As mentioned in "Learning Tip 2017- 07- 27 -001", I have taken a few career breaks during my work life and used the time to develop either skills or knowledge. One of the cross overs which happened was the use of planning in gardening:
Close to a year before I was to take one of my career breaks, due to some changes in the home, some freeing up of space in the home and the garden, with the intention of providing food for the family or to support the home in some way, I started planting...
This skill, along with grace from God, a good yield from the cassava allowed me to package the extras from the harvest and store them in the "freezer" section of the refrigerator...
These packets of cassava, can be likened to emergency funds or emergency rations in several ways...
1 We purchase canned foods for our "emergency bag" for use or for holding during the wet season when hurricanes are expected... Some of these are used or some are held for the duration of the storm...
In using my planning skills, the packets of frozen cassava now form part of my emergency rations as they can be taken down and boiled should there be a need for food... One of the benefits of cooking cassava is that it can be warmed in water over and over and eaten as needed.
2 Knowing that there are different needs for "emergency funds" at times and at short notice, I may not be able to meet all of these needs, going forward I will be relying on the produce of a variety of plants to supplement my funds and form part of my emergency funding... There will be:
Cassava which, God willing can be harvested on a rotation basis. Also given the weather, it can be planted out of season and yield either branches in abundance or crops... Sometimes, there may not be any grass to place around the soil which would act as mulch. Then you may have to become resourceful and use the peels from the cassava around the new plants.
Melongene, which when planted near to the cassava, tends to yield produce after the cassava, is a good late producer.. This late yield may be due to the freeing up of the resources after the cassava has yielded as the banana peels are now applied in a concentrated manner to those plants....
Beans... This may be one of those plants, which can be used as one of the essential elements in a Joint Venture. Ventures may be entered into with persons with wire fences. These persons can rent out their fence for a share of the crop and or increase their share in the venture due to the provision of peels, time and care of the crop.. This year, due to some flux, I have several young bean plants as I "sprouted" the seeds, rather than rely on them to be carried forward. With one working fence, I am now in need of partners as I cannot see myself selling the seeds, knowing the possible produce which may be obtained....
:)
Bodi - The yield on Bodi, may not be as quick or bountiful as the yield of beans, however it can provide a change in your menu and or your income as you may wish to sell the produce. The earnings may be reinvested or saved in the Gardening fund, rather than the Emergency Fund.
Ochro - The output on ochro can be bountiful and the produce can be sold as persons may not use all that they harvest.
Pimentos - These plants can be bountiful. One of the benefits of harvesting pimentos and using them is that the seeds can be replanted... This plant, also can be grown out of season, thus you can have a year round supply of these crops.
So if there are persons with fences, who are willing to enter into a Joint Venture, please check me out via FB post or message. Btw, my mother has pimento plants and she would be willing to enter into a Joint Venture....
