Garden Plans > 2023: Pioneer Garden

About this Garden Plan
A life-sustaining, "Pioneer Garden" that grows nine essential foods you need to survive, plus herbs.
Plan Type, Soil and Location
Garden Location:	Missouri United States
Garden Size:	14' 11" x 16' 11"
Garden Type:	Home garden
Garden Layout:	Traditional layout - rows etc
Sun or Shade:	Sunny
Garden Soil Type:	Light / Sandy soil
Plan Notes
It’s fun to grow novelty veggies, like Strawberry spinach or Lady Godiva Pumpkin, but let’s think about a survival garden—what I like to call a pioneer garden. A garden that can sustain you if you cannot go to the grocery store. It has all the nutrients to keep you going; you may not thrive but you’ll stay alive. There are nine foods in the pioneer garden. a. Potato – it’s a complete protein/has almost every nutrient you’ll need b. Kale – If you only plant one green plant this nutrient-rich King of Greens. c. THREE SISTERS: Planting veggies together is called inter-cropping. We learned the 3 sisters technique from our Native American ancestors—the plants grow symbiotically to deter pests and weeds, and to enrich the soil while supporting one another. It creates a biodiversity that is beneficial not only to us but to the land. The 1st sister is Corn - Probably the world’s oldest agricultural crop. Dent corn is left to dry and each kernel has a small “dent”. It can be yellow, red, or multicolored and has a high soft starch content making it ideal to grind for cornmeal. Sweet corn is harvested when fully ripe but not left to dry. Heirloom varieties of dent and sweet have impressively tested to be very rich in protein; some of them double the amount of protein than the GMO varieties. (See www.rareseeds.com) d. The second sister is Beans – Planting runner beans that will vine up the cornstalks will utilize even the smallest garden space. Pick green for summer indulgence; allow to dry on the vine for winter storage. Combine rice with your bean harvest and you have a complete protein. e. The third and last sister is Cucurbits – Let the squash vines meander around under the corn stalks to shade the ground keeping it cool and moist and help prevent weeds. Winter squash keeps for many months in storage; Blue Hubbard will keep whole for at least 6 months. I kept a butternut squash one time for a year just to experiment. Zucchini is probably the favorite summer squash and can be sun-dried, dehydrated, freeze-dried, or canned. f. Sweet Potato – This potato that’s not a potato is heat resistant and drought tolerant. It is nutrient-dense with a versatile nature. You can use it for anything from pies and soup to cakes and breads. The golden hues are rich in beta-carotene and the purple colors are full of anthocyanins—that nutrient responsible for a reduction in cardiovascular disease. You can eat the tuber AND the greens plus you can save the tubers for next year’s crop. g. Cabbage – This staple food supply is super hardy and can grow to maturity in the cool weather of late autumn. Studies have proven its anti-cancer abilities plus it’s chock full of vitamins. Its best attribute for me is that it can be transformed into a nutritional and health advocate powerhouse by fermenting. I LOVE FERMENTED foods. (Check out my "Favorite Flu Fighters" available on Amazon and here at the farm.) h. Beet – Now don’t turn up your nose. Here’s another veggie that you can eat both greens and root giving you a boatload of antioxidants and vitamins. i. Alliums – So many good things come from alliums! Oh, you have to have onions, garlic, and leeks in your garden!! Numerous studies show antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anticancer qualities. Lowers blood pressure, reduces colds, and is loaded with minerals. What’s not to love?! AND DON'T LEAVE OUT THE HERBS!!! – Even all those yummy vegetables will get boring and tedious over time so don’t leave out the tasty powerhouses of herbs. And, don’t even get me started on the nutritional AND medicinal benefits.

Garden Plan

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Plant List

Planting Times

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