To support my work please visit: https://ko-fi.com/howdoesyourgardengrow I am an organic gardener who grows over 30 varieties of fruits and vegetables to feed my own family of 4 while also serving the community by educating those who are interested in learning how to grow, harvest and store their own food. My ultimate goal is to help people take control of their food supply and shorten the chain of how food gets to their table while enjoying the many benefits of having their hands in the soil. I never really took a real interest in where my food came from until we had our first child in 2010. After having our son, I became interested in how the foods we put in our body affect our growth, mood, strength, -everything. Every time I looked at his tiny, pure and perfect little body I knew I wanted only the best to go into it. It started with a little light research that quickly became a passion. The more I learned, the more horrified I was with how our food is produced, what it contains and what it is lacking. I had always been someone who enjoyed cooking but was concerned about the cost of the foods I now wanted to feed my family. No one will argue that eating fresh, organic food is the healthier choice but very few of us can afford to eat purely organic. Many years ago, my husband asked if I wanted to start a vegetable garden. It seemed like a daunting task. Aren't gardens a lot of hard work? I smiled and pretended to be interested but really left him to do his thing. By mid-July we were eating fresh tomatoes and waiting for the first of the cucumber to mature. Each year the garden has become bigger and better and my thirst for knowledge has grown right alongside the pumpkin and watermelon! Our 2 acres property is now home to over 30 different fruits and vegetables. We grow for our own consumption, both for fresh eating and for winter storage, as well as to sell, barter and trade with other like-minded families who are looking to enjoy fresh and local produce, free from pesticides and picked the same day they consume them. Homegrown food not only tastes better but it also contains more nutrients because the produce is left to mature on the plant instead of being picked young, and shipped long distances. In addition to that, the fresher the produce is, the more nutritious it is. I started thinking about how many nutrients were lost in a store-bought tomato that was picked green, left to ripen on the truck and then shipped. If you have ever tasted the difference between a store bought tomato and one picked warm in the summer sun at full maturity you understand. When I invite friends or clients to come see our gardens I am frequently met with the response “I wish I could do that too but it must be so much work! I could never do it.” I try to remind them that I said the same thing, and not that long ago! The key is to start small and to add on each year as you grow more comfortable. Start with something that is easy to grow and will give you a large yield all summer long. Tomatoes, beans and cucumber are a great start. Easy to grow, quick to produce and will keep you in fresh vegetables well into October in our zone (5b). Every year add one or two (or more!) new vegetables to your garden and watch your confidence grow! I spend the winter reading up on how to grow my new additions and daydreaming about warm spring soil. I feel proud to be raising children who know where their food comes from, who eagerly help start each seed indoors while the snow is still falling in March and who squeal with delight when the first green leaf pops out. Children who spend summers outside digging alongside me and eating straight from the garden. When I see the turn our society has taken with regard to food production and consumption I feel frightened. I believe it is up to us to educate the next generation on how to keep their bodies strong and healthy and the younger we can start this education the more of an impact it will have on their long-term health and eating habits. The summers in Ottawa are short; get outside, get dirty and take an active role in your health!
