It’s that time of year! You know…the time when you spend hours poring over seed catalogs, dreaming and planning your garden, hoping and waiting for the weather to change. Before you know it the air will be warmer and the ground will thaw! Yep, it will happen.
Planting a garden is a big deal to me. About 7 years ago I had an epiphany. I don’t know what triggered it, I really don’t recall. But I wanted so badly to live as much off the grid as we could in this society. I wanted my own cow, (yeah, don’t laugh) chickens, a huge garden to feed my family with enough left over to store for winter. I wanted to know that the food I put into my little children was wholesome and I wanted to know where it came from. Well, my husband talked me out of the cow. But I did grow a massive garden, froze tons of veggies that lasted nearly all winter and we bought chickens that kept us in eggs most of the year. We switched to organic milk. I did consider buying a share of beef, but never did that. I read books about growing your own food, about raising your own chickens. I was invested.
I did this for a couple of years, but after Bella arrived and I started my business it took back burner. I still bought as much organic as I could, but didn’t raise much myself. Some tomatoes and peppers and herbs.
Now that we have this new house with plenty of land, I’m back at it. I’ve done this before so I know it’s a massive commitment to raise our own food. But every grocery trip affirms that it’s what is right for us. I look at every label when I shop, torn between cost savings and healthy eating. It’s not cheap feeding a family of 6-especially with 2 always hungry boys! Even with coupons and sales the good stuff is pricey. We’ve been blessed and don’t have to worry about whether or not we can feed our kids, but honestly in this day and age, we’re all on a budget. And the more I can save on groceries means the more I can set aside for a rainy day or charitable giving or retirement or college or you name it! Growing our own will help us spend far less on food. And yes, chickens will be arriving this spring as well.
So the garden this year will be big. I know it will take hours to manage. But the reward of knowing where my family’s food is coming from, knowing where the seed came from, what was put on the plants, is priceless. Want your eyes opened? Watch The Future of Food and Food Inc.
The systems that are “supposed” to be set in place to keep us safe are failing us in favor of money.
Don’t have room for your own garden? Get a local CSA like my sister does every year. I loved watching all the delicious food come through her home last year. Buy from your local farmer’s market. Or partner with someone in your circle of friends and help them with their garden in exchange for some fresh fruits and veggies. I would welcome an exchange like that.
After all, when they start out this perfect, we can’t help but to want to put only good things in them.
