Grow Your Own Food

Gandhi said 'to forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.'

Did you know growing your own food could actually produce food with more vitamins and minerals for you and your family, while saving money at the same time?

Potatoes Food that has to be transported, sometimes for thousands of kilometres, and then stored for months at a time can be robbed of valuable nutrients.

Many commercial crops are 'monocultures' - only one type of food is farmed over a large area. This increases the number of pests that may attack a crop as the ecosystem becomes unbalanced. Where in nature do you see only one type of plant growing over a large area? Monoculture farming increases the need for pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers to keep crops healthy. Unfortunately these chemicals can also kill beneficial insects and can pollute our air and water.

Although time and space limits mean it is often not possible to grow all our own food, we can treat ourselves to home-grown herbs, fruits or vegetables, even in the smallest of areas and with a minimal time commitment. Indeed, a pot of parsley or chives on your balcony or a huge veggie patch in the back yard can provide not only a healthier alternative for you and your family, but can also be extremely rewarding. There's nothing like getting your hands dirty, planting seeds, watching them grow and ultimately enjoying them in your evening meal, especially when you are also saving money.

There are many ways to grow herbs, fruits and vegetables, including a patio garden using pots or maybe an old bathtub, a large veggie patch or a No-dig Garden, but the main ingredients for a thriving garden are:

maintaining healthy soil through composting;
mulching; and
growing crops suitable to the climate.

In the home garden we can also reduce the number of chemical sprays we use by working with nature, rather than against it. It is possible to garden organically by using natural pest control methods.

By companion planting, we can both deter insects and increase the health and vigour of plants. For example, growing mint near cabbage will deter the white cabbage moth and growing basil with tomatoes reduces insect invasion and enhances the flavour of the tomatoes.

There are many books available on organic gardening and companion planting available in your local library. There are also many useful web sites.

CROPO - Coffs Regional Organic Producers Seed Bank
Australian Community Foods
Harness the moon's phases to benefit your gardening