Three staple crops
 

If you could grow only three staple crops in warm weather, and three in cold as your primary foods to live on in a SHTF situation, what would they be?

What other long term staples would you keep to go with them?

Re: Three staple crops
 

Corn, pole beans and squash. I like Seminole pumpkin but butternut is similar and good, too. If corn won't grow well for you then I'd consider sunflowers. This will give you well rounded nutrition, lots of calories, good storage food and flour for making breads.

Re: Three staple crops
 

Corn, dry beans, squash: the "three sisters" of the american natives.

Note: I understand that you should not use Pinto beans because of some nutritional defficiency.

Note: Your dried corn must be treated with wood ashes or lime water to prevent niacin deficiency. See the links:

http://www.urbanscout.org/?p=58

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._33542,00.html

http://www.mtnlaurel.com/Recipes/hominy.htm

a pdf file warning to the dialup connections:

http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/bindon/ant4...s/foodprep.pdf

The highest production of carbohydrates per acre are from root crops. Potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips.

Home made saurkraut is a good source of vitamin C.

Re: Three staple crops
 

I heard potatoes can grow just about anywhere, is that true?

If so, I guess potatoes, corn, and turnips to keep the soil healthy. I have no idea what time of the year would be best to grow those.

Re: Three staple crops
 

I also vote for the "corn, beans, and squash" garden.

But I can't do without the hot peppers... :D

Re: Three staple crops
 

Re: Three staple crops
 

Cold weather crops depends on how cold. Half the country can't grow anything to speak of in the 3 coldest months. But in not hard freeze cold, kale and chard would be my choices. And for cool early spring turnips peas and carrots.

Warm, I agree with the other posters.

Re: Three staple crops
 

I loveee jerusalem artichokes, aka sun chokes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke

Thanks for all the comments, keep them coming.

Re: Three staple crops
 

add sun choke pulp to the batches of yogurt you make. apparently the sugar in sunchokes is a favorite of different yogurt bacteria. some people are not handling sunchokes well. causes runs. try it. they sell in organic supermarkets too. wholepaycheck has em.

Re: Three staple crops
 

Take a lesson from the Irish, potatoes are very nutritious foods, can keep you alive a long time, just potatoes; so YES they would be a #1 pick if you have the right growing conditions; the other two, I would guess beans for protein, and then some type of citrus/veggie, you would have carbs, protein, and fiber or citrus (source of Vitamin C). Then add some chicks for meat/eggs, maybe some rabbits, or a few milk/meat goats (can keep all in backyard if desperate); can also live just off goats meat/milk if need be.

Re: Three staple crops
 

Potatoes are a great food.

Great Grandfather in the Ozarks stored them by making a pile of hay 11/2 feet high then piling them up. Cover with Hay about a foot and a half, then cover with dirt about a foot.

As he needed them in the winter he would go to the pile and dig out what he needed then replace hay to keep temp about right.

Would be able to keep enough for all winter this way.

I would also go for beans and corn as well as some root veggies that could keep. Pumpkins would be good because they are able to keep for a long time.

Cabbage stores as Saurkraut for winter use.

E-A