Homegrown Terrorism

Gardening and Household tips. Good food. The Lighter side...

Moderator: Super Moderators

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Homegrown Terrorism

Post by SquidInk » 03-25-2008 03:34 PM



If you can't watch videos, HERE IS THE WEBSITE.

In my opinion, this kind of activity, much more than voting, is the "path" to substantive change. It's going to have to happen person by person, garden by garden. It needs to happen at a local level, and it's going to take a drastic change in lifestyle.

It is possible to take it all back. Start with one defiant container tomato, in the sill of your apartment window. Make plans for more.

Down with lawns! Up with edible landscapes! Fight back - become a Guerrilla Gardener!

[edit: updated the video link 4-26-12 - squid]
Last edited by SquidInk on 04-26-2012 10:32 PM, edited 1 time in total.
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

User avatar
Psychicwolf
Pirate
Posts: 5999
Joined: 12-31-2006 12:47 AM

Post by Psychicwolf » 03-25-2008 03:56 PM

This is a fantastic idea and one I am an adherent to. I grow a garden that feeds approxiamately 15 people at the current time. My family, neighbor, and a few friends will always eat.

But the voting is important too. It takes land to grow food, even a window box must be bought and paid for. Policies inacted by the current crop of character have caused people to lose their homes (and gardens) to foreclosure, land use regulation (or lack thereof) in certain parts of the country have lead to smaller and smaller land parcels.

The growings great but there have to be voters too!:)
Last edited by Psychicwolf on 03-25-2008 05:49 PM, edited 1 time in total.
Dance to heal the earth. Not just when you're dancing, but always. Live the dance, whenever you move, in all you do, dance to heal the earth.

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Post by SquidInk » 03-25-2008 04:10 PM

The growings great but there have to be voters too!


Good point. But isn't it conceivable that the vote, with every election cycle, is becoming less and less of an instrument of change in the lives of the common people, and raw survival techniques, trustworthy food sources, and local economic networks are becoming relatively more important?

By the way - I'm impressed with your garden stats!:cool:
Last edited by SquidInk on 03-25-2008 04:19 PM, edited 1 time in total.
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

User avatar
majda
Pirate
Posts: 2518
Joined: 01-09-2006 04:09 AM

Post by majda » 03-25-2008 04:35 PM

Becoming as self-sufficient as we can, is one way we can take back some of the freedom that has been taken from us.
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." ~ Patrick Henry

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Post by SquidInk » 03-25-2008 05:41 PM

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.


I remember as a kid, my aunts and uncles telling me about WW2 "Victory Gardens". So, we know the theory of self-sufficiency works. In those times, our government actually encouraged such a lifestyle! If it was good for my grandparents, why wouldn't it be good for me?

Why has the message changed? Why are good, strong seeds so hard to obtain? Why is the simple act of providing for one's own nutritional needs becoming an act of revolt!?
Last edited by SquidInk on 03-25-2008 05:54 PM, edited 1 time in total.
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

User avatar
Psychicwolf
Pirate
Posts: 5999
Joined: 12-31-2006 12:47 AM

Post by Psychicwolf » 03-25-2008 05:59 PM

SquidInk wrote: I remember as a kid, my aunts and uncles telling me about WW2 "Victory Gardens". So, we know the theory of self-sufficiency works. In those times, our government actually encouraged such a lifestyle! If it was good for my grandparents, why wouldn't it be good for me?

What has changed? Why are good, strong seeds so hard to obtain? Why is the simple act of providing for one's own nutritional needs becoming an act of revolt!?


I think what has changed SquidInk is the politicians. Mr Roosevelt who encouraged the Victory Gardens also was the architect of the New Deal which was good for middle class families.
People also solved their own problems in those days, with the help of their neighbors and friends. My grandmother owned a small business, an ice creamery, in Seattle. When sugar rationing was going on during the war her customers pooled their sugar coupons and gave them to her so she could continue to operate. In return, she fed them a good lunch of sandwich and salad (and ice cream:D ) and sent them home with all her daily "leftovers" to help fed their families. I am not sure people are as giving anymore, or trusting. Those type of values "taking care of one another" are sorely lacking today.
I think alot of those values were created by shared hardships. We may get to experience one that they did (a Depression) at the rate we are going. Will will survive as well as they did?
Dance to heal the earth. Not just when you're dancing, but always. Live the dance, whenever you move, in all you do, dance to heal the earth.

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Post by SquidInk » 03-25-2008 06:10 PM

We might survive, but not as well as they did. As you stated, there simply is not a "can do" element in the American psyche anymore. It's been replaced by something... less noble, in my opinion.
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

User avatar
badspell
Pirate
Posts: 1734
Joined: 11-27-2007 09:28 PM

Post by badspell » 03-25-2008 07:06 PM

We will survive:) people like you are still on the earth to help the transition.

Thanks for the video!
All hear few listen

Bobbi Snow
Pirate
Posts: 2366
Joined: 01-20-2008 01:57 PM

Post by Bobbi Snow » 03-25-2008 09:56 PM

Isn't this the exact kind of thing JOHN TITOR advocated?
ImageIf you're still breathing, it's not too late!

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 03-26-2008 10:20 AM

As a gardening advocate I have encouraged many to grow what they can - even if its in a window box.

Its amazing what you can grow if you try and even year round... indoors.

YES I believe in the do it yourself as much as you can.

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Post by SquidInk » 03-26-2008 10:33 AM

I agree, Cherry Kelly. On the "Path to Freedom " site, the Dervaes family has announced a plan to try and harvest 10,000 lbs off their 1/5 acre Pasadena residence. Incredible.
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 03-27-2008 09:50 AM

SquidInk -- I can see how it can be done - especially with tomatoes and zucchini and pumpkins and peppers. All four produce heavy crops. With the exception of the pumpkin which needs sprawling room, the others do not require a lot of space to grow some heavy crops. Consider a single tomato plant can produce from 80-100 lbs of tomatoes... though I haven't had any do that - yet, I have seen some that do. (My personal best was around 35lbs of beefsteak tomatoes off one plant.) They now have hanging basket tomatoes that produce very heavily.
There is a pix of ONE picking of peppers on my fun site. http://www.kayceedot.magnets4yourhealth ... lbum&id=11
This was just ONE picking of several that year. The area they were growing in was about 6' x 8' -- just to give you an idea.

Thing is - it can be done.

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Post by SquidInk » 03-27-2008 10:05 AM

Awesome. How much water (say, gallons/per pound of finished tomatoes) do you think are required for your 35lb yield?

Also, I've got some experimental tomatoes growing under metal halide in a dark closet. I think I'll need to cut back the total light, and add red - maybe a high pressure sodium, to get it budding, but I'm not sure... do you know of (or are you) a good resource for growing vegetables in total darkness?

By the way, tell us more about your BLUE BELL PEPPERS! Are they sweet like yellows? Are they genetically manipulated?
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 03-28-2008 11:20 AM

SquidInk - I tried the growing in the dark - didn't wok as well - worked great to start seeds, but sunlight is required for best growth. Grow lights are ok - but with tomatoes and peppers -- not the best once they get to production stages - let alone the fact of attempting to make sure the flowers get pollinated.

Watering factors depend on the size of the container and the stage of plant growth. Many of my indoor planter pots have openings on their holders where I can water the plants from the bottom ... not all of them do. I water a medium size planter pot (12-14" - across top of container) once a week with about 2 cups of FILTERED tap water when they are growing. More often if soil gets dry. By soil being dry - the top soil might be dry, but half inch or inch down into the soil not dry - do not add water. If you have a bottom opening check to see if it is dry and if so add water. WHEN the plants have produce - then I will water twice a week (or as needed).

BLUE BELL PEPPERS are sweet bell peppers. Hybrids!

PS -- the beefsteak tomatoes were grown outdoors. I started the 6 plants from seed - Gurney's beefsteak brand. When the tomato plants bloom - watch for formation of tomatoes - pinched off so that the plant had no more than 12-15 tomatoes. The largest grew to 3+1/2 lbs and was shy a few ounces of state records for the type of tomato. Most of the tomatoes weighed over 2 lbs - BUT caution - plants need extra staking and a good metal basket to help hold plant up. Watering at night when soil got dry - mulch on top soil helped a lot and I used a drip hose so not sure how much water per. Once a month I watered with a Miracle grow liquid to aid the soil - but I checked PH first to know how strong to water. When I watered with Miracle grow I watered a good 6-8 inches away from the base of the plant - all way around each one. Hope that helps...
Last edited by Cherry Kelly on 03-28-2008 11:31 AM, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
DesertSage
Pirate
Posts: 657
Joined: 01-09-2008 12:59 AM

Post by DesertSage » 03-28-2008 12:35 PM

SquidInk, maybe you should have called this thread 'Homegrown FREEDOM?':D
"Wanting everything in life to be perfect before you take action is like wanting to reach a destination without travel."

Post Reply

Return to “Garden & Galley”