Storing seeds?

[GunnerMax]

hey guys, I surfed onto this site, and wanted to know what you think about it? I think seeds, for me and my expecting wife, will be a better option than stockpiling alot of food. (remember we live in the suburbs in an 175 unit apartment complex, and 99% sure we will not stay during a long term SHTF.

Emergency Seed Bank - Best Non Hybrid Seeds Available

my main reasoning for contemplating this is that I want to be a person who has worth. I already have military training, and specilize in guns, explosives, and hydraulics. I have some electrical experience. I want to be that family that gets taken into a farm familiy. Who will bring his worth. I hope you are understanding what I am saying.

so, thoughts/inputs/suggestions?

[helomech]

After I get my aquaponics set up I am ordering some. You can't do much with farming without non hybrid seeds.

[shtfsurvivalist]

I have a large collection of seeds. I think it is a great idea to stock up on them.

[mitunnelrat]

Though I still recommend you develop a more specific plan I can follow your logic on this. I think its good you're considering what assets you can bring to bear in an emergency, but I'm not sure I'd use a physical asset as a selling point. I'd hold knowledge of their existence in reserve (since you'll depend on them for survival and they're not a barter item), at the very least, in case you can't sell yourself of the merit of your skills and experience alone. If you don't have to mention them until after you strike a deal, so much the better.

Physical assets can be taken, knowledge and skills cannot, and there will be as many thieves and rapscallions, per capita, in shit kickers as there are in sneakers. As a current example, google the Ohio farm stead whose owners were luring victims in on craigslist and killing them.

It really is a decent idea, I think, if you have few to no other options, but there's that old saying of not playing all your cards in one hand...

[GunnerMax]

for the record, I will not rely solely on seeds. This would be one of the long term options.

[Evolver]

Justa and I are using Non-hybrids (heirloom) only in our garden and the reason why is mainly for the saving of the seeds from what we a have grown to be planted again the following year or season. This is where is gets tricky... You have to guard from cross pollination, know how to care for the seeds so they can be planted to grow again, know what will grow in your area and when to plant them. So... having good seeds is wise choice and learning how to turn them seeds into fruit now before SHTF is of the importance.

[realist]

Rat is right you need to have more. Your thought process is good, you want to make yourself marketable. I suggest that you try to stockpile at least 6 months of freeze dried food along with your seeds. The freeze dried food is lighter than others such as MREs. You will need to have something to tide you over until your seeds grow. If you arrive a some place you they may not have enough food to feed you. Just because it is a farm does not mean they have a bunch of food. Remember there are a lot of farms out there that grow only one type of crop and it may not be what you will be able to eat, i.e. alfalfa. Also they may buy their seed every year and not have any for the next year.

[Evolver]

One more thing that I should add is when your buying seed banks it's best if you can find a supplier that sells banks by growing zones because what grows well in the north doesn't always grow well in the south and visa versa. Better yet research what is known to grow in your area by visiting your local extension website Cooperative Extension System Offices and put your own seed banks together.

[bacpacker]

A lot of good thoughts being brought out.

The way I look at seeds, I want a 2 year minimum stockpile. What you grow this year may not be harvested for a variety of reasons. The second years seeds will get you thru the next year. As an example, I had my garden started and was pretty far along with the warmer weather plantings (tomatos, peppers, etc) and we had the worst hail storms I've ever witnessed. It destroyed most everything we had out, including some fruits, berries, grapes, what have you. I did replant but had so so success with the replanting.

You have a good idea of what your wanting to do and IMO you are going about it in a smart, step by step way. Just keep thinking thru various scenario's and what your response to it will be. Getting ready for any scenario takes time to plan and accumulate the needed supplies. I've been going at it for years and still don't feel close to being where I want to be.

[bacpacker]

Evolver is right, seeds need to be purchased according to your location. There is a huge range of different varieties based on how far north/south you are.
The seed banks have a good variety of stuff in them, but I would prefer to put my own stock together. There are certain things we have found that works great here and other not so well. Stuff we love the taste, some that haven't got much taste. So I would want to build my own. What I have done for years is just by what we want to plant each year and maybe get a third more to store. I also buy some new varieties of stuff we like. I'm always experimenting with new kinds of tomato's, watermelons, squash. To me thats the best way to see what you like, what grows well, what keeps the best.