I don’t know about
you, but making ends meet is getting much harder these days! After the Polar Vortex, and with the
drought in California, the cost of food is going to skyrocket! Can you afford to keep buying all of your
food at the grocery?
What happens if the
SH#& hits the fan? What happens if
the power goes out and there is no ATM to get cash from to buy food? What
happens if there is no food in the grocery store? What happens if you lose your job? Do I have your attention yet?
I hope so! What would it hurt to grow your own
food? Fresh homegrown produce is so much
better for you than produce that is a week old, grown who knows how! Every bit of food grown is money saved.
I know a lot of the soil in Alexandria is
nasty old clay; hence the nick name of our Garden Club “Claybusters”! But you can amend your soil. Add compost, try Lasagna Gardening or raised
bed gardens.
You can plant
blueberries in your landscaping. Plant a
dwarf fruit tree in the yard every year. Plant grapes along a fence line. Plant zucchini in your flower beds. Grow a Meyer lemon tree in your home. Grow herbs on a windowsill. Grow sprouts on your kitchen counter. Whatever you are able to do….just DO it! Become more self-sufficient. How accomplished would you feel being able to
grow all of your produce for the summer?
How much money would you save?
The Dervais Family(
http://urbanhomestead.org/urban-homestead) in California is growing 6000 lbs. per year on the 1/10th
acre garden space in downtown Pasadena. 6000lbs!!!
Most lots and homes in Alexandria have way more than 1/10 of an acre yard. We have the capability of producing at least
half of that (due to the length of our growing season). How cool would that be…growing over a ton of
food for our families! So what would you
do with a ton of food? Eat it fresh and
preserve it! Preserving the harvest is
not hard to learn these days with the internet and Ball Canning Books. I taught myself to can and to dry foods and
you can too!
I feel we need to
get back to the basics and eat a healthier diet! Preservatives and additives in your food that
you cannot pronounce cannot be good for you.
Eating less processed food is healthier and more nutritious. Read the labels on the food in your pantry. I dare you!
Even the simplest of items have additives. I guarantee that foods you grow and preserve
are better for you than the additive laden food we buy in the supermarket.
So I challenge the good citizens of
Alexandria to grow your own food this summer!
Start out small and go from there.
You will NOT regret it! Your and
your family’s health will thank you for it.
And, oh yeah, your wallet will thank you as well!
“Let’s Grow
Alexandria”!
AA
