Transplantin’ Time!
On a typical weekday morning, I'll wake up, throw on a robe, and head outside to the garden. After a short walk through the raised beds scanning my plants for pest problems or diseases, I gather the morning breakfast ingredients. Lately, my staple morning drink has been mint tea sweetened with honey from my bee hives. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast and the garden never disappoints when it comes to fresh produce for my morning omelette. On the way back inside, I'll stop by the chicken coop to see how the birds are doing and grab a few eggs.
Multi-colored eggs make breakfast fun
In all, my trip to the garden never takes more than 10 mins, but it's by far my favorite part of the day. You could say that it actually "gets me up in the morning".
Why do I grow my own food?
I've spent countless hours over the years helping people answer the HOW TO questions in the world of gardening. I think it's important to consider WHY we do it as well.
Gardening makes me happy. It's generic and cliche but it's true. Here's WHY..
Health - I feel physically better when I eat produce from my own garden. Studies have shown that produce loses up to 50% of its nutritional value after only 3 days off the vine. By eating produce picked fresh each morning I'm consuming the highest quality and freshest food available on Earth.
Nature - There is a bonding connection to nature when you grow your own food. It's an activity that demands a certain level of awareness to your physical surroundings. Each plant thrives under the right set of circumstances. Understanding the seasons, weather patterns, and temperature ranges connects you to the natural world in a unique way.
Confidence - Planting, nurturing, and harvesting your own produce builds a strong sense of accomplishment. Setting achievable goals and accomplishing them is a path to higher self esteem. Whenever the garden is thriving, so is my confidence.
Structure - We all have a million choices with how we spend our time. Some activities we do are constructive and some are destructive. It's difficult to manage sometimes, but balance is key. Gardening is one of the most constructive activities I've found. Each successful harvest builds on to the structure of your life.
Positive Contribution - Each plant we grow at home offsets one grown using destructive farming methods. Our local contribution (even very small gardens) make a difference when it comes to carbon emissions, transportation cost, and pesticide usage.
When all's said and done, growing my own food makes me feel good. I'm eating healthier, connecting with nature, building my self-confidence and contributing to a better society.
I hope this message helps inspire you to start a garden of your own.