I once stole this plant from a ditch at the community College. No really, I really did do that. I wasn't arrested either. It almost tops the time I took cattail from the ditch at the hospital. I wasn't arrested then either.
Actually I didn't know what this was until it made a pretty white flower, and now I love it. I had wanted to buy duck potato because I had read that it's edible to, well, ducks. Possibly rabbits? Not sure. But now that I have this plant, all I have to do is propagate it, and I will have unlimited duck food! Mwa haha.
Supposedly the underground tubers are eaten by ducks and snapping turtles. It sounds like a great plant to grow. Supposedly it can be propagated by transplanting the tubers. Also supposedly, it was a major food source for the Native Americans that lived in the Okeechobee area.
Have you ever considered what you would do to survive the coming zombie apocalypse? That's a loaded question, because it implies that there is going to be a future apocalypse requiring survival. Still, it's a fun thought experiment, and I have often wondered what would happen if there was a societal reset. Who would be the survivors and would they prosper?
Ellie Schiller State Park in Homosassa Springs is my go-to for a survival situation. Clean water, mostly gated park, with the possibility of growing an abundance of land-based food. In the coldest part of winter, manatees float lazily around. During the warmer months, the place is teeming with fish. Not that I'm saying I would eat the manatees, but in a survival situation who knows what would be on the table.
I would bring my rabbits with me and some of the water hyacinth. Water hyacinth is a survival food for sure. I would probably bring the cannas too. They grow in water pretty well.
If you want to grow your own food, you may have to open up to the idea of eating some fruits and vegetables that are not commonly found at the grocery store. And if you live in Florida, you're going to be working with a whole different plant set and growing season changes than them Yankee gardeners. All this flexibility in diet isn't easy, most people eat the foods that they were raised eating and find trying new foods to be difficult.
Water hyacinth is my new favorite local food. It's a water plant that grows in warm water, and is well known for how quickly it creates baby plants. In the past it has been used to pull toxins out of water sources, indeed, water purification is one of it's advantages. After I had added it to my pond the water instantly cleared and the fish became visible. Because the pond water is kinda yucky, I feel that water hyacinth should always be cooked, and I handle it like it's contaminated with E.coli (as it may be after the great manure spill of 2016).
According to Green Deane, the best way to eat water hyacinth is to stir fry, and I completely agree. With oil and garlic preferably. It has a taste not dissimilar from some good fresh green beans, which are hard to come by nowadays. The texture is decidedly different, as the air bulbs are crunchy and airy, like eating potato chips, and can be a bit chewy. Overall I would say that water hyacinth is quite palatable.
Water hyacinth is very different from other fruits and vegetables. Because it is so unusual I couldn't get the kids to try it, what a shame! It's so easy to grow in the pond - right plant, right space - that is seems to be ever bearing. Like ever bearing crunchy green beans! Even if the kids never eat it, I know I can eat it and the rabbits do quite enjoy the green bits (they won't eat the roots.)
This video talks a little bit about how water hyacinth is used at this lake to feed local livestock, including chickens.
This morning I snapped a quick picture of this dwarf pink canna. This is its first bloom of the season.
As you may know, cannas love full sun and plenty of water. Its hard to overwater them! They can be placed in a pot into an existing or new pond. I was thinking $5 or plant trade would be a good price, as this is a 100% organic offering of an edible suitable for the front yard.
Check out the Craigslist Posting for this plant.
These species can only be grown in licensed, permitted, and inspected nurseries which have taken measures to ensure no possibility of escape for these plants.
While some of these plants are unfamiliar, others are sources of human and animal nutrition that should not be disallowed in non-tender areas. For example, non-native water hyacinth is a favorite food of manatees and is reported to be well-received by cattle, goats, and rabbits. It's one of the main plants that I wanted for my pond, since it has beautiful tropical flowers and is edible. A few other plants of making people sad are water chestnuts, water spinach, and water lettuce.
The azolla in the newly built pond is finally growing up to the expectations claimed by numerous sources on the internet. Though the little pond is perhaps about 10 square feet of surface area, and even with the floating planters, I was able to harvest a full pot of azolla last week and another pot of azolla today.
I have been steaming to destroy bacteria (and tadpoles) on the plants before draining and freezing into ice cube trays for ease of feeding to the rabbits. But it just brings up the good point, that if a person was starving, here is an extremely prolific food source for a survival garden. The only way to find the betta fish is by harvesting the azolla. It might not be a good idea to add this particular floating plant to decorative koi ponds. Now that my pond is up and running, I find myself wondering why not grow edible snails? They eat algae and won't disturb the floating planters, azolla, or fish.
Uses: Edible, Fodder, Fertilizer. Native to: The Cretaceous Period, worldwide.
This floating water plant is actually a tiny, prehistoric fern with amazing properties. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen due to its symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria, like an aquatic version of our more common legumes. Due to its nitrogen-fixation, it is also an extremely protein-rich plant, making it an excellent choice for home-grown fodder. In fact, there are very few land-based livestock animals that will not eat azolla, if any. Chickens, rabbits, goats, ducks, and cows are reported to gorge on this aquatic plant.
Historically it has been used as a wetland green manure crop in the warmer parts of Asia. In the spring when taro or rice is planted in the boglands, the azolla would be innoculated to the water's surface. There the little ferns would fix nitrogen and proliferate, crowding out any competing algae or weeds via shading. Since the rice and taro have most of their foliage above water-level, it does not hinder their growth. The azolla will thrive, then self-mulch, then die down when the cooler weather comes. The farmers harvest some and shelter it for next year's use. The green manure properties of azolla make it possibly the six most valuable ferns on the planet.
A close-up of the roots which hang into the water.
It's culture is simple - grow it in clean still or gentle water. Wind and water turbulence can fragment and destroy azolla, so sometimes floating beds are used. Like duckweed, under the right conditions it can become weedy if it escapes into waterways, so care should be taken to prevent escape. Since it provides it's own nitrogen, phosphorous can be a limiting factor to optimal growth. "The symptoms of phosphorous deficiency are red-coloured
fronds (due the presence of the pigment anthocyanin), decreased growth and curled
roots." A quick search of the webs reveals a superior organic source of high quality phosphorous can be made by burning animal bones at high temperatures to ashes. Never has a rocket mass heater in florida sounded more appealing! Azolla species can be used as a very nutritious survival food for humans, but it will need to be cooked to destroy any pathogens that might be living in the watery growing media. For animals, this compilated table shows it to have 16.5% crude protein and a bevy of other useful vitamins, like leucine and alanine. This Australian study lists many of the benefits of using azolla as a large-scale fodder source, but points out a simple drawback to commercial production - that contamination of the plantings by tiny freshwater shrimp can occur. This accidental animal protein renders the azolla illegal to sell as a feed source for ruminants in Australia, as they have strict legislation prohibiting animal proteins for ruminant consumption there. They also recommend the azolla be fed fresh or refrigerated, but within a week of harvest.
A very nice synopsis of azolla research here.
Some free aquatic snail contamination.
I don't speak this language, but the video is very informative even muted.
Aquaponics, the art of using recirculating pumps to provide habitat for fish growth and nutrition for soil-less agriculture, is commonly becoming available to everyday people via the information exchange on the interwebs. It is potentially a viable gardening technique for apartment dwellers and others who don't have access to even a small plot of semi-arable land, but does require electricity.
After reviewing systems and advice for days on end, I have decided that aquaponics practicioners are completely missing the big picture...that Humanity needs start utilizing other plant sources more effectively, and that using electricity to run pumps to grow tomatoes IS STUPID. Besides, when have Tilapia ever produced an attractive pumpkin? The answer, of course, is never.
Cattails, on the other hand, are efficient bog plants that have been staples in Native Americans' diets for thousands of years. Managed effectively, Tilapia could probably make some huge cattails, taro, watercress, duckweed, azolla, water chestnuts...and probably dozens of other potentially delicious yet unexplored margin plants. Even without fish farming, more bog plants should be explored as efficient (space and resource) fodder and food sources.
The electricity and equipment cost of aquaponics is another factor that is best forgotten until afterward, largely because the majority of people that practice aquaponics seem to be aquarium lovers who want to take their fish raising large scale, or hydroponic plant farmers who want to take their nutrition dollars away from store-bought salts. The pumping power to mechanically aerate and filter the highly stocked tanks will never be cheaper than just buying fish meat, expecially when you factor in fish feed and time. And frequent chemical tests. And the possibility of fish disease ruining your whole crop.
Just think about it.
There are very few people working on doing this sort of thing sustainably. Perhaps the best and easiest solution would be custom-built ponds with floating plant beds on the surface, with only inexpensive bubblers for aeration and circulation. There is still the fish feed issue, but perhaps it could be lessened with Azolla, Duckweed, Black Soldier Fly Larvae, and Redworms. All of which would need support systems and engineering, but are currently being done well on the small scale. There is still the solids issue. Solids are not really a problem if you have a garden, which everyone who can probably should have anyhow.
A few (mostly) sustainable residential backyard aquaponics practitioners: Garden Pool - eggs, tilapia, vegetables. Run on solar power. Aquaponics HQ - fish, duckweed, rabbits, Black Soldier Fly.
Gopher Tortoise, illegal to capture except by special permit, common is sandy long-leaf pine savannas, spend most of their time in long, deep burrows which provide habitat for other creatures and enable them to thermoregulate and avoid forest fires.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) closely regulates the types and number of turtles that can be harvested from the wild for different purposes, including personal use (i.e. eating) or raising on your own land for later personal use. It is illegal to sell turtles taken from the wild in Florida, and that rule may apply to their meat as well so do be careful.
"Freshwater turtles can only be taken by hand, dip net, minnow seine or baited hook. Most freshwater turtles may be taken year-round. Taking turtles with bucket traps, snares, or shooting with firearms is prohibited. Softshell turtles may not be taken from the wild from May 1 to July 31. In addition, collecting of freshwater turtle eggs is prohibited. Some turtle farms depend on collection of wild freshwater turtles. With the new rule, certified turtle aquaculture facilities, under a tightly controlled permitting system, will be allowed to collect turtles to establish reproduction in captivity so that farms can become self-sustaining to lessen their dependence on collection of turtles from the wild. Possession limits for the following turtle species and their eggs are as follows:
Loggerhead musk turtles - two
Box turtles - two
Escambia map turtles - two
Diamondback terrapins - two"
Information on sea turtle harvesting is not listed on the FWC official site, which leads me to believe that it is illegal in Florida waters. Interestingly, Gator-Woman claims that the largest threat to Florida's indigenous turtle population is that Chinese, a blatantly racist remark. She claims their love of turtle is skyrocketing the price of domestic turtle meat.
Once you acquire the turtle you can butcher immediately, or some would recommend storing the captive turtle securely in clean water for a day or more, providing feed for the turtle as well. This is to lessen the supposed "muddy" flavor of the meat.
The proper way to clean a carcass would involve enticing the turtle to bite a stick, then pulling its neck out as far as possible before slicing through as quickly and close to the base as possible, then hang by the tail to drain the blood. Next slice off the legs, tail, and shoulders for the meat. Remove the head from the neck and use the neck meat as well. Some open the shell to remove the fatty lining near the vertebra, or strap, as it is sometimes called. Frequently that step is omitted as opening the shell may not always be worth the mess or hassle. Care should be taken to avoid reflexive movement of jaws and legs which persist long after the turtle is decapitated.
Most recipes for preparing turtle meat call for creating a soup, stew, or possible deep-frying. Some cook with the bones, some remove the bones before cooking.
Though there are days that it seems Florida has more fresh water than we know what to with, that is not completely true. Rainfall is uneven throughout the year, and most of us are not wealthy enough to live on one of our beautiful springs.
Silver Springs
When considering property to purchase, well depth and quality needs to be considered. Some coastal areas will not have potable groundwater, and other areas may have problems with sulfur, uranium, and other naturally occurring minerals. The water will have to be tested, however, most of the state has access to our beautiful 98% pure aquifer, which is completely recharged with rainwater. No rain means a very thirsty state, and according to USGS Floridians have withdrawn 500% more water since the 1950s.
Wells probably should be used in conjunction with rainwater harvesting. Since the population emigrations to Florida in the 1950s, more people and industry have been drawing from the aquifers, an already fragile resource. Saltwater intrusion and lake levels dropping, combined with sinkholes, have made that plain. Sinkholes are an open wound of the water system, allowing pathogens in to infect otherwise potable water with contaminants like nitrates. Rainwater harvesting from rooftops also requires no electricity for pumping.
There is no one resource for obtaining information about water quality for an area short of drilling and hoping the sample comes back clean. Neighbors may be able to give you information about their wells. Assume all local golf courses are not going to give you information.
In general, the aquifer is between 100 and 200 feet down in most of central Florida. The ground is frequently a layer of sand on layers of limestone and dolomite. Rainfall does affect groundwater levels, in a period of intense drought hundreds of shallower wells near Pensacola had to be redrilled or moved inland. Underneath some areas the aquifer is under pressure, which might result in artesian well once drilled. Artesian wells have special regulations regarding reporting and capping (of course).
Shallower wells, about 50 feet deep, are used most frequently for irrigation (think golf courses, nurseries, and citrus farms) and usually have lower quality water than the deeper wells.
The indigenous people were bastions of knowledge about the scrublands of West Florida. Not only did they know about the water availability issues we face here, the forest was not food desert to them. We have a good deal to learn about their lives and livelihood.
For Hernando and Citrus counties it is known that most natives lived near thes springs and ocean. We know their diet consisted largely of fish, and that they traded with other tribes for goods. Shell Mound in Citrus County is a huge remain of their remains. It is thought the dead were entombed in cairns because of flooding and the high water table. Not a lot else is left to be found.
Water was everything to the natives. They didn't have the technology or knowledge to dig wells for fresh water. One source states that thousands of years ago the people that lived in Florida occupied areas that are now under ocean. The Wisconsin glacier is credited with raising the water level. Buried forests have been found off the coast of the Florida Keys.
We know that native Americans practiced a form of agriculture foreign to our modern life, called food forestry. It is a subject I am fascinated with, and have been endeavoring to turn my tiny lot into a miniature version of. Breaks in th e tree canopy are utilized to grow sun-loving annuals. Small perennial seeds or nuts are also planted in amongst the annuals. The area is weeded and planted, then the people return months or years later to harvest. Maybe the plants grew or maybe they did not, but it was very little effort for potentially huge returns.
