Food: Grow Your Own

Once again, food prices are on the rise that alone could be sufficient incentive to get outside and grow some of your own food. Correction, you do not have to even get outside to grow your own, if the will to grow exists the way can be found.

One of the major differences between gardening indoors and out, is that outdoors, the gardener has help from the sun and rain for example, from insects, birds and many, many small creatures that live in the soil; in fact outdoors the successful gardener builds soil and then grown plants in that soil.

Indoors, the gardener has fewer helpers and must provide the light, the food and basically satisfy all the plants’ needs.

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Grow-Beans-Peppers-and-Squash-Under-Lights

It does not matter if your garden is indoors or out, in containers or in the earth, grown hydroponically or in a community garden, it is the act of the growing your own that matters.

High prices aside there is an issue of freshness, the freshest food is the food that is grown closest to your own home. The healthiest food is food that is grown organically without any unnatural chemicals or additives. Put locally and organically grown together and you have the very best food you can eat.

This year I only have a small space on a balcony on the third floor of a house for my garden. The view of the Restigouche River and the Appalachian Mountains in Quebec is magnificent but the overhang above the balcony reduces the area of light to a container or two. I will grow tomatoes, cherry and some herbs. My time is also rather limited this year but as long as I have a space to grow I will.

In the past I have used space in a community garden and had a yard sharing garden. Both are still excellent ways to grow some of your own food. Time limits keep me from yard sharing and the lack of a community garden well there isn’t one and this year, at least, I have too much else to do. However, if I can nudge someone else into starting one, I will be right there, if it is close to home.

Over the past 20 years or so, there has not been a gardening season when I have not grown some of my own food. There is nothing better.

Two days ago, I was grocery shopping, planning on making a stir fry.  Not only are the food prices high but the food itself is not fresh, sure it looks like fresh food. I mean it is not frozen or in a can, but the flavour is stale. I hate that and flavour is important for taste alone I will gladly take the time and grow what I can.