LIST OF CROPS TO BE GROWN FOR SURVIVAL

AMOUNT AND CHOICE OF CROPS DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF LAND AVAILABLE.

SEEDS

      TOMATO

     LETTUCE

     CORN

     PEPPERS

     RADISH

     ONION

     CABBAGE

     MELON

     BEAN (GREEN & NORTHERN & KIDNEY)

     CILANTRO

     COLLARD

     KALE

STRAWBERRIES

WHEN GROWING STRAWBERRIES, YOU CAN TRAIN THE BEST BEARERS TO PRODUCE RUNNERS, SO THAT ONLY THE BEST STRAWBERRIES ARE ALLOWED TO GROW. THESE CAN BE PLANTED IN A NEW BED THE FOLLOWING AUGUST. WITHIN A FEW YEARS, YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST STRAWBERRIES YOU CAN POSSIBLY GROW. STRAWBERRIES GENERALLY BEAR THEIR MOST PROFITABLE CROP WHEN THEY ARE 14 OR 15 MONTHS OLD. WHEN A SECOND CROP IS BORNE BY THE SAME BED, IT IS NOT ONLY LIGHTER AND INFERIOR TO THE FIRST, BUT, BECAUSE OF NECESSARY HAND WEEDING, IT COSTS RELATIVELY MORE TO PRODUCE AND OFTEN BRINGS LOWER PRICES

     PARSLEY

     DILL

     CELERY

     BRUSSEL SPROUTS

     CAULIFLOWER

     BAY

     BASIL

     EGGPLANT

     ZUCCHINI

     CARROT

     WHEAT

     OAT

     RYE

     GARLIC

     HERBS

     BASIL

     SUNFLOWER

     CATNIP

     LEEK

     COTTON

     SQUASH

     OKRA

     PEAS

ASPARAGUS: CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO YIELD A PAYING CROP UNTIL THE 3RD OR 4TH YEAR, BUT WHEN WELL FERTILIZED, IT SHOULD YIELD ANNUALLY FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS. WHEN WELL FED, IT COULD PRODUCE FOR 40 YEARS.

     CUCUMBERS

     RHUBARB

     POPCORN

     GINSENG

     GOURDS

     WATERMELON

     PUMPKIN

     POTATO

     SAGE

     SUNFLOWER

     POPPY

     PINEAPPLE

THE TYPES OF CROPS TO GROW, AREA TO PLANT, LIVE STOCK AND HOW MUCH TO KEEP ARE PROBLEMS WHICH DEMAND KNOWLEDGE OF MARKET REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS, WHEN THE PRODUCE IS TO BE SOLD, THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VARIOUS COMPETING REGIONS, KNOWLEDGE OF PRICE TRENDS, AND THE POTENTIAL PRODUCTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL FARM.

MOST FARM PRODUCTS ARE SUPPLIES BY MANY FARMERS WORKING INDEPENDENTLY AND COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE MARKET.   USUALLY THE KEENEST COMPETION DOES NOT COME FROM PRODUCERS IN OTHER DISTRICTS BUT FROM THE NEIGHBORS. EACH FARMER, THEREFORE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THESE COMPETITORS ARE PLANNING TO DO. HE SHOULD USE THE KNOWLEDGE SUPPLIED BY THE DEPART MENT OF AGRICULTURE AS TO THE COMBINATION OF THE VARIOUS CROP AND LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISES AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.

SHORT SEASON CROPS ONLY

1: CORN

A COVER CROP OF HAIRY VETCH WILL YIELD 40 BUSHELS OF CORN PER ACRE, WHERAS 200 POUNDS OF PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER WOULD ONLY PRODUCE A CROP OF 13.5 BUSHELS PER ACRE. ADDING 85 POUNDS OF NITRATE SODA TO THE 200 POUNDS OF PHOSPHATE WOULD PRODUCE ONLY 24 BUSHELS PER ACRE

START YOUR OWN CORN BREEDING BY CHOOSING THE BEST 50 OR 100 EARS OF CORN YOU CAN FIND IN THE CRIB. BE SURE THEY ARE PROPERLY CURED SPECIMENS OF GOOD FORM AND SIZE, WELL FILLED OUT AND WELL ROUNDED AT BOTH ENDS, EACH ONE PLEASING TO THE EYE. LAY THEM SIDE BY SIDE ON A TABLE, CRITCALLY EXAMINE EACH UNDER A GOOD LIGHT IN COMPARISON WITH THE OTHERS AND RUTHLESSLY DISCARD THE POOREST, THE NEXT POOREST AND SO ON UNTIL ONLY 10 ARE LEFT. THESE ARE TO BE YOUR NUCLEUS FOR BREEDING. BEFORE SHELLING THE GRAIN FROM THE COBS, PICK OUT 10 OR 20 INDIVIDUAL KERNELS FROM THE CENTER OF EACH COB. DISCARD THE BUTTS AND TIPS OF EACH COB. DO A GERMINATION TEST OF THESE KERNELS, KEEPING EACH COB KERNELS SEPARATED SO YOU KNOW WHICH ONES SPROUTED QUICKEST AND STURDIEST. THE BEST COB SHOULD BE USED TO GROW A 'TEST PLOT' IN A ROW BY ITSELF. DURING THE SUMMER, EXAMINE THE PLANTS TO MAKE SURE WHICH ROW OR ROWS PRODUCE THE STURDIEST PLANTS.

ESPECIALLY DETERMINE WHICH PLANTS PRODUCE TWO EARS PER PLANT. THE ONES THAT PRODUCE ONLY LEAVES OR POOR COBS, CULL OUT AND FEED TO THE COWS OR MAKE INTO COMPOST. AT HARVEST TIME, CUT AND CURE THESE TEST ROWS BY THEMSELVES AND FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, REPEAT THE SELECTION PROCESS ALREADY DESCRIBED. USE THE TWO EAR STALKS FROM THE OTHER ROWS TO SOW THE GENERAL FIELD FOR SEED CORN. EACH YEAR YOUR CROP WILL BE MORE VALUABLE THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

2: HAY/WITH OATS: IN GRAIN, HAY, AND OTHER FIELD CROP FARMING, THE RENT OR INTEREST ON THE LAND COST MAY BE 50% OF THE TOTAL EXPENSE OF GROWING AND HARVESTING

SWEET CLOVER IS HAY

ALFALFA IS HAY

3: WHEAT

4: RYE

WINTER WHEAT IS PLANTED IN FALL

IF NO CATTLE - CORN OR OATS

SOYBEANS

OTHER DRY BEANS

POPPY SEED: 50 TO 75 POUNDS

AFTER SEED HEAD FORMS - PULL TOP LEAVES OFF SO HEAD DRIES FASTER

POP CORN - 1,000 POUNDS A YEAR - BABY RICE - WHITE IS BEST   KEEP BIGGEST EARS FOR SEED FOR FOLLOWING YEAR

RADISH, LETTUCE, CARROTS, KOHLRABI, PEPPERS, CAULIFLOWER,

BRUSSEL SPROUTS, PEAS, ONIONS (SEVERAL KINDS)

MELONS

GREEN BEANS

POLE BEANS

TOMATOES

POTATOES: PLANT VARIOUS KINDS - NOT ALL ONE KIND   RED POTATOES ARE NOT KEEPERS - EAT THEM FIRST FOR BREEDING, PICK OUT THE BEST SHAPED, GOOD SIZED, SHALLOWEST EYED TUBERS. CUT EACH TUBER IN QUARTERS FROM END TO END BUT KEEP EACH FOUR PIECES SEPARATE FROM THE OTHERS. PLANT EACH PIECE IN A HILL BY ITESLEF, THEN SKIP EACH FIFTH HILL SO AS TO KEEP THE FOUR PIECES OF EACH TUBER IN CONSECUTIVE HILLS. DURING THE SUMMER, TREAT THEM ALL ALIKE, WATCH FOR DIFFERENCES OF FOLIAGE, RESISTANCE TO DISEASE AND OTHER POINT GOOD AND BAD, AND DIG THE WEAKLINGS FOR 'NEW POTATOES'. AT HARVEST TIME, DIG EACH HILL CAREFULLY BY HAND AND PLACE THE TUBERS FROM EACH FOUR HILLS TOGETHER FOR JUDGMENT. DISCARD THE GROUPS OF FOUR THAT PRODUCE UNSATISFACTORILY EITHER AS TO SIZE, NUMBER, IRREGULARITY, OR OTHER DEFECT. KEEP ONLY THE BEST FOR SEED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

PUT FRESH COAT OF COW MANURE ON GARDEN EVERY YEAR IF CHICKEN MANURE - USE VERY LIGHTLY

HORSE MANURE OKAY

SHEEP MANURE STINKS REAL BAD

FARM LAND SHOULD HAVE 25 TONS OF MANURE PER ACRE PER YEAR. IF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS AND FREQUENT GREEN MANURE OR COVER CROPS HAVE BEEN THE REGULAR PRACTICE, THE LAND SHOULD BE IN GOOD CONDITION.

CULTIVATION: IN CASES WHERE CULTIVATION MUST BE DONE BY HORSE OR TRACTOR AND THE ROWS MUST, THEREFORE BE SPACED FARTHER APART THAN WHEN THE WHEELHOE IS USED, IT IS ESSENTIAL AS A TIME SAVING FACTOR TO MAKE THE ROWS LONG AND FEW RATHER THAN SHORT AND MANY SO AS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT TURNING AT THE ENDS. EVEN SO, TIME MAY BE SAVED BY SKIPPING SEVERAL ROWS WHEN MAKING EACH TURNING BECAUSE LESS TIME IS NEED TO MAKE A LONG TURN THAN A SHORT ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH A HORSE OR A FAST MOVING, HEAVY OR LONG RADIUS TRACTOR

SHOULD A COMPLETE ROW BE LIKELY TO PRODUCE MORE OF ANY ONE VEGETABLE THAN WOULD BE NEEDED, IT SHOULD BE FILLED WITH TWO OR MORE KINDS THAT REQUIRE THE SAME GENERAL CULTURAL TREATMENT. A WELL BALANCED FARM GARDEN MAY BE ARRANGED TO PROVIDE A LARGE ASSORTMENT AND CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF VEGETABLES THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON FOR USE FRESH, CANNED AND FOR WINTER STORAGE

SOWINGS SHOULD BE MADE AT FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES. THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS OF FROST AND BECAUSE SEASONS VARY, SOME BEING EARLY, OTHERS LATE IN OPENING.FOR THE LATTER SEASON, THE TIME BETWEEN THE EARLY   SOWINGS SHOULD BE INCREASED IN AN EARLY SPRING AND MADE ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE EARLIEST TREES, SUCH AS SILVER MAPLE OPEN THEIR BUDS.

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COOL FALL WEATHER, A SECOND CROP OF COOL-SEASON VEGETABLES MAY BE GROWN.

FALL GARDEN VEGETABLES DO NOT THRIVE IN WARM WEATHER AND TOO EARLY PLANTING WILL STUNT SOME KINDS AND CAUSE OTHERS TO BECOME COARSE, WOODY, OR PITHY AND UNFIT FOR USE

CROPS SHOULD BE ROTATED FROM YEAR TO YEAR .

THE SOIL MAY BE FALL PLOWED AND LEFT ROUGH OVER WINTER TO CATCH SNOW AND AVOIDE RUN-OFF. SNOW FENCES MAY BE SET UP TO CATCH SNOW. EFFECTIVE SNOW BARRIERS MAY BE MADE WITH A ROW OF CORN SHOCKS OR EVEN BY SEVERAL ROWS OF STANDING CORN PLANTS

THE FUNCTION OF CULTIVATION WITH VEGETABLES IS TO CONSERVE MOISTURE BY  ELIMINATING WEEDS, TO CLOSE UP CRACKS AND PROVIDE A LOOSE, ROUGH SURFACE WHICH WILL ABSORB RAINFALL AND PREVENT RUN-OFF. DEEP CULTIVATION DESTROYS MANY ROOTS, REDUCES THE YIELD OF MOST   VEGETABLES AND IS UNNESSARY. SHALLOW SURFACE CULTIVATION IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL VEGETABLES, ESPECIALLY IN UNIRRAGATED SOILS AND IN DRY SEASONS.   SNOW AND AVOID RUN-OFF.

MULCHING GARDENS WITH STRAW OR OTHER LITTER SUCH AS HAY OR MANURE IS A PRACTICAL WAY TO INCREASE YIELDS AND PRODUCE VEGETABLES OF THE BEST QUALITY. THE BENEFITS ARE GREATEST WITH LONG-SEASON CROPS AND IN DRY YEARS. THOUGH STRAW MULCHES HAVE INCREASED THE YIELDS OF NEARLY ALL VEGETABLES THEIR USE IS NOT RECOMMENDED WITH EARLY SHORT-SEASON CROPS SUCH AS LEAF LETTUCE, PEAS, SPINACH, SEEDED ONIONS, CAULIFLOWER, AND EARLY CABBAGE. WITH ROOT CROPS SUCH AS CARROTS, BEETS, AND PARSNIPS THEIR USE DOES NOT APPEAR ADVANTAGEOUS AND WITH TRANSPLANTED ONIONS IS OF DOUBTFUL VALUE. THE DIFFICULTIES OF APPLYING STRAW MORE THAN OFFSET THE ADVANTAGE WHICH MOST OF THESE CROPS MIGHT GAIN. STRAW MULCHING HAS BEEN FOUND DESIRABLE WITH ALL LONG SEASON CROPS EXCEPT SWEET CORN. STRAW SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED UNTIL THE PLANTS ARE WELL ESTABLISHED. A MULCH OF 2" TO 4" IS ADEQUATE.DEEPER IS UNNECESSARY AND UNDESIRABLE.

BETWEEN 10 AND 15 TONS OF STRAW ARE NEEDED FOR MULCHING AN ACRE, OR ABOUT 500 POUNDS FOR 2,000 SQUARE FEET.

AT THE END OF THE SEASON, STRAW MULCHES SHOULD BE REMOVED OR BURNED BECAUSE OF THE UNFAVORABLE EFFECT UPON THE SOIL WHEN SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT OF DRY ORGANIC MATTER IS PLOWED UNDER. THIS IS MOST SERIOUS WITH UNIRRIGATED OR SANDY SOILS.

WITH POTATOES, THE STRAW MULCH SHOULD BE APPLIED BEFORE THE PLANTS COME THROUGH THE SOIL. WITH OTHER CROPS, SUCH AS TOMATOES, EGGPLANTS, AND OTHER TRANSPLANTED VEGETABLES, BEFORE TRANSPLANTING OR AFTER THE PLANTS ARE ESTABLISHED, PREFERABLY AT THE LATTER TIME. IRRIGATION: MOST VEGETABLE COPS CAN BE INCREASED AND IMPROVED BY IRRIGATION. STRAW OF PAPER MULCHES ARE ALSO USEFUL. IRRIGATION WILL BE FOUND DESIRABLE AT SOME TIME IN PRACTICALLY EVERY SEASON AND OFTEN IN MANY SEASONS. EXCEPT FOR HASTENING SEED GERMINATION IN A DRY SPRING, IRRIGATION IS SELDOM NEEDED BEFORE JULY AND NOT AFTER AUGUST

NEEDLESS OR EXCESSIVE IRRIGATION EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE PLANTS MIGHT CAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHALLOW ROOT SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, VEGETABLES SHOULD BE KEPT GROWING STEADILY. KNOBBY, GROWTH-CRACKED, HOLLOW, ROUGH-SHAPED, DOUBLE AND OTHERWISE UNDESIRABLE VEGETABLES ARE PRODUCE WHEN GROWTH IS UNEVEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN A PERIOD OF ABUNDANT MOISTURE FOLLOWS ONE OF PROLONGED DROUTH.

ONE INCH OF WATER, IN ONE RAIN, OR FROM IRRIGATION SHOULD MAINTAIN VIGOROUS GROWTH OF MOST VEGETABLES FOR FIRVE TO SEVEN DAYS DURING HOT WEATHER, AND 10 TO 15 DAYS IN COOLER WEATHER.

SMALLER AMOUNTS OR LARGER AMOUNTS OF WATER AT ONE TIME ARE LESS DESIRABLE, BECAUSE THE SOIL WILL BE POORLY AERATED FOR A TIME AND THE LOSS FROM ROTTING, BLIGHT, ETC. WILL BE INCREASED.

PUMPKINS CAN BE FED TO PIGS AS WELL AS PEOPLE FOOD

DON'T PLANT MELONS AND PICKLES TOGETHER IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAVE SEED FOR NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THEY CROSS POLLINATE

HORSERADISH (WINTER HARDY)

GINSENG

GRAPES

BERRIES

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