There are several reasons why now is the right time to learn to grow your own food...cost savings, certainty of production methods, supporting your local community. Lots of writing and conversation has come forth about the return of the Victory Garden...and I don't mean the TV show.
There was a time when we knew how to take care of ourselves in this way. We could grow and harvest our own fruits and vegetables, care for our own chickens, and milk our own cows. Even in the past 50 years or so, the family veggie garden was a common part of life.
Then we went and got all "citified". Stopped relying on ourselves and started buying into the myth that getting our produce from the grocery store was a better idea. And the more we purchased, the more big agriculture grew, finding new chemicals and genetic modification practices to increase yields and length of storage.
Looking back on it, I can understand why we were eager to embrace "progress". It was an amazing time saver, particularly for women who were raising a family and working full time. I mean, who had time to put in a full garden?
But in embracing this cultural shift, we've lost our respect for food. We have lost the understanding of what it means to value the earth and the bounty that it provides. We've lost touch with small farmers, now struggling to survive. We've lost the ability to provide for ourselves. And this is a bad time to not know how to provide for ourselves.
The biggest hurdle we face in returning to some level of food self-sufficiency is overcoming the notion that buying produce at the local grocery is a good strategy for healthy living. It is more than evident that salmonella is sneaking in to food production at many levels. Toxic sprays and other inorganic farming methods are harming the environment and our bodies. And we have no idea what the long term ramifications of genetically modifying our food will be. Quite frankly, that's the thing that scares me the most.
The good news is that it takes very little to reclaim our past. Anyone can grow their own food, even if it is in pots on a balcony or in a sunny window, you can grow some portion of the produce you need to sustain your life. Seeds, soil and pots can be found for little to no cost. Taking small steps as an individual can make a big difference. By choosing to grow your own food and frequenting local organic farms, you help strengthen your community. And by not buying produce from big agriculture, you are using your money to vote for change. Together, we can make a difference.
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Comments: 31
Angela B - We use the square-foot gardening method and LOVE it!
Keep your eyes open. Do your neighbors put down chemicals on their lawns? Do they heaven forbid use a company to treat their yard? There is a very good chance your yard has been contaminated.
Even though the yeilds seem to be smaller, consider large and small pot gardening. There are many benefits, (I will write a paper on this later) including earlier starts and later finishes to your growing season.
I'm getting older and more physically limited. Much easier to tend my garden by bending over halway or sitting on a lawn chair than crawling around on the ground.
This is a great group!
And speaking of containers.........it's amazing what you can use for container gardening! Chairs. Wooden wine boxes. A wagon or an old wheelbarrel. Cardboard egg cartons are the best for starting seeds! Baskets. Shoes. I found a pair of high-topped rubber boots, lined the "leg" part of the boot with pvc plumbing pipe to keep the leg erect, filled in the booth with soil and VOILA! I planted lobelia in the pair. The walk-way to my rear garden is edged, upright-standing clay/terra cotta plumbing pipe. I sunk them into the soil a few inches, filled them with soil and buried daffodil bulbs in them. Every spring.....a charming and colorful row of daffodils lead me all the way back. I love it!
Wonderful article, Jean. Thanks for bringing this group of gardeners together for an exchange of ideas!
I used to plant every seed that grew, in my gardens, harvest them
and start the canning, freezing process. Fantastic article thank you.
Hugs, Barbie
I will have a ton of containers, too...and I think that is also a great option. We just all have to do the best we can! :)
I agree that nearly anyone can grow a little of their own food and the more, the better. Not only does grocery produce cost too much, it lacks in nutrition. Food poisoning happens more frequently as our food system grows bigger and bulkier.
The only problem I have had here with things that I plant is that there is some animal that goes around chomping the heads off of my plants right when it is about time for them to make food! The animal takes it right down to the ground. I think it's a rabbit. Last year someone tipped me off about applying a cayenne pepper solution to the plant and it seemed to be working, and then I missed an application after a good rain! Oh I was sorry about that!!! If anyone has any ideas I am happy to listen. We did a wire fence around the garden and they still got through, I planted a TON of plants (you know, some for them, some for me) and they took my share too :( What oh what can I do?
this is a great article - i often think about this - i would like 2 have enuff acreage 2 have a small organic farm