Grow Your Own Food & Be Good To The Environment

Growing your own food is the best way to ensure a constant supply of fresh, healthy, natural, organic produce, and it is environmentally and pocketbook friendly at the same time.

Organic Produce and You

Organic produce means healthy produce, free of harmful pesticides. When you grow your own food using organic methods to control pests, you and your family know that the fruits and vegetables you are enjoying together are safe and free of chemicals that are harmful to both health and the environment.

You are also avoiding produce grown abroad, where loose regulations of dangerous chemicals mean that produce exported to the United States could be treated with compounds that have been banned in the US due to adverse health or environmental effects.

In addition, with organic standards unclear at best, you do not always know whether the produce you buy that is labeled organic really meets your own standards – so growing your own is the best way to make sure you are eating real, natural, organic produce.

Saving Money and Getting the Best

The price of organic produce can be quite high especially for more exotic greens and fruits. Growing your own is less expensive and also more convenient, as you no longer have to spend time searching for organic produce at your supermarket or looking for a store that specializes in organic fruits and vegetables.

It is possible to obtain seeds, seedlings and organic pest control and fertilizer products at very reasonable prices, or even to make your own organic fertilizer by composting kitchen waste.

Growing Your Own is Going Green

When you grow your own produce, you are nourishing the soil of your garden by planting species that enrich soil and by using fertilizers and other garden products that are of natural origin.

Unlike commercial farming which releases harmful chemicals into the air and water as well as the soil, organic gardening is sustainable and provides only environmental benefits.

You are also cutting down on use of imported and polluting oil, as rather than taking a long ride in your car to purchase organic produce from a remotely located farmer’s market, you are spending time and energy growing your own healthy food at home, and you are also getting the exercise, fresh air and other benefits for which organic gardening is famous.

If you’re concerned about global warming’s effects then you’re probably already aware of the concept of food miles too. By growing your own food, you can avoid rely on produce that may otherwise be imported from many miles away.

That means that you can help to reduce the carbon emissions that are associated with air freight and other methods of transportation. Growing your own produce is the green way to save time, money and energy. You and your family can share in the healthy tasks of maintaining an organic garden as you enjoy your home grown produce together, safe in the knowledge that you are eating the best and healthiest produce available while you do your part to keep the environment safe and clean.

Simon Barnett writes about a range of environmental issues. He’s interested in nature and spends a lot of time in his garden. One of his current projects involves writing about garden benches and picnic tables.  He’s intending on spending plenty of time outdoors this year.

This post has been syndicated by Nathan Brown, the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage recruit for their natural building jobs.