I felt a little like a kid when I began to see the first sprouts pop up in my garden this year. I haven't planted with seeds since I was in grade school, and have to confess that I had my doubts about their ability to actually produce plants. Could it really be this easy? I thought as I stuck them in the soil last month.
Incidentally, it is.
A Good Return
I can't wait to see how much salad I can harvest from $4.00 worth of seeds. I'm guessing that unless something goes terribly, terribly wrong, I'll probably get more greens than a $4.00 bag of premixed salad, so I'm feeling optimistic about good returns. I mean, if stocks and bonds were like lettuce seeds, we probably wouldn't be in the mess we're in right now!
Glad to be Trendy
I wrote earlier in this series about how glad I am that gardening is becoming trendy again. I mean, you don't need an advanced degree to understand that growing your own food can save money and help the environment. And I'm digging (pun intended) the "return to the land" simplicity of it all. Even if it is just along my very small suburban plot.
Furthermore, producing your own food also contributes to that "preparation" I was talking about earlier in the week. It supports that little "cushion" that softens the blows of hard and/or unexpected events.
Efficiency vs. Simplicity
Of course, the cynics (my husband being one) make a point when they highlight the inefficiency of the whole operation. And it is true that backyard agriculture isn't quite the economical wonder of industrial farming. But sometimes losses in efficiency can be gains in simplicity and sustainability.
Plus, I just like to watch my sprouts grow.
Are you growing anything this year? Or perhaps planning to frequent the farmer's market or buy shares in a local CSA? Tell me about it by commenting below!
Previous Related Posts:
It's So Trendy!
Creating a Little Cushion
Homegrown Resilience
So funny, today I just took pics ofour little sprouts. My neighbor has a 1/2 acre lot in town and has 1/4 of in a garden. He is giving us part of his garden this year. I'm not exactly little miss green thumb, so he is helping us every step of the way. So this summer we'll have everything that I pay way too much for at the grocery store, and I can pick it fresh when I need it! Can't wait to eat some home grown food. He's also going to teach me to can this year...yea I know I'm getting all domesticated!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog! Keeps me going all day long!
Leah
Oooh...send me the pics!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank God for neighbors who know how to garden! I got a lot of my advice this year from an employee of the thrift store. He coached me while we loaded my furniture! People love sharing their garden know-how!
I was just looking at the newest sprouts in our garden last night. I have to say that my garden (and working at the local CSA) really helped soften last year when I was looking for work. It's amazing how much money we saved by shopping in the back yard. This year I have chickens too.
ReplyDeleteOn top of that, the food tasted so much better. Nothing beats fresh food and heirloom veggies bring even more flavor.