# Lack of Veggies after SHTF



## prepernator (Jan 30, 2013)

Hi i was wondering about what Vitamins/Supplements to stock up on as i have no means of getting any veggies if the shops shut what would be best to give my family and i the extras that game and fish cant supply?
Where i live has very little in the way of edible Native plants(there are a few) will realy need something to help us along....


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Where from? Its not too expensive to stock some freeze dried veggies, and of course seed. Look at aquaponics you can grow some goods anywhere.


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

I pick up bottles of vitamins whenever I find some on sale at walmart. Just as an extra supplement.

Veggies are fairly easy to grow too. Peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes can all be grown indoors very easily. Radishes can be grown in about 3 weeks indoors. I started growing my own veggies about 8 years ago and never looked back.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

Good stuff above ^.Veggies,between freeze dried and starting to grow your own,will be the easy part.A constant source of protein would be more difficult,don't forget your beans too.


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## Leon (Jan 30, 2012)

prepernator said:


> Hi i was wondering about what Vitamins/Supplements to stock up on as i have no means of getting any veggies if the shops shut what would be best to give my family and i the extras that game and fish cant supply?
> Where i live has very little in the way of edible Native plants(there are a few) will realy need something to help us along....


There are edible plants everywhere on earth, including the middle of a city sidewalk. Plantain is a good source of nutrition and grows off anything including concrete and is regularly found there. Dandelion and chickweed are also like that. Matter of fact I know for certain there is a plantain within 100 feet of you, you just don;t know it because you don't know what it looks like. Once you do this problem is solved.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

You can also sprout your grains and beans for the vitamins and minerals.


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## Verteidiger (Nov 16, 2012)

Don't forget - canned vegetables. Last a long time. Not as good as fresh, but better than starving.

I loves me some canned pears and peaches, too, yo.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Get a book on edible plants for your area, so many local plants will supply the vitamins you need that if you go hungry it is because you live in an area with too many people.

In my area dandelions and cattails are the best free range sources, but you should have thousands of pounds of rice, beans and wheat stored or shame on you.

I keep vitamins in bulk too but mostly for rounding out the rough edges not for complete replacement.


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## pastornator (Apr 5, 2013)

Here is a very brief article that deals with what might be missing from the diet with a lack of veggies:

Consequences of Not Eating Fruits & Vegetables | Healthy Eating | SF Gate

Sprouts are a good answer if one cannot plant or gather outside, even in winter!


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

Something that you may want to look at is sprouts. I grew these often when I was on my boat making blue water passages. They are quick and easy, very nutrious and can be used in a variety of salads or asian type dishes. They take up very little room and dont require much in the way of attention. Couple this with a couple of patio type tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets and you shouldnt be wanting to much. Consider too drying some of the veggies you can purchase now. Things like Carrots, Bell Pepper, Onion, Okra, Apples, Peaches, Apercots and Bananas lend themselves readily to this type of preservation.


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## prepernator (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks few options to try there time to stop puting it off ...i hate garderning


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## BIOfrequency (Apr 6, 2013)

What are some of the easier veggies to grow?


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

I'm not a green thumb so I only plant and grow easy:
Lettuce, raddish, squash, green beans, tomato, broccolli, honey due


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

BIOfrequency said:


> What are some of the easier veggies to grow?


Radishes and greens like Kale and Swiss Chard can easily be grown in small planters or even 3'-4' sections of deep vinyl rain guttering capped at the ends. Pole Beans will grow from a planter on a deck or patio and up inexpensive trellis wire, so will small zucchini ( How to Grow Zucchini on a Trellis | Garden Guides)&#8230; even on a small high rise balcony. Sprouts can be done indoors in small trays designed for the purpose or in homemade sprouting flats or screens. "The Edible Balcony" by Alex Mitchel (Amazon) is a great book and so is "Small-Space Container Gardens" by Fern Richardson.

Growing enough of your own veggies to maintain a balanced diet doesn't require a half acre garden and several greens will grow outside even in winter if kept in simple plastic-covered garden boxes. We had fresh Swiss Chard right through February by just keeping a one-foot clear plastic tarp over the row in the garden. They were good until the soil got too wet from a thaw and later froze solid&#8230; our own fault for not draining.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

#1 for me is vitamin C to prevent scurvie so tomatoes grown in 5gal buckets.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Again, learn the edible plants in your area, why not harvest the stuff you don't have to plant and cultivate.

My area is cattails and dandelions, under most conditions I could live on those and the occasional protein "walker"


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

I doubt we will be without them . We have plenty stocked up , depending on the time of year things get bad we will be plating first growing season anyway.
Asparagus
If you do not have a bed going please do so. Once established it grows like crazy, requires little care. Can be eat raw or cooked.
Once you get a good bed going you can keep it going forever. Our current bed has been going 35 years. We give away more they we eat our self some years.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Smitty901 said:


> I doubt we will be without them . We have plenty stocked up , depending on the time of year things get bad we will be plating first growing season anyway.
> Asparagus
> If you do not have a bed going please do so. Once established it grows like crazy, requires little care. Can be eat raw or cooked.
> Once you get a good bed going you can keep it going forever. Our current bed has been going 35 years. We give away more they we eat our self some years.


I'm not contradicting you, but keep in mind it is a 2 year crop and makes your pee smell funny which makes it suspect =)


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## pastornator (Apr 5, 2013)

prepernator said:


> Thanks few options to try there time to stop puting it off ...i hate garderning


In a life-altering scenario, one would be best served by knowing how to garden and having a garden established well before hand.

In other words, get over your hatred of gardening. This is not "mom" getting after you to pull weeds. This is LIFE stuff.

I recommend beds where the crop is planted intensively, most bang for the buck and few, if any, weeds once the crops are up. Yes, you will have to do some work, but you get to mow or rake the paths between the food. Much better than trying to keep an entire plot of land weed free.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Montana Rancher said:


> I'm not contradicting you, but keep in mind it is a 2 year crop and makes your pee smell funny which makes it suspect =)


If you start a good bed once up. About 2 to 3 years from sets longer from seed it. You start cutting after that it goes on forever.
Also a lot of wild plants around here that can be dug up and transplanted.
Reseeds it self if you manage it right. Requires little work Our bed is at least 35 years old we have never added new sets.
As soon as the temps come up a bit here it will shoot up like weeds and as long as you keep harvesting it produce baskets. Late start this year it has been a cold spring. Still have some left in the freezer yet.
Yes if you eat it raw green pee but harmless and the young fresh plant taste like fresh peas.
The large stalks are still tender in a good bed and are great dipped in olive oil and thrown on the grill.
It stores well when pickled.
Last it is very good for you


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