Growing the Most Productive Crops for a Victory Garden
Get ready for self-reliance with a modern twist on victory gardening! With the world facing ongoing supply chain issues, food shortages, and inflation, many people are recognizing the fragility of our food supply chains. Growing your own food can ensure you've got plenty to eat no matter what the future brings. So, let's dive into the top 10 most productive and versatile crops for a victory garden in today's era.
- Tomatoes - There's no garden without tomato plants! Both for fresh eating and preserving, tomatoes are essential in your garden arsenal. Paste tomatoes are great for making your own tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Potatoes - Known as a "survival crop," these calorie-dense root vegetables are easy to grow and store, giving you more food for the space you have. They thrive in various growing conditions and can be turned into everything from hash browns to gnocchi.
- Beans - Rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, beans are vital survival crops. Green pole beans and shelling bean varieties like black beans, broad beans (fava beans), and pinto beans make great choices for victory gardens. Pole beans can be grown vertically, while shelling beans can be dried and stored easily.
- Corn - Not just for sweet corn anymore! Consider growing field corn varieties like dent corn, flint corn, and flour corn. These are dried and turned into cornmeal and corn flour, providing valuable grains for your kitchen needs.
- Carrots - High in nutrients like vitamin A, carrots are easy to grow, produce high yields, and store well in cold storage or sand. They're versatile in cooking and can be enjoyed fresh, canned, dehydrated, or left out in the garden in temperate climates.
- Squash - Both summer and winter squash are prolific growers with long harvest periods. Winter squash like pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash store exceptionally well, providing fresh, nutrient-dense fruit throughout the winter months.
- Cabbage - A nutrient-dense crop that retains most of its nutrients even when cooked, cabbage is an excellent choice for your victory garden. Choose a storage variety like Late Flat Dutch for root cellaring and cold storage, or napa-style Chinese cabbage for homemade kimchi.
- Kale - Hardy kale provides fresh greens all through the summer and fall. It also stores well and is cold-hardy, offering a good source of nutrients all year round.
- Garlic - Not only is garlic high in essential nutrients and medicinal properties, but it's also extremely flavorful and versatile in the home kitchen. Most garlic varieties store well and can last into the next year when cured and stored correctly.
- Herbs - Grow a variety of culinary and medicinal herbs in your victory garden to add flavour to your meals and provide medicine. Options include rosemary, thyme, chives, oregano, and basil.
Now, it's time to roll up your sleeves and grow your own, for victory! Join the Society of Self-Reliance, my private membership community, and learn skills that will help you become more self-sufficient in every aspect of life, from growing your own food to stocking your pantry to preparing for anything life throws at you. Remember, with a victory garden, you're not just planting seeds - you're investing in your future!
[1] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/how-to-grow-tomatoes-from-seed-to-the-harvest.htm[2] https://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetables/growing/growing-asparagus/[3] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/growing/summer-squash-growing.htm[4] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/beans/pole-beans-growing.htm[5] https://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetables/growing/growing-basil/basil-varieties/
- Embracing self-sufficiency, learning to cook with home-grown ingredients can revolutionize your food-and-drink lifestyle, as you'll find that tomatoes, beans, corn, carrots, squash, cabbage, kale, garlic, and a variety of herbs make delectable and nutrient-rich recipes.
- In addition to growing vegetables, the lifestyle of self-reliance also includes home-and-garden pursuits, such as cultivating your own herb garden for aromatic and medicinal purposes.
- With the abundance of produce from a victory garden, you'll have the opportunity to preserve your harvest through canning, dehydrating, and creating homemade recipes to enjoy throughout the year, promoting self-sufficiency in your food-and-drink lifestyle.
