Professional Documents
Culture Documents
heirloom |e()rloom| noun a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations
The seeds in this collection represent the most recent incarnation in a long and ancient lineage, weaving a course back through countless generations, to the early days of the domestication of these species. The plants herein were grown to maturity time and again, their best seeds saved, year after year until these unique varieties were developed, and then passed on . They have arrived here now, in your hands, and today you are the steward of this phenotype, this variety. Grow them, feed yourself and those you love, save your seeds as well, and you too will be a thread sewn into the tapestry that is the story of these plants genetic journey through the landscapes of mankind. They will move through you and along to those to whom you pass them on. Through you they will live and then become heirlooms once again. Unlike the fruits and vegetables that we find merchandized in our supermarket produce departments, these unique varieties were not chosen for their tolerance to the rigors of shipping, or for their ability to sit long days, unspoiled, upon the mega-mart shelves. Unlike those flavorless and nutritionally bankrupt varieties that our modern food-machine manufactures, these varieties were not selected for the characteristics that help the merchant turn a dime. Rather, and more to the point, they have been chosen for their unique beauty, their genetic strength, the ripe and bursting flavors that bespeak their nutritional density. Throughout time, human beings have celebrated flavorful produce in its season, freshly harvested from the garden at the peak of its ripeness. The industrial era brought both humankind and the garden to its knees, and the food of that age had all the sparkle, appeal, and nutritional value of a factory-line item. Now the tables have turned once more. Now you hold in your hands the source of true health, and therefore, wealth. May these seeds bring abundance to your heart and to your table. May you be deeply nourished by the satisfaction that only food sovereignty can bring. Each seed within this collection is a priceless heirloom. They live on through you. Daniel Vitalis Health Motivator and Strategist Co-Founder of SurThrival
INTRODUCTION
The finest collection of pure non-hybrid open pollinated seeds for the health and survival of you and your family. These organic heirloom strains will produce a deliciousarray of fruits, veggies and grains in your home garden for optimal nutrition including important proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes with extra greens for a boost from life force promoting chlorophyll plus varieties that provide essential oils, herbal medicinals, and even nectar for your garden pollinators and forage for chickens, horses and cattle. The SurThrival Seeds Collection provides seeds for barter including the highly prized and rare Hopi Tobacco seeds the original cultivar of North America. All protected inside this steel can in moisture resistant packaging to keep these live embryos fresh and long lasting for years of planting productivity. Sow, harvest and learn to save seed your personal seed bank will support a lifestyle of food independence with the pleasure of fresh picked home grown goodness. Harnessing sun energy direct through your very own efforts for your health freedom and safety! Mindful of a few important principles when farming and gardening such as nourishing our soil first, and working in harmony with beneficial microbes, worms, insects and animals will provide us with success in growing an abundance of healthy food. By reintegrating our food systems back into our lives, we will gradually build our knowledge bank on our path to food self-sufficiency. Over time, well discover best methods and practices about our local environments and growing conditions to be self-sustaining. And by embracing our community of neighbors, local farmers and permaculture associations to help us grow, we can expand our sense of interdependence with like-minded people the surest path forward to self-sustaining self-sufficiency! The following information is to help prepare you in understanding the specific planting, growing, and harvesting instructions for each seed variety to get the most from your seeds and provide you with some of the basic important considerations in caring for your seeds and planting your garden.
And by embracing our community of neighbors, local farmers and permaculture associations to help us grow, we can expand our sense of interdependence with like-minded people the surest path forward to self-sustaining self-sufficiency!
CHAPTER 1 SEEDS
Starting with fresh seeds from the most recent growing season wherever possible SurThrival Seeds are germination tested to ensure high germination rates. Seeds are either purchased directly from growers or from a variety of smaller seed companies that work directly with growers who maintain organic growing standards and whose seeds have received organically grown certifications. Seeds are packed for longer term storage. Seeds are fragile, living organisms, and the shelf life of the seed is affected at the beginning of the plant cycle by such factors as soil nutrition. Though providing the best conditions for crop growth and health is the foundation of seed quality, the factors that can have the most important effect on seed viability and vigor are harvesting, extraction, cleaning, transportation, and storage. It is easy for seed to become damaged at any of these stages. To preserve viability of the seed for as long as possible, optimal storage requires controlled temperature and humidity (not above 25%). We source seed that comes to us correctly dried and germination tested, ready to be packaged for long term storage. Seeds are placed in individual zip lock clear pouches in a low humidity environment. The total seed assortment is then placed into a protective sealed waterproof, and puncture resistant poly mylar bag. There is space left within the contents of the bag to ensure that the seeds have oxygen since they are living organisms. The key is to control the moisture, as moisture increases the respiration rate of seeds, which in turn raises seed temperature that reduces germination rate, and can even promote mold growth. Each bag includes clay desiccant inside a small Tyvek paper pouch as a highly effective moisture absorbing material to control moisture.
Permaculture is revolution disguised as organic gardening. Graham Burnett Permaculture A Beginners Guide
Finally, seeds are enclosed in this steel can with tight fitting lid the lid may be removed to examine the contents which includes the sealed bag, the SurThrival Growing Guide with important information on growing, harvesting and seed saving, plus an independent package of seeds for barter that can be used at anytime without disturbing the sealed bag. Since it is best for longer term storage to keep the seeds cool, store this can under refrigeration or somewhere cool. Longevity increases as temperature decreases. Subfreezing temperatures can protect seeds well for many years if seeds have moisture content below 14% because ice crystals do not form. Seed cycled in and out of the freezer too many times without re-drying may cause degradation of germination. Importantly, keep the can dry as steel will rust. This can is epoxy lined to resist rust. Replace the lid tightly to keep moisture, insects and rodents out!
If you should wish to begin planting some of your seeds in the more immediate term, once opened, reseal your remaining SurThrival Seeds by zip locking the interior mylar bag. Be sure to dry the clay prior to adding it back to the contents it can be dried in the oven for several hours after removing the Tyvek paper cover. Youll know when the time is right to begin growing your own food and accumulating the experience of what works well in your environment. Your garden, whatever its shape and size, will become a work in progress to a wonderful bio-diverse symbiotic system with some trial and error along the way eventually allowing you to produce thousands of pounds of food every year and a deep knowledge of how to get the most out of your garden. Or your SurThrival Seeds, in storage, may simply be your peace of mind for several years to come.
Adopting permaculture in your garden could be the first step towards limiting your personal consumption and planning your life to become more creative as time goes by. Graham Bell, The Permaculture Garden
CHAPTER 2 SOIL
Organic goes beyond not using chemical pesticides it is about farming as a system and it all starts with the soil a good fertile living soil is a culture medium to produce healthy nutritious foods that is able to support a network of microbes, insects and animals as a healthy system. When we shift our paradigm to seeing soil as a biological community of beings, this in turn allows for methods beyond a chemically based approach of adding and depleting NPK to one that can continually regenerate soil through the fundamentals of plant growth and decay. Nutrients Healthy plants require three essential compounds in order to produce healthy nutrient dense foods N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorus) and K (Potassium). An important means of providing these is by fertilization to ensure all the vital compounds are available for healthy thriving plants. To produce organic produce, it is important to select organic fertilizers that come from plants, animals and mined minerals. For soil application, you can use powdered, pelleted and tablet fertilizer. Use liquid fertilizers or water soluble fertilizers through irrigation, or foliar sprays that are applied directly to the leaves of plants that will absorb the nutrients through their stoma, the pores in their leaves. Refer to Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) Products List as the most complete directory of organic production or processing if you plan a meticulous approach to keeping your methods organic. Plant fertilizer alfalfa, corn gluten and cottonseed meal; and sea kelp or seaweed; and green manure that are cover crop plants turned into the soil Animal fertilizer blood, bone, and fishmeal; and composted chicken manure Mined Mineral fertilizer soft rock phosphate, gypsum, and limestone When NPK is added as artificial forms, these acid based chemical fertilizers kill off the various soil bacteria, beneficial fungus and earthworms, which support the humus, which is the great basis of soil structure. Plants are weakened by being fed with artificial fertilizers susceptible to insects and diseases that then need a whole host of further chemical pesticides and fungicides causing poisonous pollution of the soil, water, and animal and human life. The end result is that farming soils the world over have lost their structure, and are now degraded soils. Use natural forms of fertilizers to create fertile living soils.
Composting Soils that have high humus content, have abundant living biological activity. Organic compost is essential in organic gardening to add beneficial soil microbes and nutrients, and adding organic matter increases water retention. By starting with scraps from your kitchen, you can begin first steps to creating a closed loop system. Rich soil is made up of sand, clay and organic matter (compost) in various stages of decomposition. Humus is the stable remains of decayed matter broken down by fungi and bacteria that then provides a reservoir for plant nutrients available in the soil for balanced growth. There are many methods for composting so research ones that will work for the type and volume of material you can feed your compost and the space you have available in the garden. Simple soil testing can help you determine how much matter to add to get the right amounts of NPK. Cover Cropping and Manure Healthy soil, rich in organic matter and teeming with life, is essential for a thriving farm or garden. There is no better, more sustainable way to build, protect, and enrich soils than by cover cropping particularly for sustainable, organic growing and farming. Non-food crops grown for plowing under to benefit the soil are also referred to as green manure. The roots of these plants exude vitamins, enzymes, and other vital compounds that nurture essential bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and other soil dwelling organisms. After being incorporated into the soil, the decomposing plant tops provide additional essential elements, improving nutrient availability, soil structure, drainage, waterholding capacity, and overall soil health.
Cover crops also suppress weeds, host beneficial insects, sequester atmospheric carbon, and beautify the landscape. Overtime, combine different species to suit your needs and microclimate. We have provided a core variety of seeds that will also support livestock and attract numerous insects and wildlife. Manures from chicken and other livestock are essential to providing key nutrients. By utilizing solar generated bio-mass that is turned under or decomposed on site and adding composted manures from herbivores, mimics nature to create fertile soil ready to produce foods concentrated with nutrients. Inoculants Legumes are a very important part of sustainable gardening. Garden inoculants will improve the growth and nitrogen-fixing ability of various peas, beans, and vetch. When tilled under, they not only add organic matter to your soil, they also add nitrogen. Legumes form a symbiotic relationship with rhizobial bacteria that causes nitrogen from the air to accumulate in nodules on their roots. This nitrogen is then converted into a usable form. Some is used by the legume plant itself and the excess is released into the soil for other plants to use. This entire process is called nitrogen fixing and occurs only if there are sufficient populations of rhizobial bacteria in the soil. Inoculants are live rhizobial bacteria. Since these bacteria have a short life expectancy, they need to be sourced fresh yearly at the time of planting your seeds. Beneficial Insects The topic of good and bad bugs is crucial to organic farmers. Planting to attract predator insects is a natural method of pest management. We have included several plants that will do the job. For instance, sunflowers, dill, yarrow, and flowering cover crops will attract ladybugs as their source of food these lovely bugs in turn will help to control aphids. There are many more examples to create a teeming community to keep pests in check.
CHAPTER 3 PLANTING
Planning Your growing success will be dependent on good planning. Time and space cannot be wasted if you have limited area to work with and if you have plenty of space, youll want to consider multi-dimensional growing all the way from ground level at your soil on up into a canopy of food trees. Including food trees such as fruit and nut trees (apricot, fig, citrus, apple, walnut, pecan, almond, avocado) will take a number of years before they begin producing however they will also require little effort once established to eventually provide bountiful harvests so begin the investment in growing some of these now. A diverse interdependent system will produce a wide variety of foods that can be harvested in some cases all year long. Adding berries that fill the layers in between will provide crucial anti-oxidants and a harbor for beneficial animals, while protecting smaller plants. There are some excellent on-line tools for garden planning so get started playing around with your space including patio and roof top gardens to raised beds and wide open patches. Over millennia, wealth was created by storing the Suns energy in plants by growing, so anyone cultivating land found every possible way to maximize what could be grown. To get maximum sun, plant tallest plants on the north side to minimize their shade and plant rows running north south.
Lifecycle Annuals (planted from seed every year) put their energy into something that you harvest such as the grain whereas perennials put their energy into their roots and wont require your involvement year to year in sowing seed. Biennials are flowering plants that take two years to complete their biological lifecycle in the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots, and then goes dormant over winter. In the following spring and summer, the stem will elongate (bolt) for flowering to produce fruits or seeds before the plant finally dies. Crop Rotation Crop rotation is one of the oldest and most effective cultural control strategies. It means the planned order of specific crops planted on the same field to reduce disease. It also means that the succeeding crop belongs to a different family than the previous one. The planned rotation may vary from 2 to 3 years or longer. On the next cropping, start by planting a different family than the previous one: Allium onion; Aster lettuce, sunflower; Cucurbit cucumber, pumpkin, squash, watermelon, zucchini; Crucifer brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, radish, turnip); Grains/Cereals barley, corn, millet, oat, rice, sorghum, wheat; Legume bean, pea; Solanaceous (Nightshade family) eggplant, potato, pepper, tomato; Umbrelliferous carrot, celery, parsley, parsnip. Or a simpler grouping - plant leafy vegetable, then fruit vegetable, then root crops, then legumes, then small grains. Practice green manuring. And keep records. Rotation prevents soil depletion and erosion, maintains soil fertility, controls insects, pests, disease and weeds by changing out the crop of dependence.
Over millennia, wealth was created by storing the Suns energy in plants by growing, so anyone cultivating land found every possible way to maximize what could be grown.
Companion Gardening Diversity is most important in organic gardening. By growing numerous types of crops you create habitats for beneficial insects or animals, deter pests, and enrich your soil to create a living ecosystem of beneficial bacteria and helpful fungi. Many people are familiar with the Native American the Three Sisters technique of combining corn, squash, and beans. This trio provides a balanced diet. Also, the corn offers the beans needed support. The beans pull nitrogen from the air and bring it to the soil for the benefit of all three. As the beans grow through the tangle of squash vines and wind their way up the cornstalk into the sunlight, they hold the sisters close together. The large leaves of the sprawling squash protect the threesome by creating living mulch that shades the soil keeping it cool and moist and preventing weeds. The prickly squash leaves also keep away raccoons, which dont like to step on them. Planting certain crops next to each other, can increase yield and deter pests. Consult a combining guide to start mixing apples and oranges!
Preparing Seeds Youve prepared your soil and made a plan and now its time to prepare your seeds. The seeds outer coat is there to protect the embryo inside from extreme temperatures, parasites and mechanical injury. The embryo is a tiny immature plant within the seed coat with the endosperm or food that will nourish the embryo in its early stages of development. Seed dormancy is very complex, however it protects the living plant material until conditions are right for it to emerge and grow. Scarification is a method to break dormancy on seeds by breaking or weakening a very hard seed coat impervious to water and gases mechanical with a small nick, or light sanding between sheets of sandpaper, soaking in hot (not boiling) water or a sulphuric acid (which needs specific instructions and care for safety). In nature, scarification occurs as the seed is exposed to freezing temperatures or microbial activity or passes through the digestive tract of birds and animals. Once scarified, seed will not store well so youll want to get planting. You may be called upon for moist, cold stratification which is storing the seed in the refrigerator for a period as a signal to seeds to germinate once removed from the cold as they would in the spring following winter.
Germinating Seeds Typically big seeds have more endosperm to feed the embryo plant longer while it works its way to light so larger seeds can be planted deeper and some small seeds can even be placed right on top of the soil. Seeds must absorb water to get the germination process underway so soaking these will help things along, and light but frequent moisture will be important for the newly emerged roots. Seeds that are planted in summer should be planted a bit deeper to maintain moisture below the soil surface. Germination testing is important to determine how many of your seeds will sprout being effected by many factors including their age and storage conditions. Placing 10 seeds on a damp folded paper towel inside a sealed plastic sandwich bag for a week or so at room temperature depending on the seed variety will provide a good indication of their germination rate as they sprout (10 seeds 100% = perfect, 9 seeds 90% = excellent, 8 seeds 80% = good, 67 seeds 6070% = sow more thickly, 5 seeds or less 50% = throw the seed out!) We would rather sow very thickly than throw any seeds out.
Sowing Seeds Sowing seeds indoors will give you a jump start on spring particularly if your northern growing season is shorter plants started indoors and transplanted will flower sooner and produce an earlier harvest than those started directly outdoors. Select clean containers such as egg cartons, peat pots or seed starting trays, fill with a seed starting soil mix that is moist not wet, and follow instructions on the depth of hole required. Small seeds can be placed right on top of the soil with a covering of fine vermiculite and roots. Mark rows with plant type, variety and date of planting. Plant large seeded vegetables such as cucumber and watermelon directly in peat pots as some of these do not transplant well later on. Cover the container with a plastic film or bag or window glass to retain moisture so that little or no further watering is required until germination and place in a warm location. At germination, remove covering and move to bright light such as a bright south window do not place covered containers in sunlight and find a cool location for the plants that prefer cool temperatures. Cleanliness is crucial to control any spread of fungus that can attack seedlings. Damping-off is a fungus where seedlings are weakened and fall over at the ground line exacerbated by high temperature, poor light or excess moisture. Check the pH (potential Hydrogen ions) of your soil with a simple soil testing kit from your local nursery. A soil test is the only precise way to determine whether the soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline a measure of the amount of lime. Generally, soils in moist climates tend to be an acidic soil (lower than 7.0), and those in dry climates are alkaline (higher than 7.0). Most soil nutrients are readily available when soil pH is at 6.57.5. It is easier to make soils more alkaline done by adding lime. To make them more acidic, add sulfur, sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips and peat moss. Changing the pH should be done over time, with annual soil testing to gauge progress, or prepare beds with a topsoil purchased at a nursery to get started right away.
Transplant Seedlings As soon as seedlings have used up the nutrients provided by the sprouted seeds, they benefit from small amounts of fertilizer liquid is best for quick up take at half strength for a manufactured one or mix your own teas using dried chicken manure with wood shavings, seaweed, eggshells, and grass clippings that have been soaking in water. Once seedlings have developed at least one set of true leaves, they should be transplanted to individual pots. Handle by the leaves instead of by small thin stems, avoid tearing roots, carefully dig up the small plants with a knife, or spatula. If several have grown closely together, gently separate. Poke a hole into the soil where the seedling will be planted. Make it deep enough so that the seedling can be put at the same depth it was growing in the seed flat small plants 1 inch apart and large rapidly growing 2 inches apart. Then firm the soil and water gently. Keep newly transplanted seedlings in the shade for a few days. If moving plants to outdoors, they need to be hardened by introducing them over a two week period starting with shade and daily increasing their sun exposure and frequency of watering. Once planted theyll require a further fertilization.
CHAPTER 4 GROWING
Typically, heirloom plants have adapted to whatever climate and soil they have been growing in, so over time, their genes have become pest, disease and extreme weather resistant. Introducing a seed to a new environment will take some additional care. Irrigation Rain water harvesting and an underground source may be opportunities for delivering water to your plants or supplementing through an irrigation system. Conventional sprinklers, drip or soaker hoses, or ditches along your rows of plants are methods to deliver water efficiently to your garden. Plants need water for cell division, cell enlargement, and even for holding themselves up. If the cells dont have enough water in them, the result is a wilted plant. It also dissolves your home made fertilizers, and along with light and carbon dioxide, produces the sugars that provide the plant with energy for growth. How often you water will depend on how well your soil retains moisture, how fast water evaporates in your climate and how often it rains. Humidity, temperature, wind and air movement will affect water evaporation. Plants need more water when days are bright. And certain type and maturity of the plant will require differing amounts. Sometimes water is not what a wilting plant may need. Sometimes their leaves get ahead of their roots ability to deliver water. If a plant wilts in the afternoon from the heat it can regain its balance overnight however wilting early indicates it needs water immediately. If the soil is dry to a depth of half an inch or so, its time to water. When hand watering rather than using a nozzle that can deliver either too strong a flow or an inefficient mist, the best way of controlling water flow is to use your thumb. Automating your watering through an irrigation system can be a great time saver. The best use drip hoses to supply water directly to the base of the plants minimizing the loss of water to evaporation common with sprinkler systems. The most economical way of creating an automatic watering system is to use soaker hoses (porous hoses that allow water to trickle out throughout their length) and a simple timer that fits onto the tap. Place the hoses under any mulch at about six inches from the base of your plants. With just a minimum amount of pressure, this hose can be left on for several hours. Soaking promotes deep root growth making for a sturdier healthier plant.
Mulching Mulch is a protective cover placed over soil to retain moisture, reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and suppress weed growth that mimics leaf cover found on the forest floors. Leaves, grass clippings, hay, straw, shredded bark, sawdust and fully composted materials can be applied towards the beginning of the growing season which serves to initially warm the soil by retaining the heat which is lost during the night, allows earlier seeding and transplanting, and encourages faster growth. As the season progresses, mulch stabilizes the soil temperature and moisture, and prevents sunlight from germinating weed seeds. In winter, it can keep the soil frozen until winter ends instead of alternately freezing and thawing which expanding and contracting can break new roots or even push new plantings out of the ground. Organic mulches will decay over time so will need continual replacement.
Increase seed rates and narrow planting rows to give the desired crop a competitive edge. Healthy soil can be built by using cover crops, choosing good crop rotation, applying compost and mulching to smother weeds, and maintaining good drainage. Turning existing weeds into the soil with a weeding hoe or hand weeding while weeds are small will deal with those already grown to prevent weeds from setting seed. Some home made weed killers can include a blend of vinegar and lemon juice, and also boiling water for spot removal. Sunlight An edible garden will require a great deal of sunlight to thrive. Its important to understand the lighting definitions as they apply to your space. The shade cast by a tree can be described in degrees as partial sun (46 hours of direct sun) or partial shade (24 hours of direct sun). This will determine what you are able to grow in these areas. You will have a few options for plants that will grow in partial shade including herbs and leafy greens that may not reach mature sizes.
Weed Control Weeds are simply plants growing in places you dont want them to. Partial sun will host bush beans, radishes and peas with reduced yields Weed seeds exist in the soil of all gardens and can be spread by wind, and berries. Ideal conditions for many plants will be full sun (6+ hours water, animals and soil amendments we use to help our gardens grow. of direct sun). The length of day is a crucial factor for some plants. As Theres probably no more important place for organic weed control than an example, regardless of when an onion is planted, the amount of in the vegetable patch where they compete with your vegetables for soil dark and light the bulbing onion is exposed to strongly influences when nutrients and water. Weeds are the number one concern for field crop and if it bulbs, flowers or sets seed. Onions come in short day (12 Important info that important problems for vegetable and fruit this hours of light per day to begin bulb formation), intermediate day (13 to organic farmers and pose you want to highlight goes in 14 hours of light) and long day (14 hours or more of light per day) organic farmers and can dramatically reduce crop yield if not controlled. band....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The best line of defense is to build healthy soil. A biologically active and varieties. Because location (latitude, or distance north or south of the >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>. diverse soil will reduce weed populations and help plants and crops equator) determines day length, some kinds of onions are not suited to grow faster. The faster a crop builds a canopy to fill rows and cover the some locations since youll need to match that photoperiod with the soil, the less impact weeds will have on the crop. right time of year for soil temperature and plant maturity.
A short-day onion at northern latitudes when the days reach short-day photoperiod is only March when the soil is cold and the plant is tiny. Market growers will find that calculating a target harvest date is effected by length of day depending on when in the year they plant radishes planted in September take 29 days to maturity, in late November 77 and those planted at the end of January 65. Pollinators Animal and insect pollinators are essential to pollination in over 75% of the worlds flowering plants, which includes roughly 35 percent of the worlds crops. Animal and insect pollinators include bees, moths, flies, bats, birds, ants, butterflies, wasps and beetles. Some of these pollinator species have declined in numbers, become endangered or even gone extinct due to the loss of natural food supplies and habitat.
Weve made a point to include varieties of seeds including Red Clover. The list of crops that are pollinated by honey bees is endless including fruits, berries, nuts, clovers, alfalfa, canola, and many vegetables. Eventually, neighbors can come together to share in bee keeping for wax and honey so your crops will be valuable to support the nutrition and health of your local bees. Bees are the most predominant pollinators of flowering plants in nature, thus contributing a vital service to the ecosystem. Because of this important role, bees are referred to as keystone organisms. Techniques to encourage native bees to live in your area are simple to implement. These can be done on a farm or in a home garden. You can preserve known nesting and foraging sites on your property, or you can create them. Good bee habitat must include water, areas for nesting or egg-laying and secure over-wintering sites. Flowers that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season will provide adequate food. These habitat and forage areas should never be treated with insecticides or other harmful chemicals.
SELF SUFFICIENCY
SurThrival Seeds are your opportunity to create your personal seed bank that you can draw from to grow your own healthy and nutritious food, then harvest seeds from your crops, and store those seeds to continually increase your own seed stock available for sharing, exchanging and as a currency for barter. The worldwide effort to preserve seeds through the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway and facilities within countries around the world including the USA validates the effort to preserve seed and plant variety.
If humanity does not opt for integrity we are through completely. It is absolutely touch and go. Each one of us could make the difference. - R. Buckminster Fuller
CHAPTER 5 HARVESTING
Most vegetables are harvested just before full maturity for maximum flavor and the most pleasant texture. The only fail-safe way to guarantee harvesting vegetables at the optimal time is to taste test. However, there are guidelines for each variety in judging when vegetables are ripe and ready for harvest. Counting days to maturity cant always be relied upon as growth depends on many factors including precipitation, temperature, and soil fertility, and so can vary from year to year. The best way to determine when a vegetable is ready to harvest is from the characteristics of the plant itself. These signs can often be subtle and it takes practice to familiarize yourself with them. Refer to a harvest guide for each variety to help you along as your plants mature. When harvesting vegetables, be careful not to break, nick, or bruise them. The less vegetables are handled, the longer they will last in storage. Harvest only vegetables of high quality. Rotting produce cannot be stored for very long, and could spread disease to other stored vegetables. Succession Planting You can stretch the harvest of many vegetables by planting your seeds repeatedly. You must consider the earliest date you can plant when cold weather limits you in spring, the latest date you can plant and still get a crop to harvest before cold arrives in fall, the date beyond which you wont get good quality because of heat, rain, insects and other pressures, the days to maturity for each crop and the length of the harvest period for each variety. These factors vary widely across regions. In coastal California, growers can plant broccoli every 10 days from the middle of April until the first of September, and harvest it every week from June to October. In the Southwest, growers may get only one planting of broccoli to harvest before it gets too hot. In the South, growers may succession plant basil every three weeks from April through September, whereas growers in the North may get only one or two plantings of heat loving basil.
Storing Many root crops can be left in the ground through the winter if mulched heavily. This means covering your root crops before the ground freezes with 1 to 2 feet of mulch such as hay, leaves, or straw. Some vegetables need to be cured after harvest. This involves exposing the produce to warm, dry air so that the outer skin hardens and protects the succulent core from rotting. Root cellars and basements with ventilation can be good storage areas for those vegetables that can have a long storage life. These include beets (5 months), cabbage (5 months), carrots (8 months), parsnips (4 months), radishes (2 months), turnips (4 months) in cold moist conditions of a root cellar. Those vegetables that do well in cold and dry conditions such as a basement are onions (4 months), pumpkins (2 months), and winter squash (26 months).
Optimal Nutrition Delicious recipes for fermenting and canning will provide you with a year round bounty of long lasting reserves. Fresh or prepared, follow the rainbow different colors found in vegetables contain different phytochemicals that promote vibrant health through many health benefits: Blue/purple vegetables contain anthocyanins and phenolics urinary health, memory function, and healthy aging. Green Vegetables contain lutein and indoles vision health, and strong bones and teeth. White vegetables including white, tan, and brown contain allicin, found in the garlic and onion family maintain heart health, and cholesterol levels that are already healthy. Yellow/orange vegetables contain carotenoids and bioflavonoids maintain healthy heart, immune system and vision health. Red Vegetables contain lycopene and anthocyanins urinary health, memory function, and healthy heart.
The journey of a seed ends in the cold room at the Millennium Seed Bank in southern England. (Photo: Richard Weinstein)
"Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." -Henry David Thoreau
Harvesting Seeds The most important aspect of seed viability and vigor is seed harvest and storing. Leave seeds on parent plant to full maturity unless they are threatened by rain. Seed harvesting and cleaning techniques will vary depending if seeds are dry or wet when mature, or if a seed will die if dried out after maturing. Wet seeds from tomatoes, eggplants, and many squashes will need to be separated from their pulp, cleaned and dried. Some seeds such as tomato will need to be fermented similar to when ripe fruits are eaten by animals or drop to the ground and rot (in order to remove a germinationinhibiting gel). Seeds with pulp can be placed in a jar with half the amount of water in a warm place for several days. Fermentation will be evident by bubbling or white mold on the surface of the mixture then clean and dry. If left too long to ferment, seeds can start to imbibe or swell and begin sprouting and will need to be planted. A sprouted seed will die if dried out for storage once it has begun germination. Fermentation is a way also to control seed-borne diseases as will hot water baths though conditions are seed specific and methods need to be precise according to instructions.
Dry seeds including beans, peppers, basil, onion and carrot involve drying, then crumbling pods, husk and chaff, and separating them either with screens (one fine mesh smaller than seed to remove small matter and one mesh just larger than seed to let the seed through from the pods) or winnowing where the wind separates the chaff from the heavier seed as the harvest is let fall from some height into a container or onto a tarp with light wind conditions.
HEIRLOOM ORGANIC
SurThrival Seeds are 100% non-hybrid, non-GMO, open pollinated seeds that are certified organic and selected to grow in most zones to yield an abundance of nutritional and medicinally supportive crops that in turn will produce more seeds for saving and planting to support you and your family now and for generations to come. An heirloom seed is a cultivar that was commonly grown over several generations, and not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination. Heirloom seeds are grown in kitchen gardens because of their delicious taste, stunning color or other unique traits. You will not find many heirlooms in supermarkets for a number of reasons including shipping or storage issues or challenges farming certain varieties on a commercial scale. Organically grown produce arriving in your local grocery store is very likely grown from hybrid seeds rather than farm-saved seed. Visit your local farmers market to see, smell and taste the distinct difference in the produce that for the most part is grown from heirloom seed. Hybrids were developed as a means to force farmers to buy new seed every year. Hybrid seed cannot be reproduced on-farm, because it requires two different parent lines known only to the seed company. Officially this was done to increase yield in reality this enabled a growing monopoly effect throughout the last century which now includes the idea of industrial patents on plants.
Fast forward to todays global market for seeds it is estimated that farm-saved seed accounts for the majority of seed planted throughout the world (about 90%) which according to GRAIN (a small international non-profit organization that works to support farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems), On the basis of its own estimates, the International Seed Federation Secretary-General claimed in 2005 that for just the 18 countries surveyed, FSS (farmsaved seed) represented an average loss to the seed trade of almost US$7 billion annually (calculated on the basis of an average seed value of $73 per hectare and an area under cultivation of 95 million hectares). Expressed differently (and more correctly), that would be the average extra business that seed companies could monopolize if FSS was made illegal. Multiple that figure a few times because the actual worldwide area that is each year seeded with FSS is probably more than 1 billion hectares and you may get a sense of just how far the seed industry is prepared to go to corner the market. For the entire report visit GRAINs website - http:// www.grain.org/article/entries/58-the-end-of-farm-saved-seedindustry-s-wish-list-for-the-next-revision-of-upov Meanwhile back at the ranch, armed with our window boxes, rooftop patio pots and planters, our backyard gardens, and our farms, find us creating the lives we intend for ourselves, for our children, for our neighborhoods and our communities be it in the city, the suburb, or in the countryside. Where there is soil, make a little hole, place a seed feed and water the soil along with a few strategies, tips and techniques, and get prepared to harvest what you sow. You can begin now or hold on until you are prepared to dedicate some time and energy either way happy growing!
Growing: Planting depth: 1/16" Soil temp. for germ.: 6070F; 5.57.0 pH Days to germ.: 2128 days Avg. Spacing: thin to 46; rows 23 feet Avg. Seeding rate: 10 sds/ft Seed Saving: Dry plant on screens and shake in a bowl Days to maturity: 90100 days for seed. Partial sun Seed Saving: Due to low germination rate, most people opt for root cuttings. Thyme seed will be very tiny dark specks that will come out of old flowers. Let dry and crumble.
Sesamum indicum Organic Heirloom Open Pollinated Annual Multistemmed upright annual bearing follicles stacked with oil-rich seeds. Native to India. Easy and vigorous germinator in warm soils, quickly attaining a full branching habit and maturing seed within 120 days. Seeds are jet-black and have a sweet taste as opposed to tan types, which can be quite bitter. The seeds are highly nutritious, and may be eaten raw (dried) or toasted. Typically made into tahini. However, gross over-consumption of unhulled sesame can cause kidney problems. Leaves can be eaten raw or gently steamed. Medicinally (in Ayurveda), the leaves are used as a gentle mucilagenous demulcent to the GI, used in treating respiratory infections, cholera, Mexican Chia 110 Seeds dysentery and urinary infection. The decoction or confection of the seeds is given in cases of bleeding Salvia hispanica piles and amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea. The poultice Organic Heirloom Open Pollinated of the crushed seeds is used in treating old burns. The Annual. 90 days to flowers, 120 days to seeds Native to South America. Makes succulent, bright-green, oil of the seeds is used in treating migraine and bushy plants up to 4 feet tall.The seed is made into a vertigo, and serves as a substitute for olive oil in stimulating beverage, high in soluble fiber and oil. pharmacy. 60100 days to maturity; neutral soil of 7.0. Regulates sugar metabolism.6090 days maturity; soil 5.56 pH.
Ashwagandha 20 Seeds
(Withania somnifera) Family: Nightshade (Solanacea) Organic Open Pollinated Hardiness: to 15 degrees Fbut quite intolerant of moist soils in winter.The plant is an evergreenwoody shrubin the tropics andhot desert areas, and acts like an herbaceous perennial in temperate zone 8 and warmer. Native to Africa, an ecotype with large leaves and very fast growth.In native medicine, dried root is considered a sexual tonic.Plant prefers full sun, fastdraining, alkaline (pH 7.5 to 8.0) soil and dryish conditions.Sweeten regular garden soil with ground limestone.Light dependent germinator.Sow in early spring indoors or in the greenhouse. Average germ time 15 days. Space 1 foot apartgrows 2 to 3 feet tall, producing eventually the lantern-like pods enclosingthe pea-sized fruits, green at first and becoming bright red as theinflated calyx dries and becomes transparent.
Astragalus 10 Seeds
(Huang-qi) Family: Pea (Fabaceae) Organic Open Pollinated Hardiness: -15 F Taprooted herbaceous perennial native to China. King of tonic herbs. It is an anabolic immunostimulant, that may be dried and ground up, then used for making tea, decoction, or tincture. As a fresh root, may be boiled in soup to release its life-supportive essence. Plant is a sturdy survivor, and prefers full sun, average soil, and good drainage. Scarify seedlightly, and use rhizobium inoculant. Direct seed in early spring.Good cold soil germinator and a poor warm soil germinator.Germ in 3 to 10 days.Thin to6inches apart. Plants flower yellow-white to 4 feet tall. Soil 78 pH.
Calendula 20 Seeds
(Calendula officinalis) Family: Aster (Asteraceae) Organic Open Pollinated Annual. 40 to 50 days to maturity. Vigorous winter blooming self-seeder. A rare offering of the parent plant of our domesticated Calendulas. Wild calendula makes bushy plants withmany small, star-like flowers.Plant blooms fall and early spring. In Mediterranean climates (zone 6 and up) will flower midwinter, one of the few plants that will, and as such provides grateful color in the otherwise drab garden bed, and provides nectar to sustain populations of beneficial insects through the winter.Plant prefers full sun to part shade and moist but well-drainedsoils. Sow in pots, or sow in the garden in thefall or early springin a prepared seedbed.These are slower germinators than other Calendula, as they retain some of their wild ways.30 days of cold, moist conditioning in the refrigerator or sowing in cold soils of the fall or very early spring willenhance germ rate. 6.07.0 pH.
Chamomile 50 Seeds
(German Chamomile) Family: Aster (Asteraceae) Organic Open Pollinated Hardy to all zones. Annual or overwintering annual.This is the delightfully aromatic Chamomile of tea fame. Perfect for gentle bedtime sedation or for treating stomachache.Plant prefers full sun and regular garden soil, and cool soils for germination.Sow on surface and press in hard. Sow in early spring for flowers by early summer. Full sun; cover seed with thin layer of soil; soil 4.88.3 pH.
Lomatium 13 Seeds
Lomatium dissectum (Syn. Leptotaenia multifida/ dissecta) Family: Apiaceae Organic Open Pollinated Wild, celery-like herbaceous perennial native to the Great Basin and other drylands of the West.In nature, Lomatium grows on sunny slopes in rocky soil.Sow in outdoor nursery bed in the fall or midwinter.Expect germination in cold soil in spring. Naturally low germ rate. Plant 1 foot apart.Grows to 3 feet tall. This is our most important indigenous, antiviral herb from the American Pacific Northwest; works where other antivirals fall short.The root is the part used.
Ma-huang 25 Seeds
(Ephedra sinica) Family: Ephedraceae Organic Open Pollinated Hardiness: to 40 degrees F. Perennial, primitive shrub. Native to the steppes of north and northwestern China. Rare offering of the main official species. Does well in pots.Dried stem is a natural adrenergic stimulant to the central nervous system and a bronchodilator for treating colds and asthma. The whole herb, dried and used in small doses, poses no threat to the health. However, the very young, the very old, and the pregnant mother would best avoid using this stimulating herb. Mahuang prefers full sun and dry, sandy soils. The seed is easy to germinate in a warm, sandy medium. Strew the seed on surface of very sandy potting soil (50% sand) and barely cover with more of the same potting soil. Tamp securely and keep evenly moist until germination, which in the greenhouse orunder propagation lights should take about 11 days in flats as seedlings are small and you need to work them up to about 4 inches before transplanting.After germination, back off on the watering because the young seedlings can easily damp offthis is a desert plant.They create, in 2 or 3 years, a stubby, woody trunk bristling with the jointed stems. The flower is inconspicuous, fruits are colored orange, gooey and mucilagenous, and very sweet to the taste. Part of plant are poisonous if ingested familiarize before planting. Soil 7.98.5 pH.
Marshmallow 20 Seeds
(Althaea officinalis) Family: Mallow (Malvaceae) Organic Open Pollinated Hardiness: All temperate zones. Herbaceous perennial native to Europe. A premier healing agent, marshmallow root is nutritious, soothing to the digestion, stimulating to the immune system and helps prevent and repair ulcerations of the gastric mucosa and duodenum. Sow the seed in the spring. It is easy to grow in regular garden soil in the full sun or part shade. The plant prefers regular watering and makes a lot of biomass, both above the ground and below. Every part of the plant, including leaf, flower (and less useful, the stem) and especially the fresh or dried root, is useful in herbal medicine and is truly indispensable. Full Sun; 60 days to maturity; plant 1/8 depth; soil temp 70F; 6.16.5 pH.
Valerian 35 Seeds
(Valeriana officinalis) Family: valerian (Valerianaceae) Organic Open Pollinated Herbaceous perennial.Native to Europe and temperate Asia. Hardy to -20 degrees F.Probably the strongest herbal cerebral sedative, the plant makes one go to sleep.All parts of the plant are active, but it is the spreading root and root crown,dug and used fresh,thatis most commonly used, and the tincture of the fresh root is the most common dosage form. Valerian prefers full sun to part shade and moist but well-drained soils. I have seen excellent clumps form, during a wet spring, on the peak of a pile of ground pumice. However, regular garden soil amended with organic compost will do nicely.The plant adapts rather wellto a wide range of conditions.Seed is short-lived and should be sown within a year of receipt. Light dependent germinator.Sow in spring, tamped securely into surface, and keep evenly moist until germination, which occurs in 10 to16 days.Seedling leaves look very un-valerian at first and some folks are confused. Space plants 1 to 2 feet apart. Flowers white in the second year to a height of 5 feet or more.Plant 3/8; soil temp 6070F; 5.57.0 pH.
Growing: Planting depth: 1" Soil temp. for germ.: 50F; 7.08.5 pH Days to germ.: 710 days; 85% germ Avg. Spacing: 2 after thinning Days to maturity: 65100 days Full sun Seed Saving: Harvest, clean seed and dry.
Seed Saving: Squash must be fully mature before harvested for seed production. Scoop out squash, clean pulp from seed and dry.
Seed Saving: Squash must be fully mature before harvested for seed production. Scoop out squash, clean pulp from seed and dry.
RESOURCES
Books Gaias Garden, Second Edition: A Guide To Home-Scale Permaculture Toby Hemenway Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardeners Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History William Woys Weaver Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use Rosemary Gladstar Permaculture: A Designers Manual Bill Mollison Permaculture: Principles and Practices Beyond Sustainability David Holmgren Permaculture Soils Geoff Lawton
Rodales Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Green Resource for Every Gardener Fern Marshall Bradley + Barbara Ellis + Ellen Phillips Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners Suzanne Ashworth + David Cavagnaro Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardeners Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition Jeff Lowenfels + Wayne Lewis The Permaculture Garden Graham Bell The Self-Sufficient Life and How To Live It John Seymour The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses Eliot Coleman Internet Be sure to check out all the garden planning apps online! www.farmersalmanac.com www.motherearthnews.com www.organicgardening.com http://kgi.org/
When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe. - John Muir
Permaculture is consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fiber and energy for provision of local needs. - Bill Mollison and David Holmgren
NOTES
Its not the soil itself its the soil life that is the most important element. Geoff Lawton
TM