Ten Benefits to Growing Your Own

1. Your own fruit and vegetables taste better than shop bought produce.

They really do! Maybe it’s because they are fresher, but I find my own produce has a  much “stronger” taste than the plastic wrapped produce from the shop, or even that sold at farmers markets.

2. Your home produced food has not been sprayed with chemicals.

You know where your food has come from and you know how it’s been treated during it’s growth.

3. Your garden can be the ultimate convenience store.

Nipping out to the garden to pull some carrots or cut some herbs is a lot quicker, a lot less hassle, and a lot more enjoyable than negotiating the car park and checkout queues at your local supermarket!

4. Freshness.

Your food is not suffocated in plastic and left in a crate or on a shelf for days.

5. Your Health.

Fresher food = more vitamins and nutrients = a healthier you! Tending your own garden is a physical activity. It keeps you active and fit.

6. Independence.

Become independent of the various interdependent “systems” that produce, process, store, ship and sell food. If they fail or falter you won’t notice!

7. Entertainment.

This is the comedy spot! Your produce is not required to “conform to the norm” as supermarket food is. You can use every last funny shaped carrot (after having a good giggle of course!)

8. Well being.

Working in the garden brings you closer to nature and gives you a sense of achievement. This to me is the real “soul food”.

9. Zero food miles.

Whichever way you look at it, avoiding shipping food around the world is a good thing!

10. Be Sociable/Build relationships.

Share what’s spare. Make or cement a friendship by giving some surplus produce.