With gas prices at an all-time high, and food production and transportation costs soaring right along with them, everybody’s feeling the pinch at the pump and around the kitchen table these days.
The good news is spring planting season is finally upon us and there’s never been a better time to plant your own edible garden. Whether you’ve got a big plot of land, or a small deck or patio – all you need to get started is sun, soil, seeds and a shovel!
Why Home Grown?
Fuel costs and super market overheads disappear when your food’s commute is shortened to the backyard to the back door. The benefit of growing your own edibles is more than that though. Starting your own garden is…
Cost Effective: The costs of starting your own edible garden are few and only incurred once a season. If you live in a small apartment or condo complex, consider splitting the bill for soil, seeds and planters with a neighbor, or staring a community garden. You’ll all reap the benefits of your small investment and enjoy the fruits (and veggies!) of your labor for months to come.
Healthy: Unless you buy 100% organic, 100% of the time, you can never be 100% sure what fertilizers or pesticides have seeped into the produce you’re picking up at the store. When you purchase or make your own fertilizer or compost, you can be certain it’s not harmful to your health.
Convenient: Ever whip up a Mexican feast and wish you had a big, spicy jar of salsa
to go along with it? Plant a salsa garden including jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro, and
never go without again. Craving a crunchy, good-for-you salad? Hand-pick a couple
lettuce bunches, cucumbers, carrots and radishes, and make one on the spot!
Inexpensive: Organic produce is already more costly than its conventional counterpart. When you factor in rising fuel and food costs, I can only imagine what a juicy bunch of organically-grown vine-ripened tomatoes will set us back this summer! Let your seedlings save you money and grow into plants that will produce over and over again, at little to no cost to you.
Rewarding: Help the environment, feed your family and watch your hard work pay off as your garden grows and prospers under your care. There’s nothing more satisfying than watching your edible garden go from seed and soil, to a bounty of healthy, good-for-you food.
Visit your local garden-supply store to pick up materials to start your own edible garden this Spring, and get growing already!
When do you start planting your garden? What are your favorite items to grow and share?
ps: Don’t forget to check out our new 2011 line of t-shirts and more. We’ve added new colors, more states and updated designs you’ll definitely want to see!