Prepping For Profit

By Dale Bannock

You don't have to believe that a catastrophic disaster or emergency is likely to occur in the future to make preparations for it. Creating a sustainable food supply is something that most of us can do in a smaller space than one would usually imagine. Expanding that space and choosing wisely the foodstuffs we choose to grow allows one to turn our preparations into profits.

In Prepping for Profit, author Dale Bannock gives detailed examples and suggestions for preparing for an unseen disruption to our food supply. Furthermore, he offers proposals for channeling our efforts into growing non-typical items into highly profitable commodities. As a bonus, projections for a self-sustaining urban farm are outlined in the last chapter as an example of how "one man's trash" can truly become another man's treasure.

There's no agreement among preppers about what disaster is most imminent, just that one will come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandy Springs Press
• Release date: Jul 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798985835564

Book preview

PREPPING

FOR

PROFIT

Dale E. Bannock

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Published by Sandy Springs Press

www.sandyspringspress.com

Copyright © 2022 Sandy Springs Press

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 979-8-9858355-6-4 (eBook)

ISBN: 979-8-9858355-7-1 (Paperback)

ISBN: 979-8-9858355-8-8 (Hardcover)

First printing edition 2022.

Cover Photo iStock 939499390-612x612

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Homegrown

Aquaponics

The Garage System

Putting It Together

The Greenhouse System

Plants 101

Growing From Seeds

Growing From Cuttings

The Life Aquatic

Goldfish

Tilapia

Catfish

Crawfish

Pond Size Calculator

Going Underground

Getting Started

Marketing

There’s A Fungus Among Us

How Do I Get Started?

Where Are The Opportunities?

Dining At The Ritz

Reproduction Process

Reproduction Area

Breeding Parks

Market Time

Making Money

Plan B’s

To Market, To Market

A Farm Stand

The Farmers' Market

Establish a CSA

Local Restaurants

Traditional Grocers

Area Schools

Local Events

Online

Thinking Inside The Boxes

Photo References

Glossary of Agriculture Terms

Sources

Greenhouse Manufacturers

Green House Supplies

Seed Providers

Mushroom Spawn and Supplies

Worm Suppliers

Fish Hatcheries

Shipping Containers

Resources

Reading

Watching

Government Agencies

Introduction

A

discovery by an international collaboration of researchers from several prestigious universities offered evidence that farming on this planet began as far back as 23,000 years ago. This discovery produced the first evidence that plant cultivation began much earlier than previously thought. Though the attempts to control plant life were rudimentary, it points to the fact that even early man recognized that he had an existential interest in controlling his food supply. Being hunters and gatherers was to catch as catch can even for the cave dwellers. Droughts, floods, and other climatic changes placed the gatherers in an unstable environment. Migration of animal species and primitive hunting tools placed early man at a disadvantage for securing a consistent protein source.

Fast-forward 23,000 years. Today we find vast farms where animals are raised and slaughtered by the millions for consumption annually. Miles and miles of grains are grown for animal feedstock and human use. Plants and animals are genetically modified to produce the most desirable product for market. Pesticides are universally used to maximize the yield of the crops. Petrochemicals are pumped into the air, earth and water as farms attempt to keep up with the demand for an ever-increasing world population. Where does it all end, more importantly, what happens if it does end?

Each and every day, people all around the world purchase billions of dollars of groceries. Almost all of these items are brought to their markets by daily deliveries. But what happens if the supply chain is disrupted? What happens in a national fuel shortage or quarantine due to pandemic? It is estimated that significant shortages will be felt in as little as three days. Convenience stores and other small local stores that carry smaller inventories will feel the effects even sooner. Anyone that has experienced a hurricane or other significant weather event has witnessed how quickly the shelves at the grocery store empty. A disruption in the power supply would be a double whammy as frozen foods would quickly thaw and be unusable. What can the average person do to protect themselves and their family?

It is the intent of this book to offer methods for producing good wholesome food in as economic and efficient manner as possible. Whether the reader is using our suggestions to supplement their diet with free organic food, or is able to achieve complete self-reliance, is up to the motivation of the reader. It is our belief that certain of these methods can be used to create a profitable business for the reader outside of their own sustainability.

The methods will be introduced as a small-scale introduction to each topic. As we explore the topic we’ll extrapolate where we feel the opportunities for profit exist in our current markets. How far the reader takes those opportunities is left to the reader.

Before we define the how let’s discuss the why. Let’s ask ourselves a couple of questions before delving deep into the details of small farming. As a person interested in prepping and farming, your investment is about to go up. Possible losses could threaten your other interests if your mindset is not right.

As you embark on this journey, ask yourself these questions:

Do you consider yourself an ambitious person? Are you the first one out of the bed in the morning and the last one to sleep? Do you hit the ground running in the pursuit of making your family self-sufficient?

Are you inspired by challenges? Do you work tirelessly to find solutions or are you easily stymied? Are seemingly insurmountable tasks your red meat?

Can you accept temporary setbacks? Can you rise above the irritation of working with regulatory bodies in pursuit of your goal? Can you deal with a steep learning curve to accomplish your goals?

If you answer yes to all three of these questions, then this book is for you.

Homegrown

I

f you’re reading this book there are a couple of reasons that can be speculated for your desire to become more self-sufficient.

1)  Your Health

a)  When your food is homegrown, you know exactly where and under what conditions you food was grown in. You know who has handled your food from harvest to table. There have been several outbreaks of Listeria in the United States that were related to food handling. Why take the chance?

b)  Everything you grow will carry the organic label by default. You won’t be paying premium prices at the grocery store for produce that may, or may not, have been grown organically.

c)  If you are careful in your seed selection you will not have to worry about hidden GMO foods. There are currently no long-term studies on how eating a diet of GMO foods affects the human body. Why be a test rat for Monsanto?

2)  You’re a DIY’er or Gardener

a)  Some of us are just tinkerers. We look at things that strike us as cool, and we say, I can do that. With the pictures and instructions included within this book we will give you the basics on how to establish your own mini farm.

b)  If you’re a gardener, you’re going to love how much more efficient our system is. The time from seed to harvest is greatly optimized in our system. Quicker yields means less space needed for sustainability.

c)  Watching things grow and prosper gives you an inner peace; something that going to the grocery store just can’t match.

3)  You’re concerned about the environment

a)  Even though modern farming techniques are producing more food per acre than ever before, they are dependent on the petrochemical industry to sustain their production. Whether or not we will ever run out of oil is not as concerning as the chemicals being released into our air, earth, and water. If current trends continue, we will run out of clean air and water before we run out of oil.

b)  By creating a closed system that is super-efficient, you will find the use of solar or wind to be very viable resources for your power needs. Setting up a green power source for your farm is a great entry point for coming off of the grid entirely.

4)  You’re frugal

a)  Even if you just grow herbs, by growing your own you save all of the costs associated with procuring the herbs from the grocery.

b)  Rather than paying the Organic up charges, you can guarantee that all of the produce you and your family eat is free of pesticides and commercial fertilizers.

c)  Depending on your level of commitment, it’s possible that you can replace all of your produce needs from your own garden. How about producing all of your protein as well? Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?

5)  Alternate income

a)  You’re intrigued by the idea of producing not just for your own needs but having sufficient harvest to market for a profit.

b)  You want to build a hedge against inflation and market fluctuations and shortages.

c)  The idea of building a home-based business that your family can participate in for generations is very appealing to you.

6)  You're concerned about the breakdown of civilization

a)  If all of the supply lines breakdown for whatever reason you will be prepared to subsist until order is restored.

b)  If the food supply becomes tainted due to virus or bacteria, you will have a safe source for your family growing close by.

c)  In the case of pandemic, people will be quarantined to their homes. What will you do when the food in your pantry runs out and the refrigerator is empty?

These are just a few reasons that pop into the top of my head for growing your own food. You may have more, or varied reasons, but the important thing is that you've made the commitment to learn more. What we’ll do next is talk about growing systems, products, costs and expected outcomes. We’ll discuss materials and sources for the materials. Where applicable we'll provide links to more scholarly articles to further explain in depth the whys and wherefores for the choices and recommendations we make. We make no claim to being the ultimate authority for the topics we discuss, but as the pictures point out, we have walked the walk.

We chose aquaponics as the driving force behind our food production because of the relatively low setup costs and minimal maintenance. The ability to scale into a commercial size operation using the same basic principles allows the hobbyist the opportunity to grow his hobby into a vocation.

Aquaponics

"A

quaponics refers to any system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish, or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. In normal aquaculture, excretions from the animals being raised can accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity. In an aquaponic system, water from an aquaculture system is fed to a hydroponic system where the by-products are broken down by nitrifying bacteria initially into nitrites and subsequently into nitrates that are utilized by the plants as nutrients. Then, the water is recirculated back to the aquaculture system." - Wikipedia.

Say what? Let me oversimplify. Aquaponics is the system whereby you use the waste from fish to fertilize your plants. The plants clean the water and both fish and plants thrive. Sounds sort of natural, doesn’t it? Using one of the absolute best natural fertilizers to enrich the roots of your plants while the plants clean the water making it clean enough to drink. It is a beautiful thing. But does it really work?

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