A Garden: Why We Dig It

If you are reading this, you probably have a garden or you are thinking about starting one. There are many reasons to grow your own food. In this post, we will look at some of the benefits of having a garden with the hope that you give it a try and see for yourself.

Taste– If you or someone you know grows their own food, you may have had a chance to experience this first hand. Home grown and fresh is best. Let’s take, for example, the beloved tomato. Tomatoes produced commercially are picked before they ripen so they withstand being packed in crates and shipped long distances. Shipping trucks spray ethylene gas on the tomatoes so that when they arrive at the stores, they are red. They may look pretty in the produce section but they are devoid of important sugars, flavonoids, and acids that make the tomato the most sought after plant to grow in a garden. You may never know how a vegetable or fruit is supposed to taste if you have never been offered one from a garden. And if you haven’t, we dare you to see for yourself.

Nutrition– People who garden tend to eat healthier. Rightly so, the food you grow is packed with nutrition in forms of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. When you grow your own, you tend to anticipate eating your harvests. You enjoy new ways of preparing and cooking them. Most of the time, the dishes are more healthy because they taste great with as little as some salt and pepper. When you compare that to the ingredient list on a box of highly processed food, it is obvious what food choice is healthier. Gardeners tend to freeze, can, and store their own food when they cannot eat it fast enough. The health benefits extend into the winter months when you need the extra nutrition during the ‘cold and flu’ season.

 Cost– Gardening is the Age-Old way of using the free natural resources provided to you by Mother Nature to work for you and your pocket book. We all know how expensive health food can be in the grocery store, but eating healthy, delicious food can be achieved easily when you grow your own. It’s almost like buying in bulk without paying for it. You could even grow enough that you give it away for free. According to the National Gardening Association, currently 1 in 3 Americans are growing their own food. Just think of the effect it would have if we all did. If you wish that produce was more affordable, cost might be the only reason you need to give it a go and grow your own.

Therapy– Take a moment to lay outside and talk to your beans about what is bothering you and they will listen intently as you vent your frustrations. Kidding aside, gardening is therapeutic. Just being outside in nature relaxes the mind and energizes the body. Spending time outdoors doing something productive can have a calming effect which helps us relieve our stresses, see ourselves in a more positive light, and increase the endorphins in our bodies. Think of how gardening would benefit you and your entire family. Gardening can be your own horticultural therapy. This type of treatment has been used for mental and behavioral disorders, depression, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and increasingly for people suffering from PTSD.

  Teaching/ Learning– No matter how old you are, nature will never cease to teach you something. If you have children there is so much they can learn by having a garden. They can learn about basic plant and soil science, nutrition, food preparation, hygiene, and organization. They can also develop responsibility, pride, and many life skills you cannot learn from a text book. There is an endless amount of lessons that you can learn through gardening. Here at Age Old™, we encourage you to find out firsthand.

Some of you may have been entertaining this idea for quite some time but haven’t broke ground yet. Age Old™ understands your hesitation. Starting your first garden can be very daunting if you are new to the idea. The trick is to start small, be patient, and learn from your mistakes. Happy Growing in the New Year!