One way of ensuring you have fresh produce on hand for years to come, is to plant perennial fruit and vegetables. Every year we invest in perennials to add to our acre. Last year it was cranberry bushes, haskap berry bushes, more asparagus from seed and more strawberries. The year before we bought blueberry bushes and rhubarb, and transplanted plum trees and raspberries from my boyfriends parents property. The year before that, we bought a peach tree, that we lost in a hurricane last fall, asparagus crowns and strawberries. This year I am adding black currants, another blueberry bush, more strawberries, more asparagus and more rhubarb. I may even try and sneak another haskap berry bush into the equation. Perennial crops can take some patience, although I have never really felt that a year passes by slowly. Before you know it you will be harvesting fruit or veg from these additions. I remember thinking it was going to be a long time until I was able to harvest asparagus spears from my crowns. This is now the fourth year we have had the crowns planted and are able harvest to our heart's content when the spears first push their way upwards. I have read conflicting information on how long you can harvest your asparagus for in the spring months, ranging from 4-8 weeks. I think the important thing is to allow a few of the ferns to fully develop for rejuvenation the next year. I follow the same practice when picking fiddleheads, I do not pick all the fiddleheads on each plant. This allows the plant to grow and obtain energy to put into the next years harvest.
Many herbs are perennials too. Chives return year after year in early spring, I've ate several already, lemon balm is nice to have in the herb bed around fishing season, oregano, tarragon and thyme are some other favourites. Oregano can get out of control fairly quickly, so I always divide it in early spring when it is manageable. Butterflies and bees are in love with it's purple flowers.
With minimal care you can keep lots of fruits and veg coming back year after year.
Baby strawberry plants.
Marshmallow and chives.
Freshly planted cranberry bush.
Some strawberries that actually made it indoors.
Freshly transplanted raspberry canes.
Haskap.
Ever-bearing strawberries still producing well into the fall.
Raspberry canes in the fall.
Asparagus spear.
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