What If? A MOVEMENT TO ELIMINATE HUNGER IN THE USA

I was driving along an Alabama Highway a couple days ago and couldn't help but notice all the trees!
There were millions and millions of them as far as the eye could see. It suddenly occurred to me that these trees that were for the most part growing wild and unchecked with little human intervention were really serving very little purpose.
That's when it hit me " Why couldn't all those trees be Fruit trees instead? or instead of weeds growing in the ditches along the roadway be Pepper plants or Collard greens, or Brussel sprouts?
If a million people took a hundred seeds from the fruit they eat everyday and saved them, then threw them along the treeline of our local highways and roads, it wouldn't take long before there could be food littering the landscape instead of useless vegetation.
I would like to send a challenge out to all subscribers of this site. Knowing that some people are more driven than others I will make it easy.
Start saving seeds from any fruit or vegetables that you would normally throw away and dry them in a window sill for a few days then keep them in an envelope. Mix them up, its ok your not planting a garden. When you have a full envelope pull over one day and cast them into a treeline along a public roadway, get back in your car and drive away.
Plants are self propagating they will produce fruits that will get eaten by animals and those seeds will be spread out, then more plants will start to appear miles away. Soon there will be fruits and vegetables growing wild instead of weeds.
There are roughly 320 million people in the US, if a fraction of them did this It would make a difference.
Please spread this Idea around, I would love to be driving along the road and look out the window and see trees full of fruit instead of just wasted space!
Below is a video I found yesterday on YouTube that shows how fast it can happen!
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

 

Yes, you will increase the food supply. You might also run into legal problems. (Trespass, illegal dumping, invasive species, ect. So make sure of what and where, first.)

 

Johnny Appleseed if not a myth was an agricultural terrorist. He did nothing of any benefit to anybody. tic
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@techsar , while I understand your concern with regard to invasive species. I also recognize that there are many types of trees that produce something usefull without any help from man once established. Those that quickly come to mind are, most any of the nut trees such as pecan, walnut, and chestnut. Fruit trees that do quite well without the intervention of man would include Carob (almost as good as chocolate), Mulberry, and mangoes. I am sure there are others.

 

I agree, I think that some trees are worth planting. Due to drought our aspen grove has basically died. Instead of planting more aspen, I am going to plant fruit trees and oak trees. These will feed wildlife and humans. If people actually realized how fragile their food supply is they may start planting things that serve a dual purpose instead of just looking pretty.

 

The thought is of value but how many "people" have you seen that would pick fruit even if free? I have offered garden veggies to many but first thing they say is--is it picked--some are just that lazy. We have taken out a half dozen large Oaks on the NE end of our home and put in a nice little orchard/vineyard/berry patches. We are providing for our and our own's needs.
Those "useless" trees/weeds you see as you drive through the country side are far from useless. Where do you get that nice furniture you sit/sleep on, heat your home with, and build your homes with. Leave the trees alone and let the bums/hungry fend for themselves. We have created a entire segment of America that depends on handouts and will riot if said money does not arrive on time. Have offered many a place to grow a garden over the years--know how many have ever taken my offer--zero. Am fed up with those who leach off the sweat of our brows. When SHTF things/attitudes will change drastically rapidly and radically.

 

If you watch the Video you will see there is merit in what he has done. I did not mean to imply that all trees are worthless, DUH! I realize they produce O2 but any tree can do that. I am simply stating that the abundance of trees growing randomly which could be replaced with a variety that would offer more, might be a good thing. There will always be Nay Sayers in the world no matter how good the idea is, so I will not become discouraged or deterred from what is obviously a good idea. I have 4 acres in the back of my property that just sits there, I intend to start doing what that guy did.
I already have about 40 different fruit trees, bushes and various plants growing on the front 4.5 acres of my property.
As far as Lazy people, they have always been here and will always, Sadly, be with us, if that's your rational for not doing something, What Can Be Said?
I was thoroughly impressed by what the Aussie in the video has done and hope that others might follow suit!

 

Invasive Insect species tend to attract other species that prey upon them, maybe the reverse might be true, the Explosion of predatory insects might lead to less need for pesticides, then maybe we won't lose anymore beehives, which by the way are quickly declining in the US due to the very pesticides you are talking about!
Look that up on Google! It's very scary how many Bee hives have vanished in the past three years!

 

Bats and bat houses.

 

I know a guy down here that did that and according to him it made a huge difference in the flying insect population. I don't know how effective they would be against garden pests.
Assassin Bugs, Red Wasps and Dragon or Damsel flies are all over my garden as well as lizards and a couple of toads that we've spotted.
I really like the frogs, They'll eat there weight in insects every day.

PUBLIC HIGHWAYS!!

 

Not really very public.

 

Gopherman, How are you Bud? Ya'll have to9 come by soon. I got two new beehives.

 

Hey Brother, absolutely!!!
How are the Rabbits? I have about 40 kits with 3 more litters on the way.
I'll call ya later.

 

@Gopherman , I added oak trees to my property, as a draw for deer, And squirrels, ect. I too am adding to my food supply, by feeding the meat animals I hunt. Later, when the trees are fully mature, they can then be harvested for lumber, as the younger trees feed the deer. Black walnut is one of the highest dollar trees, but it is antisocial( kills off other trees) so if I grow any of those, it will be in a separate section. White oaks are the best draw for deer, and the best tasting I think for acorn flour. I hope to add some white oaks to the red oaks later on.

 

I have a herd of deer that love my back acreage. I startle them a lot on the rare occasions that I go back there.
The last time I bush hogged, a fawn stood out in the open and watched. Pretty cool!!
I have sprouted Hardy Kiwi Berries vines now to plant back there and also Passion fruit vines.
They are extremely prolific and very dense vegetation.
I am going to line the entire 8 1/2 acres in these vines and continue to air root all of my fruit trees to plant back there.
I have about 20 pecan trees growing on my property as well a a couple of oaks that reach over 80' high.
The branches I trim off these every year are providing me with about 2 chords of wood and the beauty is they keep growing back bigger every time I cut them.
The pecan trees are out of control!! Some of them have branches 60' long.I am going to rent a 60' boom lift and cut them way down and try to get them under control. They were here when we bought the place, the thought of dealing with them is as daunting as it is going to be dangerous.
I am happy to say that we are very prepared, I was going to move to a more secluded location, I am happy now that I didn't! We are getting this place secured and My new German Shepard along with my other Dalmatian/ Lab mix will be my first line of Defense.
I wouldn't want to come face to face with my Dal/lab, he's got an attitude when it comes to strangers, and he's big!!
Rabbits are going strong about 65 of them, just sold my first 2 young Billy's and Ram, going to by more Ewe's with the money, this time I will get Barbados Sheep they don't require sheering.
My 10,000 square foot garden is starting to take off like my Rabbits and already been eating Mustard Greens, and collards for the last 6 weeks, got about 200 hundred plum's on one of my trees, Life Is Good!!

 

most all were here before we came along and messed with things.. they got along just fine ...

 

I recalling seeing apples trees doing fine around old cellar holes. The old farm house may have fallen down but the fruit trees continued to thrive.

 

I let my cabbage go to seed, I started noticing birds were eating them, like birds do, some of those seeds will pass out and germinate, which means that somewhere there will be little cabbages growing wild.
I grew up in Hawaii, when we would walk through the Rain Forests, we would come across wild fruit everywhere! mango's, papaya, passion fruit,guava's......
Another example of this would be Brazil, the species are different but the idea is the same.All it would take is a little push and we could very well have the same thing going on here.
My Passion fruit vine started coming up yesterday, Woo Hooo!!!! Within the next year I will have fruit on them, they will completely take over a fence line in about two years.



In the Spirit of full disclosure, I feel like I should post this video as well
YouTube also have my hardy Kiwi Berry plants taing off they are just like the passion fruit vines!

 

The original wild forest post lol @Gopherman your garden has grown

The new movement for feeding the world us called 'urban farming' kind of silly, new name so they think it's a new idea but there are some great ideas out there.

Will Allen does this in a big way

About | Growing Power

 

To end hunger in the US you would need to wean the hungry from Micky Ds and teach them to cook and read recipes..