In 2009, Dennis and Danielle M. purchased a foreclosed home in Mesa, Arizona.
The house had a broken and abandoned swimming pool, and the couple decided it wasn’t worth fixing.
Instead, they decided to use it for their garden.
And to increase their food production, the family also raised chickens and had a pond full of tilapia.
So, Dennis built a plastic dome over the pool, and started growing food inside it.
Additionally, the couple created a closed-loop ecosystem, allowing them to grow a variety of food including broccoli, sweet potatoes, and wheat.
They didn’t use traditional soil. Instead, the plants grew on clay pellets or coconut coir.
The garden doesn’t use fertilizer since the chicken droppings fall through a wire mesh, allowing the droppings to be collected and used as fertilizer where needed.
Plus, moisture from the garden pool dripped in a pond below that also collects rainwater when there is any.
Fish in the pond eat plants and the water from the pond is funneled to water the produce.
In this way, the entire garden uses a fraction of the water that a traditional garden would use.
They grew and raised enough food to feed their entire family of five people. And they were able to do this in the Arizona climate thanks to the garden pool Dennis had built.
A year after starting the garden, the family was able to reduce their grocery bill by about three-quarters. They still went to the store for things such as cooking oil and coffee.
When Dennis first started his garden pool, he wanted to be self-sustainable, but after he witnessed the potential of his garden, he wanted to share the ideas with others.
He said, “I want everyone else to build great systems.”
Thanks to Dennis, the idea of building a garden in a pool quickly spread around the desert climate. Others in the area followed the family’s ideas and built garden pools.
Now, I believe building a garden is a good idea, both for practical, as well as survival purposes.
I think everyone should have a garden and, if possible, animals so you can be as self-sustainable as possible.
But in addition to having a garden, another great way to have fresh food is to visit local farmers markets.
It’s estimated that there are over 8,000 local farmer’s markets in the U.S., and total annual sales from these markets are over $1 billion.
Many of the people who attend farmers’ markets are local sellers.
Not only can farmer’s markets sell fresh food, but they can also be beneficial when it comes to being prepared.
Considering this, here are a few reasons why you might want to visit your local farmer’s market.
Independent:
One of the biggest benefits of a farmers’ market is that the sellers are local.
So, folks at the farmers market don’t have to deal with the same constraints that a big store could have.
Remember how most big stores limited how much toilet paper you could buy during the pandemic? Well, a local seller probably wouldn’t have limits like that.
At the end of the day, you will pay more at the farmers market, but you will be able to get food from them when the big stores are running low.
Production and partnerships:
A local farmers market is a good way to meet people who might be able to help when you can’t get supplies from the big stores.
For instance, if there is a shortage of certain food, a local grower might be able to supply enough for your family to get by.
In addition, it’s a good way to meet people you can barter with during a crisis.
For example, if there is a local produce grower you might be able to trade food for fuel or whatever you have to offer.
The closer you are in distance, and the deeper your friendship with a grower, the more likely they are going to be able to help you during an emergency.
Freshness and storage:
When you get food from a farmers’ market it is usually fresher than at a traditional store.
Keep in mind that food from a grocery store has likely traveled a far distance to get to the store.
The fruits and vegetables were picked weeks before getting to market.
They were picked not based on whether the food was ready but rather when they needed to be sold.
The reality is that a local grower at the farmers market will sell fresh produce when it’s ready – they won’t be held to the timeline of a grocery store.
Also, if you get food from a farmer’s market it will stay fresh longer compared to the grocery store.
So, if you are buying food that you won’t eat right away it’s better to get it from the farmer’s market.
The only downside to shopping at a local farmer’s market is that you will probably spend more compared to the grocery store.
But I believe the benefits of getting fresh food and making acquaintances that can help you during a disaster are worth the extra cost.
In addition to gardening and possibly having animals for meat and dairy purposes, you should have a stockpile of survival food on hand in case things get really hairy.
I have over a year’s worth of long-term food stashed away for my family at this point, but you can start with a one month’s supply and build it up as you can.
