Hi Folks,

I just finished up the on line class dealing with the elements needed for Safe Villages and Agriculture in the future.  I was certain to mention the importance of the “Three Sisters”, meaning Corn, Squash, and Beans, and how these were central to many cultures in their agricultural practices.  I suggested strongly during the class that students try to get their hands on the original strains of these food plants, for in the future hybrid plants will not withstand the battering that will come from the collapse of life as we know it and the evolution of farming to fit adverse conditions that we all will face.  

A better choice is to look to cultivating the vast assortment of wild edible and medicinal plants that are found in the area you have chosen as your safe haven.  After all, these wild plants grow in a variety of conditions and are very resistant to diseases and extremes in environment.  Best of all, most people would not even notice these plants, for the general public only knows them as weeds.  With that in mind I ask you all to begin to research the wild edible plants in your area.  This year you should begin to collect the seeds and replant them and then the following year harvest the seeds, roots, and tubers and store them for future use.  

On a personal note two of my favorites are the amaranth and the fox tailed grasses.  These plants are highly nutritious and can take a beating.  I am going to be sending out a list of these plants to the graduates of my on line Villages classes and will eventually make this list available to all Tracker Graduates.  

Walk Strong my brothers and sisters,

Tougher times lay ahead.

Tom