re Survival Garden: New to the garden

by Candice
(Louisiana)

For starters, I would like to thank you for taking the time and writing about a survival garden. I was recently talking with my husband about my trip to the grocery store.

I was shopping for items to make a good Cesar salad. I wanted fresh Romain lettuce but all the store offered was this small, shriveled, brown stuff with the same name. I was sadly disappointed.

And then I realized that ALL the produce I've been buying from the grocery store has no taste but costs more. I've also noticed that bagged items I look to buy now have less product in the bag and yet cost the same or more.

To get to the issue, I have decided, with my husband and children in tow, to start my own little farm of sorts. We are lucky in that we live on three acres of land in the country. I got a small greenhouse for Christmas that I will use to begin a small aquaponics farm to go along with a traditional farm. We are also considering building a fish pond, raising chickens for eggs and meat and raising a couple of pigs a year for freezer meat.

My goal is to become self sufficient in our food needs for my family of five. Your survival garden articles are such a great inspiration and are encouraging.

I know very little about gardening of any kind so I am constantly researching the many topics out there on the internet (use it while I got it).
Thank you for your info!
Candice

---------------------
Thanks, Candice

you are taking a great step to ensure food security for your family. Suzie and I started just like you are describing, trying to provide good, healthy, nutritious food for us and our kids.

I'll be writing more about gardening and animal husbandry in upcoming articles, but in the meantime you might consider ducks in addition to or instead of chickens. They forage for more of their own food, are typically hardier, and the right breeds lay just as many eggs; all of which might become important in survival situations.

Stay in touch, let us know how it goes.

regards,

Scott