Grow Your Own Food

August 10, 2010 by Kenmore

Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting a garden – there’s still time to plant some cool-weather crops – or maybe you had one before and lost interest.

Here are some great reasons to buy your seeds and give it a shot!

The Benefits To Growing It On Your Own:

  • You’ll enjoy fresh, ripe, pesticide-free food.
  • You’ll know exactly where your food comes from.
  • You’ll be healthier by eating more fruits and vegetables.
  • You’ll get fresh air and exercise by working in your garden.
  • You can teach your children where their food comes from.
  • You’ll reduce your carbon footprint by eating micro-locally.
  • You’ll save money.
  • You’ll be at less risk for food-borne illnesses like e-coli.
  • You can share the extras with friends, neighbors or a nearby shelter.

What We Love About Gardening

During WWII, there were 20 million victory gardens in the United States – and they grew as much produce as the commercial farming industry did at that time! Gardening gets you back into your community, especially if you work a shared plot and share the bounty with your neighbors. That’s the “old-fashioned” element that builds community.

So start your own garden and get in touch with nature – and gain more control over the food-production process. Bumper crops can be shared or donated. You might like to try canning or preserving crops, from tomato sauce or tomato jam to preserved lemons and green beans.

Shopping For Seeds

If you shop at a garden center, be sure the seeds are fresh. Ask the vendor if they are within a year old, because some commercial seeds can be four or five years old by the time you buy them! Or, buy directly from seed companies. You’ll want to look for non-hybrid or open-pollinated seeds, which are not genetically modified. They produce plants with seeds that can be collected and planted again the following year. Non-hybrid seeds are often priced as reasonably as – or at lower prices than – hybrid seeds, which are developed for the mass market. Non-hybrids are indicated as such on the seed packets.

Check out Edible Gardens for gourmet seeds.

Visit Victory Seeds for rare and heirloom seeds.

Have you grown veggies in your garden? What tips can you share?

Kenmore recommends…

Chopped fresh herbs and pureed veggies make a great garnish or base for soups and salads. Just hit the switch on your Kenmore Elite® food processor!

Veggies stored in the Airtight Crispers of our new Kenmore® refrigerators dry out four times slower compared to a standard crisper, so greens stay fresh and your hard work in the garden won’t go to waste.

Kenmore

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