Food Prices, Shortages & Inflation - The Trash Index

[Wifezilla]

I am growing amaranth and quinoa this year. I really like the amaranth because it can be used as a green as well as harvested for the grain. The quinoa will be interesting too. It contains natural saponins, so the likelyhood of birds eating it all on me is slim. It will require some more processing in the end, but with its high protein content (up to 18%) it will be worth the extra effort.

As for other grains, I just don't really have to room to make it worth while. I am growing some corn though. I can dry that for the critters. Well, whatever I don't eat smothered in butter that is

 

[freemotion]

I'm doing a Three Sisters garden this year with Indian corn, winter squashes, and pole beans.

 

[Wifezilla]

Me too I am using chinese red noodle beans, dutch bantam sweet corn and blue and white pumpkins (abi and I saved seeds from these organic pumpkins we got last fall. They were so nummy! The blue pumpkins had better meat, the white pumpkins had the tastiest seeds.)

I did a little test patch last season with the dutch bantam corn, Jaradale pumpkins and blue lake pole beans. The squirrels ate all the pumpkins and rolly pollies got the beans, but the corn did great. I just need to take special care to protect the beans. Surrounding the young plants with oyster shell works really well. As for the squirrel issue, I am trapping and dispatching now and will also use wire cages to guard the growing pumpkins.

I HATE SQUIRRELS!

 

[Marianne]

I read an online book several years ago - Possum Living - you'll have to google it to see where it's available.

Worth the read, short book - These people lived on less than $2000 a year, if I remember correctly.

Topics include:
How to cook roadkill - if you're desperate
How to make moonshine (think disinfectant, fuel and whoopee)

Not something that a lot of people would want to do, but I did copy the moonshine recipe....

 

[Marianne]

I HATE SQUIRRELS!

Eat 'em. I remember having squirrel when I was a kid, we were visiting my aunt in OK...they struggled financially, but always had gobs of chow on the table.

I loved them when we lived in town. So much fun to watch. Where we are now, this year we have finally heard them in the back woods for the first time.

But they aren't demolishing my crops, either.

 

[Wifezilla]

There is one in the freezer. I just need to catch some if its friends They are pretty smart though and catching on to the trap. I can't shoot them because 1)I don't have a gun 2)I wont get one because of my developmentally disabled son 3) the houses here are so close together I could easily take out a neighbor by accident

 

[freemotion]

What about a slingshot?

 

[k0xxx]

I'd suggest some C4 and set up some mines for the nasty little buggers! We are going to have to do some serious thinning of the local squirrel population around here. They decimate our strawberries and apples.

 

[Marianne]

Give the gift that keeps on giving: A female cat.


Wouldn't that take care of thinning the squirrels? I have a mouser that takes on anything.

 

[FarmerChick]

feed the squirrels, make them your friend, then pounce! never know what hit'em lol