In a time when the market seems to be selling us everything more “convenient”, we can’t help but notice what we are trading for this so called convenience. Our own food security, mental health and nutrition.
So lets push PAUSE on convenience and shout out the top 5 benefits to growing your own food.
Increased access to FRESH FOOD
There is absolutely no shortage of research after research showing the health benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables from a local garden. Not to mention you know exactly where your salad came from, who touched it, how it was cared for and washed. Added bonus - keeping it local means no greenhouse gases or fuels were used to farm it, cleanse it or transport it! Decreasing your footprint is incredibly helpful!
Improved Mental Health and Relaxation
It wasn’t long ago I found myself wanting to start a garden. But not just any garden, a HUGE garden (35x35)! I went through all the typical talks in my own head about how I knew nothing about gardening and how I would fail, but I was still determined. Using local friends who knew a few things + Pinterest, I designed a beautiful garden with companion planting and deterrents for aphids (pesky garden bugs). I tilled, raked, tilled some more, hauled in fresh composted soil and then … I planted!
I direct sowed my seeds in the soil with BARE HANDS and also planted a few starts for some plants that needed a little head start (cabbages, broccoli, Brussel sprouts). I can’t tell you how at peace I was every morning, to walk out to my garden first thing in the morning with my cup of coffee and see all my little food babies growing. The entire process was so rewarding and the daily upkeep wasn’t stressful, it was relaxing and something I looked forward to every single day. I promise, if I can do it … YOU CAN DO IT!
Staying Active
Sure the gardening is a wonderful experience, but it can also be great exercise and will keep you active. I mean there is a laundry list of health benefits to include improvement in cardiac health and your immune system, decreased heart rate and stress (who DOESN’T need reduced stress right now!?!), improved fine and gross motor skills, flexibility and body strength. All while growing food that benefits our bodies!
Reduced Food Waste
There is an embarrassing statistic stating that Americans waste on average around $600/yr in food waste. I mean, lets be real about how often we shop when we are hungry, buy too much and end up tossing out those cucumbers because we didn’t get around to eating them.
When you grow your own food, you are more likely to eat or preserve it before you let something you grew from seed go to waste. I can’t tell you how may late evenings my garden saved me … get home late and “oh gosh, what’s for dinner!?!” - stroll out to the garden and BAM! I will take a mixed green salad with fresh snapped peas, cucumbers, summer squash & cherry tomatoes (then toss on some roasted pine nuts and crumbled goat cheese for the WIN!) with a side of acorn squash! You clip what you need and the rest keeps growing & producing!
SAVE MONEY $$$
Probably my most favorite of them all … the money I save! A single family serving of Kale is about $3-$4 and 16oz of organic baby greens at Safeway (in the plastic container that threatens to slice your finger when opening it) is $5. A packet of 500 seeds from SeedSaver is $3.25! Yes, you have to wait to grow the food but lettuce and kale are so easy and once they start producing, you are set for the whole season! This is a tiny example but if you just take a little time and grab a few packets of seeds, you will save yourself some serious grocery money!
Of course my final benefit there with the cost of seeds leads me to the end of this post but I wanted to highlight the FREE SEED LIBRARY offered by the Sustainable Living Center at the Pringle Creek Community here in Salem, Oregon.
Over the years, seed companies have donated seeds to the Sustainable Living Center to share with the greater community and promote community gardening.
In the past, we have given away pollinator-attracting plant seeds at Earth Day events. The seed library contains both vegetable and flower seeds and is open to anyone.
The idea is to take what you need and return the rest. It's a lot like the concept of the little library. Take what you want and return it or even add to it in the future. There's even a seed library summit coming up. http://seedlibraries.weebly.com and I think I might try to attend so I can have even more information or we can share on how to start a seed library.
Another great idea is to grab some free seeds and share with a neighbored and have a growing competition with each other and check on each others progress or have the kids in your home grow something of their very own even if its just in a pot on the front porch!
