Not that long ago, every backyard, homestead, farmyard, court yard and green space had a garden. It was not for looks only. it was for food. Have you every thought about growing your own food? We have become so accustomed to convenience that the simplest disruption in our daily life and routine causes a ripple that we aren’t used to. The advent of just-it-time ordering and delivery relies on some where else and someone else to deliver. Food, Medical, Health, the system is reliable and works well, there is no need for extras or stockpiles or storage because someone else is doing that for us.
BUT
What happens when that one person or chain link breaks?
Everything falls apart, we don’t have extras in the cupboards or pantry, we get our food from some where else. When we go to the store to replenish, when one link breaks, suddenly there is no food on a shelf, nothing in a warehouse, no storage, no supply. The demand is high because it is not just one person who needs that same item, it is many.
Growing your garden, you are able to stop that reliance on someone else, some where else for your basic food needs. Tomatoes, Peppers, herbs, cabbage, beans, peas, squash. Even some flowers are edible. Your garden can be filled with all sorts of edible beauty.
Worried about year-round supply?
There are multiple ways to store food, whether it is by freezing, canning or dehydrating, there is endless ways of being able to keep enough food for the year ahead. I recently re-printed a collection of booklets from International Harvester that includes how much food you should store for the year for each person as well as growing your own garden and preserving the food. There are some outdated and no longer safe methods included, however I am confident that anyone who reads this book will understand what not to use, some of these terms are unfamiliar even. The information in the book is priceless. Instead of making a drying rack to hang over your wood cooking stove, use a modern dehydrator. The length of time needed to grow a plant, care for a plant has not changed though, you can still plant peppers and tomatoes near each other with great success. Pumpkins or squash and corn are another great pairing. Stop and ask questions, grab a book, and enjoy a fresh picked fruit or vegetable from your garden this summer. The taste is unbeatable!