RV gardening

[Mangyhyena]

Can you store months worth of food in your RV, grow fresh veggies in your RV, and do it for very, very little money?

Yes, most definitely, if you learn to sprout seeds.

Sprouting is easy, does not require energy, does not require much of your time or effort, requires only water, does not require soil or even sunlight, is inexpensive, is nutritious, and yields fresh live food in 3-5 days. The seeds store very well for years with no refrigeration, and take little storage space. Seeds provide 4-12 times their bulk in sprouts. A little goes a long way.

Are sprouts as filling as mature produce? Tell me which weighs more, a pound of brocolli or a pound of brocolli sprouts? A pound is a pound is a pound.

Sprouts are excellent emergency food, inexpensive, easy to grow and harvest, and extremely nutritious. Nuff said. Look up sprouting if you're interested.

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

Couldnt agree with you more Mangyhyena.  It was a staple form of produce on my boat when I was a live aboard, especially when I was making a blue water crossing.  They work great in salads as well as in asian food dishes.  Cheap way to eat healthy too.  No chemical additives, preservatives or pesticides or bacterial contamination like our current food sources found in the grocery store, so you know exactly what your getting when dinner is served!

 

[judycmomx6]

Thanx, Mangyhyena, that's a great idea. You probably don't need to have a green thumb either, which I don't. Do the sprouts taste the same as the produce that they come from, or do they taste different?

 

[Mangyhyena]

The texture is different, but most sprouts taste like the mature produce. Radish sprouts definitely taste like radish. Ditto brocolli sprouts.
Bean sprouts do taste different than the beans they come from. They're good, in my opinion, but they've got a taste all their own. Wheat sprouts also taste different than wheat. But, I like raw veggies, so sprouts taste good to me.

No green thumb necessary. Soak seeds overnight. Drain out the water. Put seeds in a mason jar with a cloth over the top. (or nylon screen). Rinse seeds 3 times each day, (morning, noon, evening) allowing the excess water to drain. Do that for 3-5 days and viola, ready-to-eat sprouts.
Pretty much, that's all there is to it. My children have been pretty successful at growing sprouts. My oldest is 7. That's how easy it is.

1 pound of alfalfa seeds should yield 7 times that bulk in alfalfa sprouts. Shelf life of seeds, if not exposed to extreme temperatures, is 3-5 years for alfalfa.

If you look up sprouting you'll get all the info you need to get going.

 

[Nemo]

little bit late to the discussion, but thank you <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; had been wondering what kind of quantity you could get from the seeds.. seeing a place selling a 4 oz packet doesnt mean much when you dont know what it will translate into.<br><br>I have no refrigeration of any kind, so tend not to get produce.. this would still allow me to get fresh greens in my diet <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br><br>

 

[Phantom Blooper]

As a word of <FONT color=#ff0000>CAUTION</FONT>......<BR><BR><P align=left>Your local health food store will probably carry a line of seeds for sprouting. <P align=left><BLOCKQUOTE><P><B>When purchasing seeds for sprouting, be certain that the seeds are intended for food and not for planting. This precaution is necessary because some seeds meant for planting have been treated with fungicides or insecticides.</B></P>Happy Sprouting!<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

[Mangyhyena]

Palm to forehead. Yes, phantom blooper is absolutely correct with the warning. Sprout only sprouting seeds. I can't believe I forgot to even mention that. Great catch, phantom blooper.

The best way to get a sense of how many sprouts you'll get from a handful of seeds is to sprout a handful of seeds. Basically, a small amount of stored seeds will produce a large amount of food. The seeds do not need refrigeration. If you sprout only what you intend to eat each day, there will be no need to refrigerate the sprouts, either. Just start a new batch every day for an ongoing crop tailored to your dietary needs. Best of all, sprouting is extremely economical, for those interested in cheaper living.

A pound of alfalfa seeds, for instance, should produce between 7 and 11 times that in fresh sprouts, enough to feed you for a week, if necessary during a bad time. Not bad for the amount of required storage space and cost.

 

[SheketEchad]

<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">I have kept sprouting seeds and chia seeds in my BOB for some time. &nbsp;Do start small though if you lack refrigeration, as sprouts can get moldy in a hurry; that is illness causing for many people.</span><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">One tablespoon of alfafa seed will provide more sprouts than you know what to do with unless you are living off of them <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> &nbsp;I highly recommend only buying organic sprouting seed, thereby avoiding both GMO contamination and any pesticide/irradiation issues.</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">~SE</span></div>