One trend that a lot of people have returned to is growing a garden at home. With gas and grocery prices skyrocketing, it’s not hard to see why a backyard garden is a great idea to help the family budget.Â
“It’s a trend that started slowly several years ago, spurred by concerns about food safety, food quality, and global warming, say garden mavens. But this year’s gasoline and food price spikes have had what could be called a “Miracle-Gro” effect on the backyard garden movement. This year, 39 percent of people with backyards told the Garden Writers Association they planned to grow vegetables this year. That’s up 5 percent from last year, after remaining relatively stable with only small increases for much of the past decade.”
When the prices of Cows, Corn and Chickens are all heading up, we look for ways to cut back or become more budget conscious, and a garden is really not that hard to start. It does take a little effort to keep growing, but it is so amazing to pick your own tomatoes, corn or cucumbers. It’s not only more healthy for you, it also saves on gas and time at the store! Of course it takes a little time at home.Â
But can you think of anything that is more rewarding and that would provide a great experience and teaching tool for the family?  It can be a healthy and instructive way to add a little extra food at home, but there’s more to the story.
…like other garden experts, Ms. Koivula believes there’s also something more powerful and less tangible coming into play. “There are a lot of different reasons to garden this particular year, but I do think there’s also this innate desire in all of us to actually put seed in the ground because that’s how we all fed ourselves years ago,” she says.
Back in Killingworth, Francis Barkyoumb couldn’t agree more. He’s been gardening since he was a little boy, with his father and his grandfather. “Just growing stuff, being outside, nature, getting your hands dirty, teaching the kids about getting their hands dirty, being one with the earth generation after generation: That’s why I garden,” he says.
This year our son wanted “his own row” in the garden, so we helped him plant it. He needs to learn how to keep the weeds down and the plants watered. With a little luck and help from us, he’ll see how the plants grow and produce vegetables, and get to eat “his own” food. It doesn’t take much room to put in a few vegetable plants, and the rewards can be incredible.Â
With or without children it’s a nice way to spend some time outdoors. Amid the hustle and bustle of our days, working in the garden is somewhat meditative. Taking care of the plants and the soil seems like an extension of taking care of ourselves. Our bodies and our spirits benefit in far greater measure than our wallets. So come on! What are you waiting for? It’s only May, and there’s still time to get a garden in the backyard this year!Â
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