Seed Saving Basics for Independence

The Supply Chain Weakness

In 2020, seed companies ran out of stock. It happened fast. If you rely on a packet from the store to eat, you are vulnerable.

Hybrid vs. Open-Pollinated

• Hybrid (F1): Great vigor, but the seeds you save will not breed true. They might be sterile or produce weird variants. Avoid for survival.
• Open-Pollinated / Heirloom: These plants have stable genetics. If you save seeds from a 'Brandywine' tomato, next year's plant will be a 'Brandywine' tomato.

Rule #1: Buy only Heirloom or Open-Pollinated seeds for your core survival crops.

Easiest Seeds to Start With

1. Beans & Peas: They self-pollinate. Just let a few pods dry brown on the vine until the beans rattle. Shell them and store them.
2. Tomatoes: Generally self-pollinating. Squeeze seeds into a jar, ferment for 3 days to remove the gel sack, rinse, and dry.
3. Lettuce: Let it bolt (flower). Shake the fluffy seeds into a bag.

Storage

Cool, Dark, Dry. Moisture is the enemy. Use mason jars with silica gel packets in a cool closet or fridge.

Start your bank today. A single bean can produce 50 more. That is leverage.