First, we’d like to thank Martin Toseland, Ellen Parnavelas and Diana Beaumont, all of whom understood that the apocalypse could happen and that vegetables will help. This book wouldn’t exist without them.
Our gratitude too to the team at Head of Zeus: Stephanie Mitchell for keeping things accurate; Heather Ryerson and Jessie Price for making it all look exciting, even the boring bits; and Christian Wood, for his witty and deeply enjoyable illustrations. When the apocalypse comes, let’s hope it looks like this.
We’re also grateful to everyone who generously answered silly questions such as ‘Could a zombie shut down a nuclear power station?’ These include but aren’t restricted to: the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board; the British Geological Survey; the British Growers Association; Claire Hargreaves at British Sugar; the British Tomato Growers’ Association; Paolo Salcedo at DEFRA; Elsoms Seeds Ltd; the Food & Drink Federation; Josiah Meldrum at Hodmedod’s British Pulses & Grains; Greencell; Sarah Revell at National Grid; NFB Import; the Quadram Institute; the Real Seed Catalogue; Guy Barter at the Royal Horticultural Society; Sophie Morgan at the Soil Association; and Mark Culloden at Strube UK.
Over the years we’ve learnt from many food growers wiser and more skilled than us, who’ve helped with advice and only the occasional sad shake of the head. Our particular thanks to Catherine Birkett, Simon Kunath, and of course Nigel Scott-Harden and Alain Miaule, who planted the seed.
Thank you too to Katharine Lloyd, Hazel, Jack and Tom Clarke for the love and support; to Tyber Thomas for the heavy lifting; to Simon Walker for putting us in the picture; to Sharn Matharu at Various Artists Ltd for keeping the bigger game going; and to Mirren Gidda for the first read, plus not telling us it was actual rubbish.
Finally, thank you to Robert Kirkman and the late George A. Romero. You can bet they never expected this.
THE END*
* of the book. But not of the world