Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Seeds, Ammo, Wabbits, and Wannabe Farmers

My friend Vicky Carmona was in the paper the other day because she showed up at Southern States at the right time; she told the reporter she is a "wannabe farmer" and that she expanded her garden this year just because she loves it. I have mentioned Vicky's garden here before and am planning to post pictures of it in the next few weeks.

Vicky said the reporter, Ike Wilson, told her that a number of places are running out of seeds this year. I had also heard this from a farmer, that some of the seeds he wanted to get this year had sold out. Supposedly 9 million or so more people are gardening this year than in previous years, and many people have expanded their vegetable gardens. Some of the popularity of gardening is the economy, I am sure. The FNP article also suggests that more people are vegetable gardening because of the First Lady's Victory Garden, and I believe this too.

I have also heard from various people and news stories that many people are hoarding seeds, much like I have heard that people are hoarding ammo. I also think that people are freaked out in general these days because the world is topsy-turvy and are instinctively turning to self-sufficiency and self-protection, which is a good instinct that can certainly go overboard.

I learned from the FNP article that "fifty dollars in seeds can yield $1,200 in produce, according to the USDA." Personally, I hoard seeds by accident because of good intentions. If the apocalypse comes, people, come to me for kale and daikon radish seeds I bought in bulk from Southern States. They are valuable- worth perhaps hundreds in produce according to the USDA, and I promise not to shoot. Just let me share the harvest and a few good stories.

Vicky and I have garden discussions; exchange seeds, plants and ideas; lend tools; and fight the rabbits in solidarity. As for rabbits- a friend told me, "I had a woman working on my farm and I told her I wanted to shoot the rabbits. And she thought that was terrible because rabbits are so cute. But then she planted a field of cabbage and the rabbits grazed it to the ground over the weekend. And I took her back there on the tractor and after that she wanted to kill the rabbits."

"Shhhh! Be vewy, vewy qwiet. I'm hunting wabbits!" Perhaps that is the hidden reason for all of the ammo people are buying.

Photo is by Skip Lawrence, FNP, and is not my friend Vicky. She's out hunting wabbits.

2 comments:

Chelsea said...

I was just reading (and of course, I can't remember where)about the arctic seed vault. Apparently freezing your seeds will allow them to last for decades!

smoo said...

I just keep mine in the fridge and they last for years. Maybe I need to class it up a little bit.