Ray has been sprouting for over 30 years and brings a wealth of knowledge on this topic. He feels this is a very important topic. 

 

Sprouting is incredibly quick and easy to do. Plus, you don't need a lot of materials to get started, not even grow lights. Some seeds like, alfalfa, broccoli, clover, and radish take as little as three to five days to sprout but big seeds like beans and peas may take longer. 

 

Using simple seeds like broccoli and alfalfa makes harvesting easy. Plant your seeds, let the plant grow to full development when it produces seeds. Pick the seed pods and let them dry out. Break the pods up over a white sheet. The sheet makes it easy to see the seeds and then collect them. 

 

You will need a constant source of seeds. You need the seeds to grow your own plants to produce more seeds and you need the seeds for the actual sprouting process.  Use plants that have a high seed yield with low plant requirements for space and water. 

 

There are many different types of seeds used for sprouting. Mix and match different types of seeds to develop your own flavor blend. Some common bean seeds for sprouting are adzuki beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, mong beans, peas, peanuts, pinto beans, soy beans and brasikas. Broccoli, cabbage, kale mustard, and radish also provide a flavor pop to your mix. Leafy sprouts like alfalfa, water cress, clover, lettuce are also welcomed additions. Exotics like carrots, dill, fennel, fennel greek, garlic, leek, onions, and sweat peas are also popular among sprouters. There are also many types of grain sprouts used for sprouting.

 

In a bug out situation, sprouting would be a viable source of highly nutritious food while on the move. There are many areas where seeds may be procured including nurseries, hardware stores, bartering with fellow gardeners, health food stores or harvesting them from old gardens. In a normal day to day situation you can order them in bulk online or be your own supplier.

 

Growing the sprouts for consumption is extremely easy to do. You will need a jar with a lid, cheesecloth, seeds, and water. The size of the seed will depict the amount of water you want to put in your jar. Cover the seeds with water and let them sit overnight. Keep them warm but don't let the sun hit them, yet. In the am, drain the water, rinse the seeds and cover them again. Rinse them in the morning and night to get more sprouts faster or once a day if you want less sprouts and a slower sprout time. In three days you'll have sprouts in 4-5 days your jar will be full. Only allow sunlight into the jar if you want your sprouts to turn green. For more information on sprouting sprouts visit: Survival Food: Sprouts.

 

It's easy to preserve your sprouts as well. Drain them in water and let them dry out a little, about a day or two. Put them in a plastic bag in the fridge or freezer.

 

Nutritionally sprouts rock! They have been grown and eaten for over five thousand years. They provide protein with beans, alfalfa and clover providing the most. They are packed with vitamins A, B, C and E. They also provide calcium, amino acids, and some sprouts like alfalfa and carrots provide vitamin K. 

 

Sprouting is something you can do at home, whether you live in an apartment, a college dormitory or a house in the country. Sprouting can also be done on the go. Start practicing now so you are ready to sprout if you need to.