It feels like forever since I last did a blog post. For those who follow my blog, I apologize for my hiatus. If you are into video content, I have been more active on YouTube as of late, so hop on over there and check me out.
In this post I want to talk to you about growing perennial food sources. As a family who is moving towards self sufficiency (with a touch of prepping as well), ensuring that we always have food on the homestead is a high priority. But what if you have a difficult or challenging year? Maybe you got a new job that is taking up much of your time. Or perhaps you suffered an injury and intensive garden work isn’t in the cards for you. What if the weather is absolute garbage and you are experiencing full crop failures?
If the food you produce fall under the annual category, that means you won’t be producing much. Diversifying and adding some perennial food sources means that even in difficult years, you will have something to eat. With everything that is happening in the world right now, having secure food sources is of the upmost importance to us!
As an FYI
I grow food and medicines in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario which is mostly a zone 5. I say mostly, because I sometimes feel we are borderline zone 4. So if you live in zone 2 or 9, this information may not be relevant to you!
Fruit Trees and Bushes
One of the absolute first perennial food sources you need to get into the ground as soon as you are able are fruiting trees and bushes. In some cases, you will have to wait up to 5 years for your crops to produce, which is why you want to get them into the ground as soon as you are able to. Things to keep in mind…
Ensure you are fully educated on your hardiness zone prior to spending money on trees and shrubs. Fruit trees can be very expensive and it would be terribly disappointing to discover that the $65 peach tree you bought isn’t going to produce anything in your zone! Many fruit tree varieties require a companion/friend for proper cross-pollination. This means, that you might need at least two apples trees if you want them to actually produce apples. Small yard? No problem! Many greenhouses are now grafting multiple species on trees so they can self pollinate. The world of backyard trees has really grown in the last few years!
If you are looking for a fruit source that produces much faster, than berry bushes, shrubs, canes and plants are your best bet. In our zone 5 area we are growing:
- rhubarb
- strawberries
- blueberries
- red currants
- gooseberries
- raspberries
- haskaps
- elderberries
- aronia berries
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That’s a lot of options! We hope to add grapes and lingonberries next year as well. Crops such as these tend to produce faster, cost less and take up less growing space.
Perennial Greens
Perennial greens are an absolute must for us as well. Loaded with nutrition, greens are a staple part of our diet. Be in it salads, sauteed, in smoothies and even dehydrated into greens powder, greens are apart of our daily foods.
First and foremost, if you have a safe space to add a nettle patch, I highly recommend you do so. I absolutely love cooking with nettles (check out my nettle pasta post here and my sauteed nettle greens video here). They are probably one of the most nutrient dense foods that fall under most people’s “weed” category that you can find. They can be invasive and they of course sting, so keep those factors in mind when you choose where to grow them.
Sorrel can be grown as a perennial in our zone and so can Good King Henry! Also consider naturalizing some wild leeks (from sustainable sources only please) on the property as well. These beauties pop up in the spring and a super tasty green we love to enjoy sustainably. Another great option is lovage. Reminiscent of a strong celery, we love using lovage in our soup stocks and stews.
More Veggies
Asparagus is a crop of patience, but it is so worth the wait. Grown best from root stalk, you will have to let your little asparagus patch grow, bloom and go to seed for at least 3 years full seasons before enjoying the fruits of your harvest. This wait seems long, but it will help your establish an abundant asparagus source. Plus they are one of the first foods you can enjoy in the spring!
We have two more perennial veggies we hope to add to our homestead in the next few years. The first are Egyptian walking onions, which are a perennial onion crop. The second are Jerusalem artichokes. Also known as sunchokes, these lumpy little root vegetables will ensure you never go hungry. They are sometimes referred to as the zombie apocalypse crop due to their incredibly invasive nature. Be cautious with your first taste of these, as they are known to cause flatulence and stomach pains if you eat a lot of them.
I hope this has inspired you to consider growing some perennial food sources in your gardens. If you prefer to watch video content, I did a YouTube video on this very subject. Check it out.
Humans comes from all corners of this Earth; from different cultures, backgrounds and experiences. But we all have at least one thing in common… we gotta eat. So why not eat well and from your own yard?
In good health,
Regular Readers/Watchers
If you are a regular reader of this blog or viewer of Spiraea’s content on YouTube, I would be honoured if you took at peek at my Patreon site. Patreon is a crowd-funding site where folks can show their gratitude for the free content that creators like me produce. My currently Patreon family has been so amazing and supportive. They are the only reason I can continue to put out free video content on my YouTube channel and write blog posts right here. I have immense gratitude for them and would be thrilled if you joined us.
