Appendix H: Recommended Reading — Food Security
Key Scripture: Genesis 2:15 — "The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."
Summary
See also: for physical preparation framework.
When supply chains fail, grocery stores empty within days. Long-term food security requires the ability to produce AND preserve food, not merely stockpile it. Growing food solves summer abundance; preservation solves winter scarcity.
Start now, not later. Gardening skills take seasons to develop. Soil takes years to build. Preservation mistakes during crisis can be fatal — learn safe procedures now while errors are merely inconvenient.
Food Production — Essential Books
The Backyard Homestead edited by Carleen Madigan
The ideal starting point for suburban self-sufficiency. Comprehensive coverage includes vegetable garden planning, fruit trees and berries, herbs for culinary and medicinal use, small animal husbandry (chickens, rabbits, bees), food preservation basics, and even small-scale grain production. Realistic about what's achievable on typical suburban quarter-acre lots. Doesn't require acreage or prior experience. The single best starting point for families beginning their food production journey.
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward C. Smith
The definitive daily reference for vegetable growing. Covers garden planning and layout, soil preparation and building, the "W-O-R-D" system (Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds, Deep soil), planting schedules, pest management, and harvesting. Particularly strong for temperate Midwest climates. This is the book experienced gardeners keep returning to for practical, proven methods.
The Resilient Gardener by Carol Deppe
Written specifically for uncertain times. Unlike most gardening books that focus on variety and flavor, Deppe focuses on survival — what actually keeps people fed through hard times. Emphasizes calorie-dense, storable, resilient crops: potatoes, corn, beans, squash, and eggs. Covers seed saving, variety selection, storage, and adapting to weather extremes. Her "Big Five" framework aligns directly with tribulation preparation priorities.
Also valuable: Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew is the easiest entry point for complete beginners — the grid system removes guesswork. How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons teaches biointensive methods that can produce four to six times conventional yields on limited space. Fresh Food from Small Spaces by R.J. Ruppenthal addresses container gardening for apartments and balconies.
Food Preservation — Essential Books
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine
The single preservation book to own if you can only have one. Contains over four hundred laboratory-tested recipes with comprehensive technique coverage for water bath canning (high-acid foods), pressure canning (low-acid foods and meats), jams, jellies, pickles, and freezing. Every recipe is tested for safety. Ball has been the authority on home canning for over a century. Begin here.
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
The definitive exploration of fermentation traditions worldwide. Covers vegetable ferments (sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles), dairy fermentation (yogurt, kefir, cheese), grain and bean ferments, beverages, and even meat curing. Fermentation is the oldest preservation method — no heat, no special equipment, no electricity required. This comprehensive treatment transforms understanding of an essential grid-down skill. The probiotic benefits also support gut health during stressful times.
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning by the Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante
Traditional preservation methods requiring no electricity or specialized equipment. Covers root cellaring and cold storage, sun and air drying, salting and brining, oil-packing, vinegar preservation, and lactic fermentation. Modern preservation assumes electricity (freezers) or specialized equipment (pressure canners). This book recovers methods that sustained humanity for millennia without either. Essential for true grid-down preparedness.
Also valuable: The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning is available free at nchfp.uga.edu and represents the final word on safety — all other reliable sources reference these guidelines. Fermented Vegetables by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey provides hands-on vegetable fermentation with specific guidance for sixty-four vegetables. So Easy to Preserve from University of Georgia Extension combines accessibility with research rigor.
Critical Safety Warning
Improper canning can cause botulism — a potentially fatal poisoning.
Follow tested recipes exactly. Do not modify processing times, ingredients, or methods from approved sources.
Low-acid foods including vegetables and meats require pressure canning. Water bath canning is only safe for high-acid foods like fruits, pickles, and tomatoes with added acid.
Check seals after processing. Unsealed jars must be refrigerated and used quickly.
When in doubt, throw it out. No preserved food is worth risking botulism. Signs of spoilage include bulging lids, leaking seals, off odors, mold, and spurting liquid when opened.
Reference nchfp.uga.edu for current USDA guidelines whenever questions arise.
Key Principles
The Calorie Hierarchy
Not all crops are equal for survival. Prioritize calorie-dense, storable crops.
Tier 1 includes potatoes, winter squash, dry beans, and corn. These provide high calories, store for months without processing, and are relatively easy to grow. Master these first.
Tier 2 includes root vegetables like carrots, beets, turnips, and parsnips. Good calorie content and they store well in root cellars or cool spaces without canning or freezing.
Tier 3 includes greens, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Valuable for nutrition and variety but low in calories. Don't neglect Tier 1 for these.
The Resilient Gardener's "Big Five" — potatoes, corn, beans, squash, and eggs — form the foundation of crisis food production. Master these before diversifying.
Grid-Down Preservation Priority
When electricity fails, freezers become useless within days. Prioritize preservation methods that work without power.
Fermentation requires only salt, containers, and time. No heat, no electricity, no special equipment. Learn to make sauerkraut, kimchi, and fermented pickles.
Drying can be done with sun and air if you don't have a dehydrator. Herbs, fruits, vegetables, and meat (jerky) all preserve well through drying.
Root cellaring stores crops in cool, dark spaces without any processing. Potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, apples, and winter squash keep for months in proper conditions.
Salting and curing preserve meats and fish without refrigeration. Traditional methods used for millennia before electricity existed.
Water bath canning works on any heat source — wood fire, camp stove, propane. No electricity needed, just heat and proper technique.
Pressure canning requires a pressure canner but no electricity. Essential for safely preserving low-acid foods like vegetables and meats.
The Learning Curve
Gardening skills develop over seasons, not weeks.
Year 1: Learn your site — sun patterns, drainage, soil quality. Expect failures; they're tuition. Focus on easy crops like tomatoes, beans, squash, and greens.
Year 2: Expand based on Year 1 lessons. Begin serious soil improvement through composting. Try basic preservation — start with water bath canning and simple ferments.
Year 3: Refine techniques. Add calorie crops from Tier 1. Develop seed saving practice for open-pollinated varieties.
Year 4 and beyond: Approach mature productivity. Begin teaching others. Establish seed exchange networks with other growers.
Every season of experience is irreplaceable when crisis arrives. Start now.
Building Your Skills
Recommended Sequence
Phase 1 — Foundation:
Read The Backyard Homestead or Square Foot Gardening for growing overview. Start small with one or two raised beds and easy crops. Read Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for preservation foundation. Begin with water bath canning — jams, pickles, and tomatoes are forgiving starting points.
Phase 2 — Expansion:
Study The Vegetable Gardener's Bible for deeper growing technique. Add The Resilient Gardener for calorie-crop focus and crisis mindset. Practice fermentation starting with simple sauerkraut — it's nearly foolproof. Study The Art of Fermentation for comprehensive understanding of grid-down preservation methods.
Phase 3 — Integration:
Develop an annual calendar connecting your growing season to preservation activities. Harvest flows into canning, drying, and fermenting. Build seed saving practice so you're not dependent on purchased seeds. Study Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning for methods that work regardless of infrastructure. Practice multiple preservation methods for key crops — redundancy matters.
Phase 4 — Community:
Share knowledge and surplus with your community. Coordinate crop diversity across households so the community produces variety while individuals can specialize. Establish seed exchange networks. Teach the next generation — children who learn these skills carry them forward.
Cross-References
- — Physical preparation framework
- — Community resource coordination
- — Broader self-reliance skills
Key Takeaway
Food security requires both production and preservation skills — you cannot have one without the other. Start with The Backyard Homestead for growing and Ball Complete Book for preserving. Add The Resilient Gardener for crisis-focused calorie production and The Art of Fermentation for grid-down preservation. Begin gardening now; begin preserving your first harvest. The original human vocation was agricultural (Genesis 2:15). Recovering these skills is both practical wisdom and faithful stewardship.
Tags: #food-production #food-preservation #gardening #canning #fermentation #self-sufficiency #practical-preparation