Organic edible gardening

 

As your natural wellness journey evolves it will start extending to many aspects of your life, and utilising your suburban backyard to grow some of your own organic food is an enjoyable learning experience with lots of benefits you may not have initially thought about.

 

Do you have some back yard, front yard or even some balcony space where you can start or expand your edible garden?

 

7 reasons to start growing your own food

 

1. Freshest food possible 

It still makes me smile in amazement when all I need to do to add some fresh mint to a smoothie, whip up a batch of basil pesto dip, add herbs to a dish or more lettuce to my salad is to just go outside and harvest from my own garden. If fresh is best, than freshly picked 2 minutes ago is even better!

 

2. No chemicals

When you grow your own food you know exactly what has been used in its production. Eating organic as much as possible is really important to me. Growing my own food means I can choose where I get the seeds or seedling, what I have used to help give them nourishment so I can be 100% confident no herbicides or pesticides have been used.

 

3. Save yourself money 

Organic herbs, vegetables and fruit can be expensive. Herbs and lettuces especially have been quite easy to grow and have helped saved us money on these organic items. Last summer we went for two months without needing to buy any cucumbers as our vine was abundant. Growing some of your own food allows you to extend the food budget for other items like grass fed meat.

Gardening does come with its own expenses (and honestly sometimes things you spend money and time on don't always end up successful) but as you get more established and experienced the savings soon add up.

Having backyard chickens is definitely saving us lots of money on free range eggs!  And as most people has realised when eliminating wheat and grains...you can go through a lot of eggs LOL! The cost to keep chickens (mainly just feed and straw for their nesting box) is very small compared to the free eggs and garden manure we get. They are also useful bug catchers, garden bed plowers, scrap eaters and compost turners.

 

4. Sunshine, Movement and Stress management. 

Wellness is more than just the food, it is an holistic approach and all the Wellness Basic are important for good health. Sunshine is vital for the health of your plants and you. Growing your own food helps to lure you outside into the essential sunshine, away from the artificial lighting more often.  I love soaking up the morning sun at breakfast time, a garden hose in one hand and a smoothie in the other. Gardening is also calming and therapeutic, helping to lower stress levels.  Lastly, as there is always something to do, gardening is enjoyable functional movement.

 

5. Gardening and growing your own food is a wonderful connection to nature. 

At the risk of sounding too hippy, planting a new seedling, picking some fruit, turning the compost, collecting the eggs, or just sitting on the grass and admiring the miracles of nature are beneficial connections with the earth and the energy from living things. Especially in a fast paced modern world with so many buildings, hard surfaces and electrical devises, connecting with the earth helps to calm and rebalance us. Having a producing backyard, gets me outside in the morning to water, feed the animals, get some fresh morning air and witness new growth. A nurturing self care part of your day.

 

6. Community 

Gardening in the front yard over the years, has brought opportunity to connect with neighbours we haven't met before or don't often see. Joining local garden swap groups, community gardens or Permultculture groups brings in a sense of community with likeminded people full of wisdom, gardening passion and tips to happily share.

 

 

7. Sovereignty, Empowerment, Self sufficiency.

The year 2020 has brought to the surface many things. None more than the invitation and need to claim back our personal sovereignty. Learning how to grow your own food, save seeds, make own compost and realise that so many more plants and part of plants were edible and useful that you ever knew is so empowering! A step in your family's self sufficiency and personal sovereignty.

 

 

Edible Garden Course - Permaculture principles. 

If you are interested in starting your own organic garden, check out this Incredible Edible Garden Course I'm doing this year through the Nutrition Academy. Let me know if you decide to join the course and I'll add you into our EMU Wellness What's App chat to share local tips and resources. We can be on this continuous learning journey together. I also love seeing pictures of what is growing in your backyard...so feel free to share them.