I grew up with a modest vegetable garden along the side of our house. My mom would have me pick vegetables for nightly meals or for a rhubarb dessert. In the summer we'd visit the local farms, and there were many, picking fresh berries or buying from their stands.
What I took away from those experiences was a respect for where the food at the dinner table every night was coming from. I could identify with it, and I felt connected to it, especially when I had been to the source that it had come from.
One thing I hated about the apartment living I did for so many years was the lack of space to grow anything. I quickly learned how to grow herbs in a container successfully, even when there was limited sunlight on the covered deck, and I soon moved on to bigger things once I had a yard. But why? What is it that motivates me to get my hands dirty in my backyard?
1. Fresh always tastes better. A tomato that is still warm from the afternoon sun tastes exponentially better than one that was picked green ripened with ethylene to increase its shelf life.
2. Gardening is good exercise. Bending to weed and harvest, walking with buckets of water, it all takes energy. Gardening is exercise in my own backyard that I am not paying a monthly membership fee for and keeps me in shape, gets me outside and away from the computer.
3. I'm teaching my children. One of the most important reasons for me is sharing the knowledge of growing our own food with my children. I believe it's important for them to know that food starts as seeds that are cared for until they become edible. We even go as far as harvesting seeds from the fruits and vegetables to plant next season.
4. I know exactly where my food has been. In addition to shopping at the farmer's market and getting to know where the food I'm buying comes from, growing my own means I know exactly what is in the soil and on the vegetables.
5. Having fresh produce available leads to healthier eating. When all that's in your cupboard are prepackaged cookies, you're more likely to eat prepackaged cookies. When you have fresh produce growing in your backyard just waiting for you to pick it, you're more likely to make a meal from it.
6. Gardening is fun! My kids love to dig in the dirt. They are constantly putting holes in places I'd rather there be no holes. Embrace your inner child and start digging. Plus, when you're gardening, there's a reward at the end!
Why do you garden?
Photos by Shaina Olmanson
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