One thing I’ve been noticing recently are the number of suggestions the media is providing to help people save money, not only on gas but on groceries. Of course, the food/grocery issue also concerns avoiding the more frequent problem we’re having with “bad’ food.
The Gen X’ers and Gen Y’ers that are being interviewed sometimes mention that they’ve decided to shop at local farm markets or start their own garden … as if this were a revolutionary new concept!
I hate to break this to them, but NOT having a garden is a more recent concept than HAVING one!
I grew up in a tiny town in Knox County. My parents always had humongous gardens, in two different locations on their 10 acres. They grew every sort of vegetable that could be grown. Going through the Burpee catalogs in January was a major project for them.
The large garden nearest the home was planted with those items that either required more constant care or could be harvested daily like lettuce, radishes, peppers, corn, tomatoes, spinach, beans, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, and yes, brussel sprouts! (they aren’t so bad fresh out of the garden!)
The even bigger garden was planted further away in a field close to a small stream where the soil was extra nice. This garden was planted with things that needed lots of space to spread out, like melons, pumpkins, squash, pickles, cucumbers and potatos.
Mom made me help with the garden. Like going to Sunday School, I had to be REALLY, REALLY sick to avoid either one. There was just no getting out of it! 
Once the food was harvested, it was prepared to either be canned or put into the big chest freezer that were common then.
With today’s subdivisions, it might be harder to have a garden of any size, except for a few tomato or lettuce plants. Most subdivision’s deed restrictions forbid planting “crops”. If you want to switch to growing a portion of your own food supply, you might consider buying a home located in a township.
Need some professional advice on gardening? Read these articles from a Scotts® expert:
- Thinning plants and what happens when you don’t
- Seeing the yummy results of growing your own blueberries
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Elaine how true about gardening being a staple more than not. I bought my house in February and there wasn’t any sun for months…as usual! Then I realized for the first time I would not have enough sun in my backyard to grow at least some tomatoes. When I was growing up, the Cleve school system would give you a brown bag with seeds if you wanted them, and you could take them home and have your parents help you plant them. Some of my most treasured memories are of planting a garden as a kid with my Dad, who always gardened.
I’m glad the new generations are seeing the value and adding it into their fast paced lives.
Gardening – whether it’s for food or just flowers – is great therapy for the soul. It’s just like life. You must plant the seeds, nurture and care for them while they mature, then reap the rewards in the future.
Some people might enjoy learning that blackberries are something you EAT, not something that exercises your thumbs.
LOLOL about the blackberries.