The Resilient Gardener : Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times

Both a conceptual and hands-on gardening book, suitable for gardeners at all levels The Resilient Gardener extends the principles of sustainable agriculture, nutrition and ecology.

An organic gardening expert “empowers readers with skills and understanding” so they can ensure their vegetable gardens thrive in good times—and in bad (Sandor Ellix Katz).

Perfect for vegetable gardeners at all levels of experience The Resilient Gardener is a conceptual and hands-on organic gardening book. Scientist/gardener Carol Deppe combines her passion for organic gardening with newly emerging scientific information from a variety of fields, revealing how you and your vegetable garden can thrive even in hard times. Deppe extends and illustrates key principles with detailed information about growing and using 5 key crops: potatoes, corn, beans, squash, and eggs.

In this book you’ll learn how to:
• Garden in an era of unpredictable weather and climate change
• Grow, store, and use more of your own staple crops
• Garden efficiently and comfortably (even if you have a bad back)
• Grow, store, and cook different varieties of potatoes and save your own potato seed
• Grow the right varieties of corn to make your own gourmet-quality fast-cooking polenta, cornbread, parched corn, corn cakes, pancakes andeven savory corn gravy
• Make whole-grain, corn-based breads and cakes using the author’s original gluten-free recipes involving no other grains, artificial binders, or dairy products
• Grow and use popbeans and other grain legumes
• Grow, store, and use summer, winter, and drying squash
• Keep a home laying flock of ducks or chickens; integrate them with your gardening, and grow most of their feed

Resilience here encompasses a broad range of problems, from personal hard times—such as injuries, family crises, financial problems, health problems, and special dietary needs—to widespread disasters and climate change. It is a supremely optimistic as well as realistic book about how resilient gardeners and their vegetable gardens can flourish even in challenging times and help their communities to survive and thrive through everything that comes their way.

“Brilliantly timely . . . shows us how to create gardens that can survive our increasingly erratic weather, while supplying key nutrition lacking in most vegetable gardens.” —Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia''s Garden