Top 10 crops to grow if the future feels uncertain

Jerusalem artichoke

It’s a thug, be warned. Once in the garden it is hard to get out. It will grow almost anywhere. The crop is a sweet starchy tuber that can be cooked similar to potatoes.

Kale

A hardy green from the cabbage family that is worth growing because it can be harvested all season and right through to the following spring. All parts of the plant can be eaten, stem, leaves and flowers. It readily self seeds in fall. Can be cooked or eaten raw in salads.

Potatoes

One of the easiest and most prolific crops. Pop them in in the spring and pull them out in the fall. They store easily so you can eat through to the following spring. Herbs (Copious amounts of all of them). If food chains are disrupted, and all we are eating is potatoes and kale, we will need some serious flavour to keep it interesting. Grow lots of sage, chives, thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano, tarragon etc. The more variety the better.

Perennial arugula

An easy to grow green that just does not stop growing. It is drought-resistant and lowmaintenance. It has quite a spicy tang on the tongue when eaten.

Claytonia (Miner’s lettuce)

Soft spinach like green that’s worth growing because it grows all winter long. It is easy to grow and easy to eat. It self seeds readily.

Garlic

Life without garlic may not be worth living. If the world begins to unravel, we are going to need some serious flavour to keep meals interesting. Also garlic is said to be extremely healthy for you and it does have antibiotic properties.

Beans (fresh & dried)

Eat fresh green beans all summer, and the dry beans all winter. Beans grow very easily, once planted they romp along nicely. All you have to do is harvest.

Beets

Everybody knows beets, the sweet roots that are easy to grow and will last in the ground right through until the following spring. The leafy tops are also edible.

Tomato

The queen of the garden plot. They are a bit more labour intensive, but so prolific and so incredibly versatile. You can live off them in summer, but they can also be canned in a multitude of ways to be saved for winter. A must in my opinion. - Jonathan Van Wiltenburg if the future feels uncertain