Ed:

You need a section somewhere for food & agriculture

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Bibliographic entry (nonfiction):

Suzanne Ashworth, Seed to Seed

What if Y2K causes major disruptions in the transportation system? What if seed companies can't ship to the farmers, the farmers can't make a crop, the crop can't get to the food processors, and food can't get to the groceries? If we are talking 100% disruption, obviously a lot of people starve. However, even if it is only a 20 or 30% disruption, that would still have serious consequences.

It would be a good idea to have a contingency plan. Growing non-hybred seeds and saving them from year to year has been the traditional, low-tech solution which people have counted on for their survival since the days of the first neolithic society. This book tells you how. Just do it.

-- Stefan Stackhouse (stefans@mindspring.com), August 15, 1999

Answers

This will be great if we where in 1990 but now its nov 7 2000 and nobody with rare exception have those seed.The summer 2000 have been very difficult for all farmer and i speak just the vegs farmers because all the other where not able to do the job.Those with the non hybrid seed lost about 75% of there crop because the lact of connaisance and the fears of asking question to peaple who think they rob them. It was to late back then in august 1999 for the industry of the non hybrid seed to fullfill the marquet.And who know well how to deal with this. I am very sory about my english but from QUEBEC i do my best

-- Sylvain Gregoire (sgregoir@rocler.qc.ca), August 15, 1999.

For good seeds to grow, you can go to any health food store and buy some organic beans, dry corn, tomatoes, etc. These organic foods are not GM (gen. modified). One good type of bean to buy that's readily available is Anasazi Bean. Plant them, and 3 months later you have a great crop of green beans! One pound would be about 5 garden beds (4x8')

Also, don't forget sprouts! They are very easy to grow, quick, require no sun and very little water, and high in nutrients.

-- Margo Hobbs (margos.corner@mailcity.com), August 15, 1999.

We are looking at a mixture of both hybred and non-hybred seeds. The hybred are (mostly) for a large (maximum) crop in 2000. Non-hybred are (mostly) for follow-on years.

We are also looking at growing a number of species that we can't get plants for (vanilla, cocoa, nutmeg, etc.). I plan to try to start some from commercially available seeds. This is a long-term project, come problems with Y2K or not! You may have some crops that you could start similarly (I already have some ginger root that is growing nicely for seasoning).

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), August 15, 1999.

Mad Monk...you might try growing tapioca, also! Find someone who has a "plant" they are harvesting, ask for some branches, cut them in 2 foot sections, stick them in the ground at an angle, with about 8 inches above ground, and let it grow for about a year... Although it needs a little water, it is pretty much drought tolerant. About a year later, pull up the plant, and you'll have about 30-40# of edible root! It has toxins, so it isn't bothered by too many pests...which also means that you have to peel it, boil it, and drain off the water before you eat it. It's a great staple crop for Hawaii. You can it like a potato or add a sweetener and eat it like a dessert.

-- Margo Hobbs (margos.corner@mailcity.com), August 15, 1999.

Fertilizer (for those of us without great soil) could be a very valuable commodity. I have 200 lbs. of 6-6-6 for my neighborhood victory gardens that very well may crop (excuse the pun) up.

-- Norm (Prez22@aol.com), September 03, 1999.

That is one of the reasons I have chickens. They are a renewable food source with their eggs and give me fertilizer to boot. Just hope I have enough to feed them next year.

Some of our local crops are perennials. Alfalfa is a seven year crop and pasture a 20 year crop. As long as they have water, they have a crop. Unfortunately, the alfalfa feeds the dairy cows down south. If there is no way to get the hay to them, it will be a worthless crop.

I do not think that you will get too many commercial growers to give up their hybrid seed. The strains can be desease resistent, phased for a short season, a cold season, a dry season, etc. With a hybrid, one has a better chance of a higher yield and less loss from weather or desease events.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), September 04, 1999.

If there is to be no 10, then I imagine that we will be here in our little house in the suburbs, trying to work a little yard with intensive small gardens among the other things we do. Our expanded gardenings this year have given new insights. My least favorite: if you plant far from the house, that's how far you have to carry the water. Another: if the grocery store or the fast food drive-thru is open and people don't have to eat a vegetable they don't prefer, they won't. Yes, it's hard to get some people to Y2K when Y2K is still months away.

I spent almost two years working on the lawn (front and back), trying to make it more green and more handsome than it was before we moved in. But I was the first to suggest that we tear up part of the lawn and put a garden in its place. Unfortunately, my arguments were not persuasive. Some people would rather have something that pleases the eye than something that fills the stomach-- if they have any choice. There's a lot of work to be done yet and books that go unread. And we call ourselves GIs!? The sad fact is that this is not at all unusual for GIs.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle."

- Phillips Brooks

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), September 05, 1999.