besides the tomato plants?

Cannabis.

WOW, yah, will you want to have grow lights or pots or whatever ready just in case? Will you salvage just a portion?

I am not sure people from the inner cities know what to do with live chickens and beehives. It's the same with canned garden items. When you are used to fast food and chicken joints root veggies, winter squash, and canned green beans may be very foreign.

People are used to eating what they eat.

I grow in pots. I would work something out with grow lights.

Strangely enough, I mistakenly forced myself to grow some chickens in my cellar one year. I ordered them too early.

It was possible! But stinky.

The stink is gone though after a thorough cleaning.

It would probably be smart to have the ability to easily let them out of your cellar in the daytime when you can keep an eye, and then lock them into your house so that you can sleep.

I actually got to talk once with an urban bee keeper. He lived on the upper floor of an apartment building and the roof was where his bees lived. So, in a sense his bees were pretty safe from looters except other people in the building with access.

Pigs and bee hives

But you are right, and people might have to be pretty hungry before they delve into a hive. haha

One of the things about keeping animals temporarily in your cellar is that a layer of dust settles on the entire area.

You might want to think about that in advance.

Last Edited by Eilonwy on 10/17/2022 09:52 AM

I've grown some plants indoors and it's very challenging in regular sized windows in the winter time.

South facing, huge windows are a bit better but still... Grow lights etc might be necessary. Also it can be a mess with keeping it well watered.

And if the plant needs fertilizations you will have to be "the bee" and do it by hand.

We have grown bees indoors in what is called a "demo hive". It was not a hive big enough to give you lots of honey.

There was a little entrance/exit area that went out a window.

I suppose you could put a hive in an attic, and have the entrance/exit out a window, or cut a hole for it.

This year I'm experimenting with growing celery and strawberries indoors.

The strawberries area type called "day neutral" and unlike regular June bearing strawberries, they will produce smaller amounts of strawberries whoever the plant isn't cold.

If I liked hot peppers more I might have brought in a pepper plant, I've heard those do ok indoors.

I was thinking about the keeping of larger animals like pigs indoors safe from looters. I suppose an attached garage is another place where they could be more safe. I was also thinking that any extra space would need to be freed up (such as that taken up by the usual excess garage crap) To store hay and bedding and feed. The garage crap might have to move.

Perhaps another option is to beef up security on the outbuildings such as coops or sheds that your little domestic agricultural experiments are taking place in.

Locks, alarms and such.

In such times, I don't think you'd want your dog outside trying to protect things, he or she could be hurt. Although I can see that an outdoor dog could be a deterrent, but only so far.

Last Edited by Eilonwy on 10/17/2022 10:33 AM

There could be un-thought-of benefits here. Each farm animal you bring indoors has a BTU!

For instance, every chicken is 8 BTU, according to the google machine.

Just think how many BTU's for a steer!

Tomatoes = NO extra BTU's... Just sayin'

Last Edited by Eilonwy on 10/17/2022 12:01 PM

There are some northern cultures where in the winter months they keep their sheep in the downstairs floor and live upstairs. This makes great sense if you are trying to keep your flock and yourselves warm. But you have to live with the smell. You probably get used to it after a while.

During the winter months I practice deep litter method in the chicken coop. I add more straw every few days. The poop goes to the bottom keeping the area on top relatively clean.

A few time during the winter months I clear it all out and add it to the compost pile. Then start over.

The chickens stay warmer and we have great manure for our gardens. I had an amazing tomato crop this year. Winter squash did great too.

Taters

under the wings of your dove, obviously.

birds will fly la la la, after they eat a bunch of grub.

Nitrogen + stink = poop.

as observed and smelt.

just saying.