Rethinking Crops: Planting more perennials and less annuals

Imagine planting a seed once and being able to harvest food from that plant for years. Wouldn't that be nice? We often think about gardening in terms of annuals; corn, tomatoes, peppers, etc. Things we plant once, harvest and then have to plant again. But when thinking about permaculture and holistic homesteading, it's pivotal to start thinking in terms of perennials; plants that return year after year. Here's the perks:
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- Less work
- Better for the soil as nutrients are pulled deeper and larger root systems loosen the earth
- Better for the environment as more carbon dioxide is absorbed and held within woody plant matter
- Better for natural insect control as birds and other predators of "bad bugs" have a permanent place to build their homes

Instead of thinking short term, I had to retrain my brain to think of growing food as long term. Here's a short list of common plants we consume in North America. These will all come back EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. Will you be incorporating any of these into your growing spaces this season?

Almonds
Apples
Apricots
Artichokes
Asparagus
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Chestnuts
Chives
Collard Greens
Cranberries
Elderberries
Grapes
Grapefruit
Goji Berries
Gooseberries
Hazlenuts
Horseradish
Jerusalem Artichokes
​Kale
Kiwi
Lemons
Lemonbalm
Lemongrass
Limes
Loganberries
Lovage
Mango
Mint
Mulberries
Nectarines
Olives
Oranges
Oregano
Peaches
Pears
Pecans
Persimmon
Pomegranate
Plum
Quince
Radicchio
Ramps (Wild Leeks)
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Sage
Sorrel
Strawberries
Thyme
​Walnuts
Wine Berries

This list does not include self seeding crops we may think of that come back every year such as chamomile, arugula, etc.