Preserving (rec.food.preserving) Devoted to the discussion of recipes, equipment, and techniques of food preservation. Techniques that should be discussed in this forum include canning, freezing, dehydration, pickling, smoking, salting, and distilling.

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  #1 (permalink)   Report Post  
North
 
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Lets try this again :-)
Note the groups that were added.
n.


On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:34:07 -0400, North > said:

>On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 14:05:03 GMT, old_codger > said:
>
>>I want to stock up on seeds to keep in store in case needed but I have a
>>few questions.
>>
>>How long do they keep?
>>What kinds of seeds to get for veriety in food source.
>>What king to get to make sure the crop also produces seeds so the supply
>>will be ongoing. (Non-hybrid?)
>>Where is a good source for the initial purchase?
>>
>>Thanks for your help.
>>
>>

>Old_Dodger,
>I crossposted your question over to a couple of groups where the
>experts on this subject hang out.
>
>n.


  #2 (permalink)   Report Post  
old_codger
 
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North wrote:
>
> Lets try this again :-)
> Note the groups that were added.
> n.
>


Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
while ago but I can't seem to find it.
We'll see what the other groups can add.

Thanks.
  #3 (permalink)   Report Post  
North
 
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On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 16:54:09 GMT, old_codger > said:

>
>
>North wrote:
>>
>> Lets try this again :-)
>> Note the groups that were added.
>> n.
>>

>
>Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
>while ago but I can't seem to find it.
>We'll see what the other groups can add.
>
>Thanks.


You might give the yahoogroup "Organic Homesteading Gardening" a try.

http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/or...adinggardening

As for me, I hit the garden supply store when they have their big end
of year sale. I buy the regular seed packs (envolopes) and I store
them in a jar with a few O2 absorbers the lid sealed tight of course
and kept in the dark. After 5 years the seeds still sprout and grow,
YMMV. I think the trick for long term seed storage is the same as long
term grain storage, where O2 and water are the enemy (alone with
light).

I have no clue if the seeds I buy and store are non-hybrid or not and
if their seeds will sprout. I just buy enough seed to last 20 or so
years, of course I rotate these every chance I get (while we still
have places to buy seeds, ect...)

n.

  #4 (permalink)   Report Post  
George Shirley
 
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As long as you keep the seeds dry they will last a long time. I keep
mine in a plastic one gallon container in the fridge and have viable
seeds that are up to ten years old. You can even freeze them if you seal
them in a container, used to keep heirloom field pea seeds that way. I
keep all the seeds in the containers in paper envelopes, the smaller
batches in el cheapo coin envelopes, the rest in el cheapo small size
mailing envelopes. YMMV

George

old_codger wrote:

>
> North wrote:
>
>>Lets try this again :-)
>>Note the groups that were added.
>>n.
>>

>
>
> Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
> while ago but I can't seem to find it.
> We'll see what the other groups can add.
>
> Thanks.


  #5 (permalink)   Report Post  
old_codger
 
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North wrote:
>
> On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 16:54:09 GMT, old_codger > said:
>
> >
> >
> >North wrote:
> >>
> >> Lets try this again :-)
> >> Note the groups that were added.
> >> n.
> >>

> >
> >Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
> >while ago but I can't seem to find it.
> >We'll see what the other groups can add.
> >
> >Thanks.

>
> You might give the yahoogroup "Organic Homesteading Gardening" a try.
>
> http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/or...adinggardening
>
> As for me, I hit the garden supply store when they have their big end
> of year sale. I buy the regular seed packs (envolopes) and I store
> them in a jar with a few O2 absorbers the lid sealed tight of course
> and kept in the dark. After 5 years the seeds still sprout and grow,
> YMMV. I think the trick for long term seed storage is the same as long
> term grain storage, where O2 and water are the enemy (alone with
> light).
>
> I have no clue if the seeds I buy and store are non-hybrid or not and
> if their seeds will sprout. I just buy enough seed to last 20 or so
> years, of course I rotate these every chance I get (while we still
> have places to buy seeds, ect...)
>


What do you buy. Just a mix of veggies and grains?


  #6 (permalink)   Report Post  
Janice
 
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On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:38:25 -0400, North > wrote:

>Lets try this again :-)
>Note the groups that were added.
>n.


Humm I didn't see the various News group names until I agreed to allow
posting to all of them, which I don't usually do.

misc.survivalism,rec.gardens,rec.food.preserving,r ec.gardens.edible

Janice

>
>On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:34:07 -0400, North > said:
>
>>On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 14:05:03 GMT, old_codger > said:
>>
>>>I want to stock up on seeds to keep in store in case needed but I have a
>>>few questions.
>>>
>>>How long do they keep?
>>>What kinds of seeds to get for veriety in food source.
>>>What king to get to make sure the crop also produces seeds so the supply
>>>will be ongoing. (Non-hybrid?)
>>>Where is a good source for the initial purchase?
>>>
>>>Thanks for your help.
>>>
>>>

>>Old_Dodger,
>>I crossposted your question over to a couple of groups where the
>>experts on this subject hang out.
>>
>>n.


  #7 (permalink)   Report Post  
Janice
 
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On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:18:14 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:

>As long as you keep the seeds dry they will last a long time. I keep
>mine in a plastic one gallon container in the fridge and have viable
>seeds that are up to ten years old. You can even freeze them if you seal
>them in a container, used to keep heirloom field pea seeds that way. I
>keep all the seeds in the containers in paper envelopes, the smaller
>batches in el cheapo coin envelopes, the rest in el cheapo small size
>mailing envelopes. YMMV
>
>George


yup.... 'cept lettuce, parsnips, think orach seed doesn't keep either.
Usually they only last the season they're purchased for, no longer.
Maybe if there are way better storage facilities than most households,
you might get another year out of them, so you'd have to grow them out
each year and save new seed.

Janice
>
>old_codger wrote:
>
>>
>> North wrote:
>>
>>>Lets try this again :-)
>>>Note the groups that were added.
>>>n.
>>>

>>
>>
>> Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
>> while ago but I can't seem to find it.
>> We'll see what the other groups can add.
>>
>> Thanks.


  #8 (permalink)   Report Post  
North
 
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On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 18:38:45 -0600, Janice
> said:

>On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:38:25 -0400, North > wrote:
>
>>Lets try this again :-)
>>Note the groups that were added.
>>n.

>
>Humm I didn't see the various News group names until I agreed to allow
>posting to all of them, which I don't usually do.
>
>misc.survivalism,rec.gardens,rec.food.preserving, rec.gardens.edible
>
> Janice


This was originally posted to misc.survivalism. I added the other
groups, The first time I tried to crosspost, the darn computer farted
before I was finished.

n.

>
>>
>>On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:34:07 -0400, North > said:
>>
>>>On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 14:05:03 GMT, old_codger > said:
>>>
>>>>I want to stock up on seeds to keep in store in case needed but I have a
>>>>few questions.
>>>>
>>>>How long do they keep?
>>>>What kinds of seeds to get for veriety in food source.
>>>>What king to get to make sure the crop also produces seeds so the supply
>>>>will be ongoing. (Non-hybrid?)
>>>>Where is a good source for the initial purchase?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for your help.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Old_Dodger,
>>>I crossposted your question over to a couple of groups where the
>>>experts on this subject hang out.
>>>
>>>n.


  #9 (permalink)   Report Post  
George Shirley
 
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Janice wrote:
> On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:18:14 -0500, George Shirley
> > wrote:
>
>
>>As long as you keep the seeds dry they will last a long time. I keep
>>mine in a plastic one gallon container in the fridge and have viable
>>seeds that are up to ten years old. You can even freeze them if you seal
>>them in a container, used to keep heirloom field pea seeds that way. I
>>keep all the seeds in the containers in paper envelopes, the smaller
>>batches in el cheapo coin envelopes, the rest in el cheapo small size
>>mailing envelopes. YMMV
>>
>>George

>
>
> yup.... 'cept lettuce, parsnips, think orach seed doesn't keep either.
> Usually they only last the season they're purchased for, no longer.
> Maybe if there are way better storage facilities than most households,
> you might get another year out of them, so you'd have to grow them out
> each year and save new seed.
>
> Janice
>
>>old_codger wrote:
>>
>>
>>>North wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Lets try this again :-)
>>>>Note the groups that were added.
>>>>n.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
>>>while ago but I can't seem to find it.
>>>We'll see what the other groups can add.
>>>
>>>Thanks.

>
>

We buy lettuce seed for less than a dime a package, leaf type, and I
have some that are two years old in the box. Planted some for spring and
got about 80% germination, which with lettuce seed is more than adequate.

George

  #10 (permalink)   Report Post  
Loki
 
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To save seeds over time, in the end you have to plant them and
collect the next seasons seeds. It's the only way with seeds that
aren't viable for long. I do a search on 'seedsavers' 'seed banks'
and see what comes up. There are groups around the world who do just
that to keep species alive.
And lo and behold, a nice .edu site :-)

http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/stse/handbook.htm
http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/stse/store.htm

http://homepage.tinet.ie/~merlyn/seedsaving.html

--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]



  #11 (permalink)   Report Post  
Mark & Shauna
 
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Old_codger,
Our input would be if you are looking to start saving/storing seed for
fear of a time when seed stock for growing is no longer available we
would suggest a multi faceted approach of the other replies.
Buying off the shelf packets of seed at the end of the year for cheap
cheap is a great option for low cost however as has been somewhat stated
it can be a crap shoot. Some will save and some will not but in a
survival situation you arent going to be throwing a tantrum if your
leeks dont sprout. You will eat whatever comes up. So we would say go
ahead and build a library of seeds from the garden center and try to
rotate out all of the oldest every couple years with new. This way you
will always have, at the least, 2 years garden in your library. The
plants you grow from these packets may or may not be viable for saving
seed but they will at the least provide you with food to eat and
preserve. In our experience when we purchase lots of cheap packets at
the end of a season, each year that passes germination is reduced by 50
percent though there are exceptions in both directions. I wouldnt want
to even remotely rely on packets saved for several years for my food
supply though they are a great adjunct.
To start saving your own seed and building a never ending self
generated supply of seed you will want to start growing "open
pollinated" or "heirloom" plants in your garden. They are the same with
the only difference being that heirlooms are varieties which are at
least 50 years old. As was stated, many of the garden center varieties
you buy can be hybrids which means any one of a number of things can
happen when you save the seed from these plants. They may be sterile and
not germinate at all, you may get only one strain of the cross, they may
not produce fruit, or they may grow fine for a couple years and then
fizzle. Hence crapshoot.
Be forewarned however that certain seed can be pretty tough to save and
additionally some vegetables are biennials which makes saving seed
difficult in some climates.
That said, if you really want to insure that you will have viable seed
for growing it would be best to grow a season or two's worth of seed
every year. This way you have fresh seed for the next two years and
should be safe. Simple crops like tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cukes,
melons, many peppers, sunflowers, beets, are easy to save seed from with
the right procedure and a few fruit will provide you with LOTS of seed.
Lettuce and spinach are simple to save seed from as well. Other than new
varieties we grow our own lettuce, spinach, from saved seed every year.
All of the seed catalogs offer many open pollinated and heirloom
varieties additionally a google on "heirloom seeds" will find you many
suppliers of strictly heirloom seed. www.seedsavers.org is a good
resource as well as books like The New Seed Starters Handbook by Nancy
Bubel are good.

Good luck,
Mark

old_codger wrote:

>
> North wrote:
>
>>Lets try this again :-)
>>Note the groups that were added.
>>n.
>>

>
>
> Ok, thanks north. I think Alan Connor posted something on this a
> while ago but I can't seem to find it.
> We'll see what the other groups can add.
>
> Thanks.


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