Did you know it takes 500 miles, 400 gallons of gas and countless stops and lots of hands to get food from the farm to your table? It's no wonder people are sick and broke from high produce prices.
I am pretty proud to say my food comes from me. We grow our own veggies and have over a dozen fruit trees, and plenty of vines that grow watermelon, cantaloupe etc; I "can" my winter supply of fresh vegetables, then I use what is left to barter for what we don't grow.
We also trade produce for meat from rural neighbors that raise animals the old fashioned way, hormone free, grazing on grass and hay.
The secret I am sharing with you is this. We are in dire straights and if we don't get creative, things will not turn around. We can blame Obama, bailouts, or whatever but we can turn things around one person and one idea at a time. Having a job is great, a degree or two better, but recent turn of events prove if we are going to get financially stable we got to do things differently. I mean really differently.
You need to find a creative niche not only to feed yourself safe food but to add another source of income to your household. You don't need much to start your own little garden and it's a great family/ friend activity. Extra veggies can be gifted to the elderly neighbor down the street or your local food bank. Neighborhood veggie stands teach kids good nutrition as well as provide an excellent opportunity to get some exercise and family bonding time.
Start small, you can grow just about anything in a pot or an herb window sill garden. What do you think?
OH goodness! A woman after my own heart! I'm in an condo where we're not allowed to garden.. I'm working on some planter box veggies.. but I am hopeful that in the next year we'll have land where we can have a garden, and chickens ( yum fresh eggs). I think it'd be great for my boys too. you got a new follower for sure. Love it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for the visit. :)
Great post, Debra. As usual!
ReplyDeleteI love to garden and grow my own veggies (as well as flowers). We don't have a lot of space but we do have a large deck so every year I do container gardening. This year I'm planting herbs as well. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful! And really inspiring :) I hope a lot of people read this and do the same as you! It's great that you grow your own vegetables, I dream of having my own little veggie patch. I bet everything tastes much nicer when it's home grown. In my garden at home we have a lot of fruit trees, so in the summer we often get a lot of peaches, plums, pears and other yummy things and they taste so fresh and lovely!
ReplyDeleteI think a lovely gift for someone would be a little pot with some seeds already sown in, so that they can grow their own little plant :)
Great post! I look forward to tomorrow's!
Nikki – inspire nordic
awesome! I'm starting a little garden this year. I've been so intimidated by it.. but like you said, start start small.
ReplyDeleteI total agree! I love gardening, although I don't do it on the scale you do. I hope to work my way up though. We also have a local farmer's market where I can buy fresh produce for much cheaper than grocery store prices. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI started a garden two years ago and I love it. Last week when I was at the grocery store, my daughter and I were talking about this. We were buying two small, bad looking cucumbers for a dollar and I said that I couldn't wait till I could go to my garden and get one twice this size and much better looking for free.
ReplyDeleteI agree - we are sharing a little patch with our neighbour this year. My parents, like you were completely self sufficient. The fear is that people are beginning to lose the know-how.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post
Lx
You're a smart lady! We grow a lot of our own vegetables and fruit, but if my family had to rely on just what we produce, I don't think it would be nearly enough. You've inspired me to do more!
ReplyDeleteYeah my family is about to move to a farm, and I'm trying to maneuver us to be as self-sufficient as possible. So our own cows, chickens etc. Because it's just too expensive otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I dare say though that a job and higher education are essential, but that's just me.
ReplyDeleteI think we do need to be more creative with how we go about taking care of ourselves. In addition to buying locally and growing our own produce, I think a critical thing we can all do to better our situation and secure our future is to live within our means by creating budgets, learning how to control our "wants" when it comes to spending and overall find more joy in things that don't require money.
This is an awesome post! I actually kill plants (I have one dying now) but for the rest of the world, it is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteYou have inspired me to go water my plant. I thank you and my plant thanks you!
I can my own vegetables too - grew up doing it and can't imagine any other way!
ReplyDeleteOh yes I can see we have some common interests - love to have a little bit bigger space to grow ...I will keep coming back to your blog!
ReplyDeleteI worked at a farm stand for a couple of years and learned how to bring a farm into our own backyard. As you say, even if it is small it is still powerful. Food is much more delicious this way.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, is how these small actions effect our society on a global scale. Wise advice you've provided: stop blaming and work towards making a conscious change independently.
Wonderful and truly necessary post.
Hi Debra! This is very inspiring, and so true. It's important to be self-sufficient, and I think many people are trying to move in this direction. Wonderful post, I'm looking forward to reading more.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! We grow peppers, eggplants, limes, and some herbs, but the weather in Tucson isn't very conducive to growing a lot of things. Wish we could do more.
ReplyDeleteMy C
Wyldstatic- planter box veggies are just as good. Good luck
ReplyDeleteJess- always nice to see your smiling face. thanks for the visit
Luana- thanks for the visit and an herb garden is very nice
Niki- I'm glad you like my blog, tomorrow is a laugh on me
Cristina-I know you will love your little garden its so rewarding
Cheyanne- A small plant yields tons of tomatoes start there
Jessica- good for you and you are setting a good example
Laura- good point who is going to pass this on if not us
SherryE- co-op with friends family neighbors the more the merrier
Misha- be sure to blog about your new farm adventures
Emily- this is so true and would make a powerful post.
CYW- even a diva like you can manage a little ole tomato plant.
Mk#39- I'm glad to meet a canning woman. Thought I was the last
Susan- welcome and thanks for visiting and following
Archana- thanks for the support and the food is better
Thanks to all of you. Spread the word and maybe we can start a revolution!
Julie- It would be nice to start a movement in this direction
ReplyDeleteJaycee- every little bit helps. I love Az I was in Mesa this January
Great advice! I've grown things in the past, but quit after we lost our home to Ike. I'm hoping to at least start back with some tomatos this year and build up. I had no idea you grew so much yourself. That's amazing!
ReplyDeletethanks Sylvia God bless and good luck. Thanksfor stopping by.
ReplyDeleteSylvia, we own a 40 acre farm and it is hard work like you couldn't imagine but its worth while. The farm has been in our family since 1893. I hope you get your garden back.
ReplyDeleteWe like veggies a lot. My Mummy grows them for us mainly. She's tryng to get others in our village to grow them too. I'm blogging from A to Z about veggies :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck everybody!
Terrific advice. I try to grow a little something now that we have a house and yard of our own. I have the tomatoes ready to go and I'm going to try watermelons this year. When my son gets a bit older, we'll do a bigger veggie garden and have him help. I think all kids (and many adults!) need a lesson in gardening.
ReplyDelete