Perennial Vegetables Are a Solution in the Fight Against Hunger and Climate Change

[druidity33]

https://civileats.com/2020/08/19/perennial-vegetables-are-a-solution-in-the-fight-against-hunger-and-climate-change/

Perennial agriculture—including agroforestry, silvopasture, and the development of perennial row crops such as Kernza—has come to prominence in recent years as an important part of the fights against soil erosion and climate change. Not only do perennial plants develop longer, more stabilizing roots than annual crops, but they’ve also been shown to be key to sequestering carbon in the soil.

Now, a new study in the journal PLoS ONE is pointing to vegetables like the ones in Auerbach’s garden as another important addition to the list. The perennial vegetables most people are familiar with are artichokes or asparagus, but the study expands that list, providing a detailed nutritional analysis of 613 species and a full accounting of their potential to pull carbon from the atmosphere.

“Greater adoption of a wider array of perennial vegetables could help to address some of the central, interlocking issues of the 21st century: climate change, biodiversity, and nutrition,” wrote lead study author Eric Toensmeier, a lecturer at Yale University, a senior fellow at Project Drawdown, and author of the Carbon Farming Solution, in the report’s introduction.

Real interesting stuff. I've been pecking away at a Permie garden for a few years... but this stuff is finally getting some scientific recognition. Admittedly, some plants have been a taste or yield fail, but some have been delightful!

[peacebuzzard]

1. very interesting. I'm a "want to be" conservationist.

I live on a plot of land surrounded by encroaching neighbors who are redesigning the common borderlines as they see fit. It has caused lots of problems since I want to preserve the original wood habitat and they are commercial landscapers. (resorting to high-power gas driven machinery and herbicides). Of course they think that crew-cut lawns are the staple of landscaping.

My land is becoming an oasis for the wildlife which they are determined to destroy. This article and source are interesting in my quest to develop a permaculture (I think that is what you meant when referring to your permie garden). that is low maintenance. (hopefully). I was introduced to this word & concept by a lawn person who has done some work here.

I have bookmarked the articles and source.

P.S. asparagus and artichokes are my favorite veggies. Thanks for posting.

[procon]

2. My grandma grew both artichokes and asparagus

Under the shade of a giant fig tree. I remember picking those tender asparagus spears, almost white because they were deeply bedded in loam and never saw daylight to start turning them green. The artichoke bushes produced small chokes, but they were very tasty.

We gathered up any fallen figs, they were as big as my hand, still warm from the sun and super sweet. She would scoop out the meat and mash it up with a dollup of fresh cream. Delish! You don't know what work is until you've had to manually disassemble and wash all the parts of a cream separator.

Grandma made her own mayo with eggs from her flock of big red hens and fresh lemon juice from the huge grove next to her oranges. Lunch was eaten on the sun porch, steamed artichokes and asparagus, sandwiches of lettuce leaves, cucumbers and slices of giant sized purple-red tomatoes, and everything fresh or homemade.

My grandma was a whirlwind, a diminutive woman of German descent who was always cheerful and was never idle except for a siesta she took everyday after lunch to watch her soap operas. I still miss her.

[Yeehah]

3. Nettles are considered a superfood

Can be used like spinach. Blanching or cooking removes the sting. High protein content and 10x the vitamins of spinach. Acts as a diuretic. Makes a good tea. I mix it 50/50 with green tea. Early settlers survived on it.

[lunasun]

4. Kick