There are lots of reasons why you should consider growing your own food. Whether you have a lot of land or a small yard, whether you are rich or poor, and whether you have years of experience of are just starting, growing your own food has something for everyone.
Learn More about the World
When you start to get your hands dirty with soil, you start to engage with the world in all new ways. First, you’ve got to pick what it is you want to grow, which means you have to find out what grows well in your climate. Before you even see a sprout poking out of your yard, you’ll have gone a in depth lesson on Mother Earth, and it only gets better.
One you find out what it is you can grow, you’ll then need to understand the mechanics of the plant – when to water, how much sunlight it requires, and if there are any specific oddities about the plan. As you plant row by row of fresh vegetables, you’ll become an expert on each one.
Becoming a Part of the Environment
I like to think of each plant planted as an insertion of yourself into Mother Earth. Truly, you’re creating life, which in turn breeds other life. Experiencing this first hand opens your eyes to a whole new world. You’ll be able to look out your window and see the things you’ve created.
Not only does this provide you with a sense of satisfaction, but it also helps facilitate a feeling of strong environmental value. You’re being more “green” by being your own farmer, no doubt about that.
Help Keep the World Healthy
As your plants nourish the soil and help create new habitats for all types of living things, you’ll also be taking cars off the road because of the decrease in demand for the vegetables you grow. Simply put, when you grow your own food, other food doesn’t need to be grown somewhere else, shipped to you, and refrigerated the whole way.
This saves a ton on CO2 emissions, not just from shipping, but also from your trip to the store!
Keeps you Healthy
That healthy food in your backyard is yours. You know exactly what is it you put into it. That gives you the unique opportunity to grow organic, fresh food in your garden, providing your family with sustenance untouched by chemical growing methods.
On another note, it keeps you physically active. You’ll spend a lot of time digging, planting, and tending to your mini-farm, which means lots of activity. This is also a great way to get your kids involved and physically active. Farming is fun – believe it or not!
Finally, it even adds a little longevity to your bank account. By planting and growing your own food, the price to start a garden is quickly offset with the first harvest. This saves you lots of money down the road, and you’ll soon be giving away food to friends and family!
Relaxing
Finally, farming from home is relaxing, and some studies actually suggest gardening helps with depression. Getting yourself out there, being active, and actively thinking about a project keeps our mind tuned with the world around us. Remember, you don’t want to over think anything – relationships, life, or work. Farming provides an escape!
Originally published Nov. 15th 2011.
April 21, 2011 at 1:25 am
not many put about how relaxing it can be.. and i have to agree with your comments..
mite go out to may garden built mainly buy polytunnels and do some gardening as the weather is so nice..
where is that beer lol
April 26, 2011 at 10:16 am
I’m in the midst of a medical leave of absence from my job due to depression. Planning my garden and starting more plants from seed has kept me focused and grounded. As the green shows above the ground, it increases my peace of mind. I hope eating the healthy food from my own backyard will help heal, too.
April 26, 2011 at 12:11 pm
It is absolutely true about gardening helping heal depression! Like the commenter before me, my husband made me a raised herb garden last year. He had planned to build it and then I got in a pretty bad car accident last May. Building and designing it for me was his release and then making myself tend to it was my healing when I felt good enough to get out in the yard. This is our second year with our beautiful little backyard garden, I’m still out of work on disability leave and now the herb garden has become a small organic vegetable garden! My sons love getting in the dirt too and I had to buy the littlest guy (who will be 2) his own kid-sized gardening gloves today so he could be part of the action. We’ve expanded into composting too and I’m trying to convince my other half to let me plant a raspberry bush.
May 24, 2011 at 3:20 am
[...] Sumber: Organic Soul [...]
March 15, 2012 at 9:18 am
We love being farmers because we love our herd of cows. Our family has been farming on our farm since they migrated to the US from Poland at the turn of the century. Before that, we were farmers for centuries in Europe. The great thing about being a farmer in NY is the natural resources we are blessed with….millions of acres of well-watered grasslands. Being my own farmer and trying to make a living with the cows means that we can pay the huge property taxes on our several hundred acres of land. In my lifetime, I hope to keep the land open, wild and pretty and safe from the spreading large lot subdivisions of the Utica area. Large open spaces of grazing land and woodlots means safe habitat for bird species who need unfragmented habitat such as the Northern Harriers and the Upland Sandpipers. Just wish more people know about these things.