Crops for Food Security

Why These Crops?

When planning a garden for food security, prioritize crops that are high in calories, easy to store, nutrient-dense, and low-maintenance. These are the workhorses of a self-sufficient garden.

The Essential Crops

Golden Giant Amaranth

• Produces ~1 pound of seeds per head
• Low nitrogen requirement
• Easier to harvest and process than wheat
• Leaves are also edible (high in iron)

Kale

• One of the most nutrient-dense foods available
• Cold-hardy — grows well into winter with row cover
• Continuous harvest from a single planting

Beets

• Good for brain health (high in nitrates)
• Greens and roots are both edible
• Stores well in a root cellar

Sunflowers

• Great for pollinators
• Easy to harvest seeds for eating or pressing oil
• Can also serve as a trellis for climbing beans

Beans & Legumes

• Essential protein source
• Fix nitrogen in the soil, improving it for future crops
• Dry beans store for years
• Grow lots — they’re the foundation of food security

Squash (Winter Varieties)

• Edible flesh and seeds
• Easy to store for months at room temperature
• High in calories and vitamins

Jerusalem Artichoke

• Easy to grow, even in poor soil (can be hard to get rid of)
• High calorie yield
• Overwinters in the ground — leave a few tubers for next year
• Can cause gas — introduce gradually

Corn

• High yield per plant
• Lots of calories
• Sweet corn for fresh eating
• Grain corn for flour and baking

Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes

• Highest calorie-per-square-foot of most garden crops
• Easy to store (cool and dark for potatoes, cured at 55°F for sweets)
• Versatile in the kitchen