Growing your own organic produce is beneficial for you, your community and the planet. Here are a few reasons why every family or community should start a garden. Drum roll please…
1. Better Quality Most veggies available at the super-market are commercial varieties, grown for durability in transit and shelf life. At home, you can choose from heirloom seeds and starts that add variety, flavor, and distinction to your garden—and taste better too!
2. Fresher Food At home, you can walk out into your garden, harvest some vegetables on the spot. You can be sure that the vegetables were allowed to ripen naturally instead of being artificially ripened with ethylene gas. Taste the difference in your vine-ripened tomatoes with every bite.
3. Smaller Carbon Footprint Current estimates put the distance that supermarket food travels from its source to your table at 1,500-2,500 miles. It is so satisfying to walk 15 feet to grab some potatoes and garlic for tonight’s dinner—without having to start the car!
4. Cleaner Air & Water Backyard organic gardens are much less dependent on pesticides, fertilizers, and fuel required for growing crops. Because of this, home gardeners can be sure they are preventing the pollution of water and air by reducing agricultural runoff.
5. Landfill Waste It seems like everything from tomatoes to blueberries comes in its own plastic container nowadays. Though many are recyclable, tons of packaging debris ends up in the landfill. Keep those unnecessary pieces of packaging that are non-recyclable from ending up in your trash.
6. Healthy Choices Frequently consuming local organic vegetables is better for your health than eating processed foods that are high in fats, sugars, and preservatives. Feed your body the right foods, and you will enjoy improved health.
7. Food Security We try not to think about the “What If”, but what if your car won’t start, or a storm closes roads, or there’s an E. coli or salmonella outbreak? It’s comforting to know you could pick some lettuce, squash, or beans, dig up some carrots or onions and be sustained.
8. Good Economics Okay, it costs money to have a garden, but there are ways that it can save you money as well. Time spent shopping can also be spent tending a garden. Furthermore, if a packet of squash seeds costs $2.00 and you grow 30 squash, that’s 7 cents per squash!
9. Personal Gratification Rather than sitting on the couch watching TV, you can enjoy childish pursuits like digging in the dirt and playing in the sprinkler while watching your efforts turn bare ground into a bountiful garden!
10. Making a Difference Whether you are feeding yourself or an entire community, knowing about plants and how to grow your own organic produce is an important step towards developing sustainable, educated, and healthy communities. Enjoy!
