We’re All About Veggie Gardening

January 7, 2016
What's so wonderful about growing veggies at home?

It is Creativity-Inspiring

Regardless of your space situation, you can always find room for a few prolific plants. This is true even if you live in a townhome or have only a small patio.  After all, gardeners are very creative people.  Containers and hanging baskets can be used wisely in these situations.  Home veggie gardening can be very versatile, and you’re bound to find a way to make it work for you.  Ask us how!

It is Stress-Depleting

The act of turning over soil with my hands is one of my favorite sensory experiences!  The feel of the warm Earth, the organic scent of the soil and everything that comes with the experience of designing, maintaining, and of course, reaping the rewards of my own garden, is soothing.  Enjoy the sweet fresh air and the weather, especially during this slightly cooler time of year while letting yourself pay attention to all the little things that make growing your own food such a worthwhile pursuit.

It is Money-Saving

This is an excellent and very practical reason to start or continue to grown your own food at home.  In 2014, a prominent seed company estimated that a family could enjoy $1,250 worth of produce for every $50 spent on seeds, starters, and feed.  I know that last Summer, in Massachusetts, I did not buy a single cucumber from the market, and me and my daughter absolutely love cucumbers!  We grew them organically from seed ($3.99/packet) and had enough to eat practically every day and also to pickle.  We saved the $2.99/lb over and over and over!  Now, it’s Winter, and I have two jars of pickles left and the price for organic cukes is $3.99/lb!  In Florida, I would still be growing!

If saving money on fruits and vegetables is one of your reasons, be mindful about choosing starters and seeds that will yield what your family loves to eat.  Also consider what freezes or re-purposes best.  Tomatoes can stick around in sauces, cucumbers as pickles, and zucchini in breads, for examples.  Consider what you buy most at the grocery store or farmers’ market, and give those a try.  Don’t limit it to vegetables, add herbs!  You can dry herbs so easily, and you may be surprised how much you will use once you start incorporating fresh parsley, rosemary, and others into your dishes.  (You will likely use less salt, too.) 

 

Growing your own food helps you avoid genetically-altered, chemical-laden, and label-manipulated food you find  in the stores, and this is a great way to have a voice about the food we prefer.  And one of the most important attributes of home-grown vegetables is the TASTE.  The crispness, the sweetness, the freshness of a pea pulled right from the pod after being snipped right off the vine, for instance, is pretty much unparalleled food enjoyment, if you ask me.  There are many reasons why we’re excited to share veggie growing know-how and these are just a few.  Join us Saturday for more, and learn all you need to grow all your favorites, easily and successfully!

X