• In episode 10 of “Wartime Homefront Essential Skills,” Marjory Wildcraft and David The Good explored how tomatoes — once feared as poison in Europe and revered by the Aztecs — survived wars and famines and are now emerging as a key survival crop for preppers and gardeners.
• This episode discussed why tomatoes thrive in diverse environments, offering high yields and versatility for sauces, ferments and preservation — ideal for wartime and crisis scenarios.
• Experts shared that open-pollinated or heirloom tomatoes allow seed-saving and sharing (unlike store-bought hybrids), ensuring long-term sustainability.
• They went over how soil health (sandy loam, compost), avoiding herbicide-laced manure and selecting climate-appropriate varieties (e.g., short-season or wild types) are critical for success in growing tomatoes.
• They also tackled why fermentation, dehydration and cold-hardy adaptations (like pivoting to greens if crops fail) make tomatoes a reliable food source, emphasizing backyard production as essential for survival.

In episode 10 of “Wartime Homefront Essential Skills,” aired May 4 on Brighteon University, Marjory Wildcraft, renowned homesteading expert and founder of The Grow Network, and David The Good shared how you can grow tomatoes anywhere. Once feared as poison in Europe and worshipped by the Aztecs, the humble tomato has endured wars, famines and cultural upheavals. Now, it’s making a comeback as a survival staple for preppers, permaculturists and guerrilla gardeners. Here’s why this resilient fruit is poised to be the ultimate doomsday crop — and how to harness its power.

The tomato’s journey from Aztec gold to European paranoia is a tale of survival against the odds. When Spanish conquistadors brought tomatoes back from the Americas, the Europeans initially dismissed them as toxic—likely due to their resemblance to deadly nightshade. “The tomato is the holy grail of gardening. Round, red, succulent and versatile, perfect for making into spicy salsa, spaghetti sauce, home-fermented ketchup and even cocktails,” said David The Good.

But the tomato’s real superpower is adaptability. From the Amazon Basin (where David jokingly claimed they “wash up on shore by the billions”) to war-torn Europe, tomatoes have thrived where other crops failed. During World War II, victory gardeners relied on them for their high yield and nutritional density. Today, survivalists are rediscovering their value.

Heirloom varieties, in particular, are prized for their resilience. “If you want good tomatoes — not those watery things in the grocery store — you have to grow them yourself,” David The Good insisted. Craig LeHollier, author of “Epic Tomatoes,” agreed: “Heirlooms or open-pollinated varieties let you save seeds and share them.”

But growing tomatoes isn’t foolproof. From herbicide-laced manure to late blight, challenges abound. Lynn Gillespie, a high-altitude gardening expert, emphasized soil health: “About 99 percent of us don’t have the right soil. Sandy loam, compost and organic fertilizers are key.”

Backyard food production is vital

Long before modern canning, tomatoes were preserved through fermentation — a skill now revived by survivalists. Wildcraft demonstrated how to turn 20 pounds of tomatoes into shelf-stable sauce without sacrificing nutrients: “Some people peel them, but there’s a lot of nutrition in the skin.”

LeHollier shared another trick: slow-roasting excess tomatoes to concentrate flavor. “Dehydrate them with olive oil and salt, then freeze for winter soups.” For guerrilla gardeners, even failed crops have value. Gillespie recalled a devastating greenhouse freeze that led to a lucrative pivot: “We switched to cold-hardy greens and made more money than with tomatoes.”

Tomatoes are more than a garden favorite — they’re a lifeline. As Wildcraft warned, “We’re at the crux of an epoch in human history. Backyard food production is vital.” Whether fermented, dried or grown in straw bales (LeHollier’s backup for poorly drained soil), tomatoes embody resilience.

For doomsday prep, prioritize short-season varieties like those Gillespie grows in the Rockies. As Jere Gettle of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company advised, “Find tomatoes that fit your climate. If all else fails, wild varieties like currant tomatoes thrive anywhere.” From Aztec temples to apocalypse bunkers, the tomato’s story is one of reinvention. As David The Good put it: “This fantastic fruit isn’t just food — it’s a survivor.”

Want to learn more?

When the world gets unpredictable, the smartest move is to prepare. That’s why “Wartime Homefront Essential Skills” by Marjory Wildcraft is back on BrightU. This is your second chance to catch the series that’s changing how families think about self-reliance.

If you want to learn at your own pace and get access to 12 additional bonuses, you can purchase the Wartime Homefront Essential Skills Bundle here. Upon purchase, you will get unlimited access to all 10 “Wartime Homefront Essential Skills” videos and 12 bonuses, including 10 eBook guides and two homesteading videos.

Sources include:

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