Growing organic food has so many benefits. Here are just a few:
Environmental Benefit: Growing food organically either in an urban environment or in a rural area improves the environment surrounding it. By growing organically you help to increase soil fertility, encourage biodiversity and create habitat for some of natures most beautiful creatures such as butterflies, birds and bees.
Economic Benefit: Growing you own food can seem expensive but with a few tips from us and other savvy gardeners you can grow organic, healthy food for cheap!
Food Safety and Security: In today’s world of mega-marts, “Franken foods” (GMOS), and giant industrial agriculture, we just don’t know where our food comes from or what is on it. By growing your food at home or at a community garden, you can be confident you are eating clean, chemical-free produce.
Community: Community gardens, home gardens, CSA (community supported agriculture) and local farmers markets all have one common and priceless feature; they bring together the community. By growing your own food you will quickly find how it brings you together with other gardeners, neighbors and children. This is so important in today’s world and ever more important in an urban setting.
Nature Deficit Disorder: Yep, that’s right, that’s a really thing! Coined by Richard Louv, this theory maintains that in today’s world of constant media and little nature interaction, people can have negative effects from spending little to no time outdoors. By joining a community garden or starting your own garden, you can help yourself and other reverse this disorder.
Fun: Let’s not forget one of the most important things: FUN! That’s right, gardening is down right fun! No matter how much you hate getting dirty or bugs, gardening can be really enjoyable and a great form of exercise.
Sustainability: Gardening right in your back yard is just one more way that you can keep things a bit more local. A garden from your backyard or a community garden down the street beats a mushy tomato from 1,500 miles away!
Variety and flavor: Growing your own food allows you to chose from hundreds of thousands of varieties of herbs, flowers and veggies. Most people are not even aware that carrots come in every color of the rainbow. If you grow your own, you can surprise kids with purple ones like our Cosmic Purple carrots.
Independence and confidence: Thomas Jefferson once said “that a main without a plow is not man at all”, this reference may seem out of date now but at one point your ability to produce food was your livelihood. Although today we have food at our fingertips, many new studies suggest that the ability to produce food can increase confidence and well being. Just ask any farmer or home gardener and they will tell you how gratifying and liberating it is to grow your own food.
