By James N Hall
Have you run out of New Year resolutions
for this year? How does the resolution of growing a garden sound?
Growing a garden gives people a unique power to create life, beauty and
health with hard word and persistence.
It allows the person a chance to
embark on a journey where they get to see the growth, as well as be the
creator of the sources responsible for providing the body with
nutrients.
It provides people with a chance to paint the canvas of earth
with whatever fresh produce they like. Moreover, it reconnects the
person back to earth which is, after all, the base of all thing living.
Growing
your garden does require time and patience. It is a voyage filled with
roses and thorns. But at the end of it, for those who survive, lies
plethora of benefits ranging from health to finances. The decision of
growing your own food is not only wallet friendly but it is health
friendly as well. Here are nine benefits of growing your own food:-
Unlimited access to fresh fruits and vegetables- With
the food prices inflating day by day, people are opting for cheaper
options.
These options (sadly) include substituting fruits and
vegetables with unhealthy but inexpensive foods like pasta's, burgers,
French fries etc. This can seem like a financially sound decision until
the next visit to the Doctor's.
Growing your own fruits and vegetables
allows you to stop relying on supermarkets for the next supply of fresh
greens. Along with that, by harvesting your own produce, you will be
eating fresh. How exciting and powerful is the thought that right
outside your kitchen door, there could be growing a garden that gives
its fresh fruits, endlessly and selflessly, to its creator for years to
come?
Eat more fruits and greens- When you have a batch of
fresh fruits and vegetable growing right in your backyard, there is
absolutely no reason why you wouldn't include them in your meal. Having
them within your reach is a great way to increase your daily green
intake; thus, keeping that unhealthy weight at bay. You will even be
able to juice the vegetable and fruits as your mind desires. What's
healthier than starting your day with a glass of freshly made, vitamin
packed, vegetable juice?
Tastes better and have more vitamins- Homegrown
food tastes better not only because they are fresh but also because
they have been grown with your own hands. You can take comfort in the
fact that it's not stale and has no harmful ingredients. Just take,
tomatoes for example, the difference of taste between a store-bought one
and a homegrown one is striking. In fact, not just the taste but even
the texture is different.
Homegrown fruits and vegetables also
contain more vitamins than a commercially grown one. This is because
according to scientists, vegetables start to lose some vitamins right
after they are removed from the plants.
Keep in mind that the commercial
farmers harvest their produce two to three days before the fruits and
vegetables ripen so that they can be transported it to consumers. This
is because waiting to transport them right when they mature can make
them look squishy and visually unappealing to the masses.
Homegrown
foods, on the other hand, can be plucked when ripen and served fast.
Thus, they don't have to lose many nutrients either.
Wallet friendly-
Over the years, vegetables and fruits has been chained to the rising
prices. A factor which has made them inaccessible to plenty of people.
Growing your own food breaks that chain of dependency on a capricious
economic system and opens door to an ever growing and self sufficient
garden whose fruits you can consume without spending a penny.
Simply
put, a garden is an investment. The beginning stages of growing a home
garden can seem pricey, but come harvesting season you will soon realize
that it has all been worth it. To make sure that your grocery bills
remain lowered for years to come, plant vegetables and fruits that you
will be able to store and use all for long periods of time. These
include potatoes, onions, celery, beans etc. Also, another financially
smart move would be to grow foods that are expensive to purchase in a
supermarket.
Great Satisfaction- With gardening, you reap
what you have sown. There is nothing like seeing something that you put
your heart and soul into come to life. It gives a sense of pride to see
your hard work paid off. More than that, it is very convenient. It is
right there in your backyard, which means no more late night grocery
trips, and no more wasting gas.
No food is wasted- Home
grown food is less likely to be wasted than store bought one. Simply
because you have seen it grow, and you know how much hard work and love
went into bringing that food onto your table. If there is food wasted,
it can be composted and stored for a later time.
No pesticides- This
is the biggest advantage of growing your own food. You get the freshest
and cleanest produce that has no pesticide sprayed all over them. If
there are pest infestation in your garden, asking a nursery will provide
you with numerous natural alternatives for getting rid of them. By
consuming food from your garden you can take solace in the fact that the
food that went into your body was not genetically altered or sprayed
with pesticide and other chemicals at any time.
Involve your Family- Involving
family members, especially children, in gardening is a wonderful and
creative way to teach them values. It teaches them responsibility when
they learn how important their care is for a plants growth; it teaches
them patience as they wait for the plant to grow and produce fruits and
vegetables; it teaches them the quality of nurturing and love. Plus,
they will also love to eat them since they helped it grow.
Helps stay physical- Gardening
is a great way to remain fit by keeping diabetes and cholesterol at
bay. It is also very relaxing and a stress free activity. Home gardening
is unique in that it not only provides you with healthy produce to eat,
but it also helps burn the dangerous fat by requiring nurturing in the
form of physical labor from people.
Thus, with all the benefits
listed above, there is absolutely no reason why someone wouldn't want to
grow a garden in their backyard. Once you get into it, it can be one of
the most rewarding experiences. It could be the single most decision
that can make a drastic impact in your life this year. It will make you a
better person not only physically, but mentally as well. Take that
shovel and go plant a seed today.
Once you see it grow, you will
definitely find yourself reaching for that shovel again, to plant that
next seed. Yes, it's addicting, but it's an addiction that will help you
live a long, healthy and prosperous life. Start growing that fountain
of health and money in your backyard today, and watch its beauty unfold
throughout the rest of this year!
