pollinated corn tastes a whole lot different from the super-sweet hybrids we buy in the grocery store.  You might want to buy larger quantities of these hybrid seeds and store them well so that you can eat super sweet corn for years, rather than being relegated to heirloom corn of previous generations.

Rule #5.  Practice now.  Learning what vegetables and varieties grow best in your yard begins now.  Become successful with a few essential crops and then add in the foods you and your family love. 

Links to related posts:

How to test vegetable seeds for germination

Survival Seed Packages:  Good Buy or Goodbye? 

Heirloom v. Hybrid Seeds