The Gun Counter

Can anyone recommend a reputable seed supply company? I'd like to add seeds to my long term SHTF supplies. Currently I have a bunch of Home Depot purchased seeds.. not sure of the quality.

Any storage hints? Mylar bags? O2 absorbers or not?

the best way to insure seed viability is to grow the plants from the seeds you have and harvest the seeds of each succeeding generation.

At least do it with a portion of the seeds you have stored to insure that they will create viable second generation seeds. My understanding is most hybrid seeds will not produce viable seeds for the next planting.

Try http://rareseeds.com/requestcatalog/index/

They get good reviews from the Backwoods Home folks, who also have a number of other suggestions.

This article about heirloom seeds is rather interesting too.

My problem is I don't have a lot of time to garden in the summer because that is when my business is busiest. I have tended a very small one (about 6' x 16') of mostly tomatoes (NJ sucks for a lot of things, but our tomatoes and corn are top shelf), hot peppers and herbs. I have plenty of room for a large plot, just not the time right now. I suppose that would change if the SHTF.

ETA: Cross-posted w. Denis.

http://rareseeds.com/seed-collections/s ... thern.html This looks like just what I need.

If you can, find out what the Amish plant in Lancaster - should be close to the same conditions, and it should be a good seed for manual cultivation

However, you need to learn how to grow crops in your area before the SHTF

However, you need to learn how to grow crops in your area before the SHTF

No doubt.

There are a lot of working farms around where I live. Well, "a lot" is subjective this being NJ and not Iowa.

My alma mater has a pretty extensive ag program (for the north east). http://njaes.rutgers.edu/ I should look into some night classes there.

Well, New Jersey is called the garden state.

BTW, Backwoods Home magazine is an excellent periodical, well worth the money.

If you google "seed bank" or "seed vault", you should get what you need. I've seen a few different kinds, but I have no first hand experience, so I can't offer that. They're usually pre-packaged to last for dozens of years.

I can vouch for the Baker Creek company, I got exactly what I ordered and they threw in a small pouch of tiny carrot seeds as a bonus!

Sadly, plants grow poorly in a cramped 20" pot, so I can't tell you how they taste...

This article about heirloom seeds is rather interesting too.

Good article, Denis. Read it, printed it out and into the SHTF stack it goes.