Review: From Seed to Table Book
31. March 2026I’ve just finished reading From Seed to Table by Diane Devereaux. Some of you may better know Diane as “The Canning Diva®”. While Diane sent me a copy of her amazing book to review, please note that all opinions are my own. I have Diane’s other canning books, so of course I was looking forward to adding a new one to my collection! But this isn’t just a canning or cook book. From Seed to Table is a great resource for seasonal living, food security, and heritage skills. This book covers garden beds and pantry shelves to kitchen tables and family meals. It’s a handy asset for anyone who wants to grow AND preserve their own garden harvest. You’ll learn how to embrace seasonal living, eat healthier, and live more sustainably.
From Seed to Table begins by covering food security issues. During 2020 and the following years, we saw the entire supply chain impacted. There were businesses shuttered and grocery stores left bare. And for some items, purchasing was even forbidden. This caught some folks off guard, but others were “prepared” for this worse case scenario. This wake-up call drove many to start their preparedness journey. That pandemic-era timeframe should hopefully serve as a reminder to be more prepared with food storage.
Diane details HOW to start building your home pantry. Having a food supply will help your family through rough times. She covers all the recommended staples to have on hand, like oats, beans, rice, vegetables, oils, baking and canning supplies. She even details how to prepare a 3-month food supply for a family of 4. This plan will vary depending on your needs and likes. Diane offers up great tips like starting small. You can buy a few extra items per grocery trip and rotate your supply to maintain freshness.
Chapter 2 of From Seed to Table covers planting and growing. Diane breaks down soil composition and the amendments needed for each type. If you have clay soil, for instance, you must incorporate amendments to loosen it up for planting. Or, you can learn the benefits of container gardening. Diane covers the pros of container gardening. She shows you how to build your own garden beds step-by-step. Raised garden beds are great for growing straight root crops like carrots. If you want to add containers to your garden, read our post on How to Make Your Own Potting Soil Mix Recipe. Diane lists tips on how to maximize garden space for those who are short on it!
This chapter also covers practical advice on companion planting and crop rotation. Diane created an extensive list of what vegetables benefit from growing together. One plant will enrich the soil while another helps to deter pests. Besides veggies, Diane also explains why culinary herbs are amazing companion plants. She specifies how each herb benefits the soil and controls pests. Then of course you reap the rewards by harvesting the herbs for your kitchen! There are so many ways to preserve herbs. You can Create Your Own Italian Seasoning Blend or Tea Blends. From Seed to Table offers great info on these valuable herbs.
From Seed to Table also lets you know what NOT to plant together in your garden. There are some unions that are just not meant to be. Diane lists some of the most common plants that you don’t want to intermix. Some plants can compete for nutrients or create off-putting flavors when planted together. I can tell you from my own personal experience that carrots and dill aren’t a great match. And I know this because I am a Chaos Gardener who has a strong aversion to yanking volunteer plants out of my garden. So please use Diane’s tips on what NOT to plant together as well. Your garden will thank you for it!
If you want to maximize your garden harvests, learn more about crop rotation and succession planting. From Seed to Table explains how to properly rotate crops and harvest with the seasons. You’ll learn what to plant in the fall after you harvest your summer produce. Diane includes an example of a four-bed rotation cycle to help you understand the process. Rotating crops will help keep your soil healthy. And you will have more produce if you learn how to grow year round too.
From Seed to Table takes you through the entire garden season, from the initial plan to the final harvest. But it’s not over once you harvest. There is still garden work to do! Diane covers the art of seed saving, a true heritage skill! She goes through the history of saving seeds and WHY you should do it. There’s a great chart on how to save seeds for popular vegetables and herbs. You’ll learn when and how to harvest the seeds, and how to dry and store them. I frequently save tomato seeds from my heirloom plants. Once you’re done collecting seeds, store them in the containers noted in the chart. We have Printable Seed Saver Packets that are wonderful for storing veggie seeds.
Chapter 4 of From Seed to Table covers home canning your produce. Diane has a brief history of home canning and how you can incorporate it into your everyday life. She offers great tips on stocking up during store sales. My husband is all over sales. He is the sole shopper and King of the Clearance Sticker. Whenever he sees meat on sale, he calls me. I have a spreadsheet of all the canning recipes I make with the type of meat and amount needed. Does this make me really dorky or really prepared? LOL, probably both. So I check my spreadsheet and tell hubby how much sale meat to get for a canning recipe. With planning like this, you can reap the rewards of flash sales and quickly get to work in the kitchen.
And speaking of working in the kitchen, Diane includes plenty of time management tips. You don’t have to do everything all at once and get overwhelmed. You can break tasks up over several days. You can also organize a Canning Party to have your friends help you on the big day. Diane has tips for organizing a party. It never hurts to have an extra pair of hands in the kitchen! If you want to organize a get-together, download our Canning Party Printables. It include invitations, recipe cards, canning labels, and a canning inventory sheet.
These lovely jars are filled with Pork Fajitas from Diane’s other book Meals in Jars.
There are many amazing canning recipes in From Seed to Table. A few recipes I immediately bookmarked were Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet, Marinated Mushrooms, and Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken. These sound amazing, and I’m sure they will be! If you want more pressure canning recipes, I highly recommend Diane’s other book Meals in Jars. It’s filled with unique and gourmet recipes, not your standard fare! My favorite recipe in that book is for Pork Fajitas (she also has Beef Fajitas). These recipes are a great way to feed your family on a busy work night.
From Seed to Table also includes a guide on how to can potable water. Canning water?? YES! This is very important to do, and sadly many people don’t store any water. You take for granted that you can always reach for the tap. But if you want to be prepared, you should store water. It’s really the most important thing you should store. Diane teaches you how to safely process and store water.
Diane includes many handy charts in the canning section. Learn how to process beans, vegetables in water, and fruits with syrup or juice. She has an extensive section for meat, poultry, and fish as well. You’ll learn how much meat fills 7 quarts and how to prep and pack it. She includes pressure and processing time for everything.
Chapter 5 of From Seed to Table covers Dehydrating and Freeze-Drying. I dehydrate fruit for my Instant Oatmeal Jars, but I know next to nothing about freeze drying food. I’ve purchased it. I’ve eaten it. And now I know the technical process of how a freeze dryer works! Diane also has a DIY guide for building your own non-electric air dehydrator. So for those who want something less expensive, this is a handy tutorial. You’ll get plenty of tips for drying veggies, fruit, and even meat. Whatever process you choose, Diane details all the tools you’ll need. You'll learn how to prep the food and pack it away safely for long term storage. Then you’ll know how long dried foods last in storage (from months to decades depending on the food and drying process).
And what happens if something goes wrong? Diane includes a “Common Mistakes” chart! This will help you diagnose the issues with preventative measures for future reference. She has detailed instructions for rehydrating dried food. There is also a list of ideas to enhance the flavor and texture after rehydrating.
Now, on to very important chapter 6 in From Seed to Table: Storing Dry Goods and Cold Storage Techniques! If you want to build a well-stocked pantry, it’s important to ensure food is properly stored. The last thing you want is for food to go bad or be infested with pests. Diane teaches you how to properly store dried staples like rice, flour, grains, sugar, as well as fruit and vegetables. You’ll learn how to best protect your pantry against common pests. Natural, non-toxic methods and long-term methods like oxygen absorbers are covered. She also incorporates strategies for stocking up during sales and buying in bulk.
This chapter details common pests, like weevils, moths, beetles and what attracts them. This will help you better store your pantry goods in proper containers. I’m all too familiar with the dastardly weevil. I once bought 20 pounds of bulk organic brown rice. I hadn’t taken the time to learn how to properly store dried goods at this point in my journey. Big mistake! The bags were in my kitchen for several months before I tried to make room in my pantry. That’s when I saw the weevils. Ugh. I chucked the bags into the freezer, which is what I should’ve done as soon as I bought them. If you ever get weevils in rice, you can salvage it. Once the bugs are frozen and dead, you can soak the rice in water. Then the dead bugs will float to the top making it easier to separate them. If you aren’t grossed out by all of this, of course! Better yet, learn Diane’s prep and storage tips to avoid pantry bugs in the first place!
Chapter 7 in From Seed to Table covers Freezing Techniques. Diane teaches you how to freeze food to maintain freshness and avoid freezer burn. You’ll learn which vegetables need blanched before freezing and get tips on shelf life. Slow Cooker freezer bag recipes are in this section too. Diane shares recipes for soups, fish, meat and veggies. I’m looking forward to trying the Zesty Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken with Vegetables. The Honey Mustard Glazed Pork with Apples and Root Vegetables also sounds amazing. These freezer bag recipes help you use handfuls of garden veggies so nothing goes to waste.
Chapter 8 in From Seed to Table covers Heritage Food Crafts. So if you’ve ever wanted to hone legacy skill sets, you’ll love this chapter. Diane teaches you how to make cheese, butter, vinegar, and herbal tinctures. She reviews the art of water glassing eggs, rendering tallow and lard, and corning meat and fish. These heritage skills reward you with superior results compared to store bought fare. Plus you will most likely save some money. Many recipes are in this chapter to get you started. I bookmarked Diane’s recipe for medicinal Arnica-Infused Coconut Oil. I think I’ll need that for my muscles after putting in my garden this year!
Chapter 9 in From Seed to Table has fresh to preserved food conversion charts. What a handy resource this is! Diane details ingredients and their yields based on how you preserved the food. So you’ll know how to compare a fresh cup of beans with those that are dehydrated, canned, or freeze dried. This will help you adjust a fresh-ingredient recipe using your food storage. This chapter has recipes showing you how to incorporate some of these ingredients. Learn to make your own Oatmeal Bake using dehydrated fruit and water glassed eggs. Or how about a Garden Veggie Frittata with freeze dried and canned goodies? You’ll be rehydrating your fruits and veggies for home cooked meals in no time!
From Seed to Table finishes with an overview on Embracing Seasonal Living. Each chapter helps you manage your food supply. You'll gain knowledge on how to sustain your household through every season. With this helpful guide, you can be more prepared and in control over your own security. You can also help build up the community around you through seasonal living. It’s great to hone your own skill set. But it’s even more rewarding to help spread this knowledge to others. Anyone interested in seasonal living, food security, and heritage skills, should read this book.
Grab a copy of From Seed to Table on Diane's Canning Diva website where all of her other books are sold too.
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Have you read From Seed to Table? If so, what is your favorite part of the book? Have you learned any new skill sets from the book? Let us know in the comments below.
