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  • Writer's pictureSilly Farmer Billy

Wants to grow his own food during quarentine

Hey there,


I was on a call last week.


The man was deeply concerned about the coronavirus, and this was long before anyone was under state-mandated curfews and before the great 2020 toilet paper shortage. 


“Tell me about Microgreens,” he said, “I’m reading a lot about them..”


He basically read that they are easy to grow (which is fair to say), and that they are super nutrient dense (which is an understatement).


But what he really wanted was for me to tell him how he could lock himself in a fallout shelter for the foreseeable future, and grow micro greens and have plenty to eat. Oh, and he hasn’t ever grown them before, and he doesn’t have any of the equipment, seeds, or anything else to get started.


I like the way he thinks, but there’s some problems.


“Well, first off, you’re correct that Microgreens have massive amounts of nutrients. They have 40 times the nutrient density and 100 times the enzymes of mature vegetables. But the problem is that they don’t have many calories.”


Nutrition is more than antioxidants, glucosinates, etc., what we could broadly refer to as “micronutrients”. 


Nutrition is also about “macronutrients”. 


Macronutrients are the ‘calories’, the nutrients that your body uses to make energy and build muscle. To put it simply, we’re talking about ‘protein’, ‘carbohydrates’, and ‘fat’. 


Microgreens have almost no carbohydrates and fats, and not nearly as much protein as animal products.


Ironically, it is one of the best features of Microgreens that they are low in macronutrients!


It’s what keeps the calories low.


I used to drink a 2-gallon micro greens smoothie, and it was about 174 calories. Filled my belly! Super-Nourished my whole body! Less calories than a meal replacement bar.


But my friend wasn’t concerned with keeping his slender figure. He was concerned that he would be able to eat and feed his family when the trucks that bring the food stop bringing the food. He was worried about a serious and prolonged food shortage.


Of course, I explained this to him.


So, what would be a good plan to nourish a family in a ‘grid-down’ situation?


You’ve definitely got to get your Micronutrients. You’ll get very sick without them. Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Vitamin E… they all play important roles, and Microgreens would be a great way to get them.


But you’ve also got to give your body enough energy to operate. Carbs and Fats. Stockpile some white rice or something. But how to produce it?


And the hardest thing is protein. Meat has a shelf-life. Nuts, too. 


How to reserve enough food for an emergency is something I’ll tackle on another day.


Also, I’ll share some content on how to set yourself up to produce your own food, as well.


But here’s the lesson..


“If you are trying to set up a self-sufficient homestead and grow all your own food, and you haven’t already set that up, then you aren’t going to be able to set it up now.”


It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but he was too late.


He’ll be ok, though.


But when this blows over, let’s make sure we get in a better position to be ready for next time.


Talk Soon

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