Survivalists

I have an odd fascination with some of them. While I get what they are doing, why they are doing it and applaud several of them for their efforts at thinking ahead.. there are a few that make me shake my head or flat out are a bit scary.
I suppose that because seeds have always been a fascination for me that it pointed out what I see as a rather big hole in many of their plans. Many of them think far enough to pack seeds.. and even point out that one should pack non-hybrid seeds in their reserves... but .. but... always there is a but..

THEY OVERLOOK HOW TO STORE PROPERLY OR PROPAGATE STRAINS OF SEED.

Worse yet.. many buy into to that gimmicky pvc "seed bank" of delusional security. That whole thing makes me cringe as so many are feeling this false sense of security to such a degree that they post videos on youtube about their pride of that purchase. Reality is that most all of them couldn't tell you how to even get a plot of dirt prepped for a garden.

So there are a ton of people all looking glassy eyed at this piece of plastic and thinking... "whew! I got that covered.. I am good to go!" Yeah... only if by some freak chance all plant disease and pests as well get eradicated.

There are strains not found in seed catalogs... not sold by seed distribution companies.. they are raised by a few hundred people... or even just one. Most people think there are maybe a hundred or so cultivars of tomatoes.. all they see are the ones in the seed racks or the transplants at the nursery. There are literally thousands.

Now while some crops are easy to sae seeds from.. like beans and peas and often peppers.. others are a challenge. Squash... because C. Pepo is a species with so many different summer squash and a few winter squash with heavy pollen and nectar producing flowers that bees go berserk (read.. cross pollination galore unless you deliberately take steps to prevent it).. or corn which can send out millions of pollen grains for a week which is carried on the wind (again.. something you need to time the bloom of, know isolation distances, or know how to bag them.)

How about those that need to be over wintered to get seeds? Root crops that have good storage ability, often the crops eaten in the winter.. kinda important ones you want to keep going.

Herbs, flowers and especially cover crops get overlooked. Yes... flowers. Here's my point.. pollinators are important. You want them to set up shop so that your garden is productive. Although they do have a range to wander in their foraging pursuits... it isn't nearly as far as the typical person thinks it is. While not every survivalist is going to keep bees... anyone gardening food crops knows the importance of pollinators. Many crops have multiple purposes aside from putting food on the table... learn to save those seeds too. Alfalfa for example... nitrogen fixing plant that also is a feedstock for livestock, blooms attract some bees and other pollinators, helps prevent soil erosion. Clover is another multi tasker.. bee forage, livestock forage, green manure source, nitrogen fixer.. and some of them are edible (tea can be made from it as well the greens can be cooked).

I suppose my gripe is that you can just pick up a bunch of seeds and think you have all of your bases covered. If one is so worried about crops being stolen... hedge your bets and plant an orchard. Variety outside of the box store offerings. Actually grow the plants and save the seeds. Grow the seeds you saved and see how well you have done maintaining the strain. Know how to store the seeds properly. I mean how many survivalists have desiccant on their "must have" list?

A plastic storage bin with seeds in paper bags that someone has written the date they purchased them all over means nothing when it gets invaded by bugs... or worse... moisture.

Another thing.. some seed packets.. the seeds are already several years old. When they put a "sell by" date.. as they legally have to.. all it means is this.. a germination test was conducted, and the seed passed the testing requirements.. the date means nothing more than a window of time (13 months) in which the seed can be sold.

Knowing how to perpetuate a crop might just be a factor they would want to practice. Knowing how to select for traits, avoid genetic bottlenecking, be able to identify and handle disease/pests etc. is something over the last few generations that has fallen on the back burners. It used to be common practice in many households as it was key to survival. (As was diversity of plantings and foraging.)

That's my thoughts on that for the moment.