Survival gardening Grow your own emergency food supply from seed to root cellar

Coffman (Herbal Medic), a former Green Beret medic, delivers a competent guide to subsisting on home-grown crops and livestock in the event of a disaster. To acquire protein in a hurry, Coffman recommends growing broccoli and kale sprouts by soaking seeds in water, draining them, and then harvesting after five days. Detailing more long-term methods for growing produce, Coffman describes how to construct raised plots, which afford more control over soil quality than in-ground gardens, and hügelkultur beds, which are mulch mounds piled atop buried branches that help retain water. Elsewhere, Coffman details how city dwellers can construct vertical gardens by hanging planters made from plastic bottles, as well as how to raise chickens, recommending that readers provide separate areas for roosting and nesting so the eggs stay clean. The thorough guidance will help anyone who aspires to live off the land, but an appendix on the difficulties of sustaining oneself after a hurricane, drought, or nuclear disaster somewhat undermines the book's conceit. For instance, the ostensibly straightforward recommendation to find soil without "high levels of radionuclide activity" after a nuclear incident is easier said than done and reveals how self-sufficiency may offer only illusory protection from peril. Still, readers with the more modest ambition of producing more of their food will find plenty of use. (Jan.)

Coffman (Herbal Medic), an herbalist and former Green Beret medic, utilizes his military skills and botanical knowledge to educate readers on sustainably growing food before, during, and after an emergency or natural disaster. His book is divided into four parts: immediate food needs, gardening for the long haul, planning for a continual food supply, and strategies for small and urban spaces. The book walks readers through site preparation, various growing methods, soil fertility, and prevention of garden pests with basic step-by-step project instructions and helpful illustrations. Coffman advocates for preparation, planning, and practice before a crisis occurs, so he discusses storing food, eating insects, and selecting the best plants for their nutritional value and climate. His advice is geared toward gardeners with land, but there's a section for readers with small or urban spaces too. Readers might be surprised by the unexpected recommendation of humanure (human-waste composting) to amend garden soil, and sensitive readers might not enjoy the brief description of how to quickly but humanely harvest rabbits. VERDICT A nonintimidating introduction to short- and long-term food plans and gardening techniques that will help readers develop their emergency food supply plan.--Aspasia Luster