Get Your Green Thumb On!

It's becoming increasingly difficult to determine the quality and freshness of the food we're eating.  Don't take my word for it, check out documentaries like Food Inc and see how deceptive the food industry can be.  Produce is often shipped from other countries making it less than fresh by the time it arrives on our dinner tables.  It's also common for growers to genetically modify fruits and veggies, spray them with dyes and pesticides and coat them with waxes to improve their appearance.  Why not grow your own food?  You'll know where your food is coming from,  you can enjoy it at the peak of freshness and you can save money on your groceries too.

MY ORGANIC GARDEN:  
My husband and I are always looking for ways to live greener.  Our goal this year was to plant an organic garden and I'm happy to report that it's thriving.  My husband read a fabulous book called "Square Foot Gardening" that guided us through creating our organic garden.  The author also has a wonderful website filled with resources to help you in your journey as an organic gardener.  We purchased all of the supplies recommended in the book to build our above ground garden boxes from our local hardware store.  We filled the boxes with the special soil blend recommended in the book and selected our favorite fruits, veggies and herbs to plant.  Here are some pics of our garden:

WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL OF THE PRODUCE?:
Once your garden starts thriving you might have more produce than you can eat.  Consider making your own jams, spaghetti sauces and canning fruits and veggies to enjoy off season.  You can freeze many of these items and enjoy them later.  You can also give away fresh produce to friends, family and neighbors.  You can also enjoy juicing fresh fruits and veggies.

If you have a baby you can purchase a baby food maker from Williams Sonoma and make your own organic baby food.  That way you can ensure that your little one is getting the highest quality food without the added sugar or preservatives.  Best of all the machine cooks and purees the veggies for you and the food can be frozen in trays to use later.  If your children are older get them involved in gardening.  Let them help select the produce to plant, help you care for and harvest the garden and cook delicious recipes fresh from your garden with them.

GARDENING IS GOOD FOR THE BODY & SOUL:
Studies have shown that gardening provides great stress relief.  We all lead busy lives and sometimes it's a great idea to pause and enjoy the simple things in life.  My husband and I love watching the birds and lizards visit our garden to help us naturally control the insects.  We also enjoy the excitement of watching our produce grow and the thrill of enjoying it fresh from our own backyard.  We all know we need to live healthier lifestyles and anyone will tell you that involves eating more fruits and vegetables.  So here's to a healthier you this year, go ahead get your green thumb on, what are you waiting for?