Seeds of Preparedness

Many individuals I speak with about emergency preparedness are concerned of the cost of getting prepared and the amount of space they have to store everything. Today’s blog is just one way you can be successful at improving your state of preparedness without being paralyzed by cost or space.

In the fall, garden seeds are typically marked down dramatically. Are these safe to buy and store without immediately planting them in the ground? Well, usually, the answer is yes. I’ll clarify in a moment. Obviously, paying 70% off the original price of seeds is a bargain most can’t walk away from, and the space necessary to store seeds isn’t cumbersome even in a New York City apartment.

So how do you know when the seeds you buy off-season are going to do you any good in years to come, you ask? Ask the store supervisors how the seeds were stored. If they were displayed all summer out in the hot sun, then you’ll need to move on to another bargain. However, if they were stored in the store, or in the store greenhouse area the majority of the time, then you can be safe to purchase and store them for at least another 5 to 10 years. Even better is if you can store them individually packaged but in a larger container to prolong freshness. The key is for you to store them in a cool, dark and dry place. It was a way of life for our ancestors – they stored and traveled with seeds regularly. “Hey honey, be sure to grab the kids and the seeds. The mammoth is leaving soon.” Don’t let the modernization of a greenhouse throw you off your instincts.

Seeds are full of great nutrition as sprouts. An added bonus with this practice is if your seeds do sprout, then you know they are good and nutritious. In fact, in some cases, the sprouted seeds are MORE nutritious sprouted than as full grown plants, though perhaps not as enjoyable to eat. So, if you’re in doubt, prior to planting seeds in the typical manner, take a few and sprout them in doors. Sprouting typically involves water, some cheesecloth, and a small mason jar. Think about it – in an emergency, you’re not exactly going to have time to plant your seeds and then wait for the harvest if you’re starving and other food supplies are cut off. Some seeds take only 24 to 48 hours to sprout. As long as you have water (see my last blog) you’ll be able to survive that long without food while you’re waiting for the sprouts to develop.

And while I’m on the topic of sprouts, even though it’s a bit off topic of saving space, dried legumes and wheat grains are EXCELLENT sprouting resources. They are also quite easy to sprout and their nutritional value is dramatically compounded in this state. Additionally, wheat grains and dried legumes store for extremely long periods of time in a cool, dry, dark space, and the sprouting is virtually effortless. (In fact, my husband and I accidentally sprouted some lentils in our basement when we didn’t completely clean up a spill. Some the seeds had fallen down a drain pipe next to the water heater and sprouted soon after with nothing but moisture — no light.)

So I say take advantage of the seed sales you get at the end of the summer and in early fall. They are typically every bit as good and will store quite well. Whether you want edible vegetables and flowers, or showy foliage, go ahead and save a bundle of money! The space you save on “food storage” is great as well.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

“For Mature Adults Only”

I recently received a marketing book which had a blurb on the cover that warned me that the subject matter was not exactly something that one would share at church. While it certainly was not pornographic at all, several of the marketing highlights had to do with sales tactics used by a former “Madame” in New York City. While I appreciate a warning that something may be offensive to some persons, I take stronger offense to the term “Mature adult content” instead. Who in the world ever decided that one’s ability to tolerate raunch, foul language, and inappropriate conversations was an act of maturity??

I looked up the definition of “mature” with my good friend, Webster, and there is nothing noted in the official definition that would denote the word “mature” as meaning “less sensitive to offensive vocabulary,” “tolerant of a broad range of views,” “apathetic to societal indecencies,” etc. In fact, the word mature relates to “coming to a condition of full development” or “having attained a final or desired state.”

I’m sorry, but when I hear someone ridiculously use the “F” bomb I don’t automatically think, “Oh, this person has attained their desired state.” Instead I feel sorry for the person who clearly has no broader repertoire of vocabulary to choose from and wonder what school district they attended, etc.

When I overhear a vulgar conversation about things which I feel should be kept private or even sacred, I don’t envy the “mature” conversation that is taking place without me and I don’t find myself thinking “Wow, these adults have ‘come to a full development’.” Instead, I cringe at the obvious lack of tact and social graces these individuals are displaying at their present state of lowness and silently pray that they wake up some day to a more worthwhile part of themselves.

I don’t see vulgar, offensive, raunchy, or questionable actions or words as a sign of maturity or intelligence--in fact quite the opposite. I see it as an indicator of one’s lack of ability to think for themselves instead of joining the dumbed-down, apathetic masses. I see a lack of intelligence. I see a lack of beauty. I see an erosion of society and the worth of our human race. Ironically, one of the definitions of “mature” as noted by Webster is “belonging to the middle portion of erosion.” Now that, I believe, is a more fitting definition that I hope to remember the next time I’m “Warned” of “mature content.”

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.