Doing some research about your garden and growing your own greens I came across this article which i thought would interest you.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been exposed to the new green trend of “eating local.” The idea behind the movement is that food that is transported less has less of a “carbon footprint” and it is also good to support your local community.
That is all well and good, but as with any “green” thing you sometimes have to wonder if they’re just doing it for the money. Marketing their food as local as a way to sell more of it.
Because, you see, I think that if someone were really advocating for local food they’d recommend the most local food of all, your garden.
Something Trendy This Way Comes
Front Yard Farming
Front Yard Farming
Gardening is becoming more and more popular lately, especially edible gardening. I think it is a perfect storm of the green movement and the recession that has made people think that they will grow their own food to save money.
Just in my little neighborhood I’ve noticed two people put in front yard vegetable gardens. Yes, they are sacrificing their lawn and curb appeal for a fenced in utilitarian vegetable garden, and that is just front yards, I’m sure many more did as much in their backyards where I can’t see.
In a way a front yard farm, as I like to call it, is a beautiful thing in it’s own way, because it is an advertisement for something simple and easily to do, and that if everyone did it, I’m convinced the world would be a better place.
So, Why Grow your Own Food
There are four reasons to grow your own food.
1. It tastes better, seriously. Bananas ripen off the tree and get better with age, but many many foods start losing flavor and sweetness as soon as they’re picked, and also benefit from being allowed to fully ripen on the tree or plant (at which point they’d be too ripe to ship, so you wouldn’t find them in stores).
2. It is better for you. Just as plant flavors change, the nutritional profile does too, almost without fail produce that is fresher has more vitamins and minerals than stuff even a few days old.
3. You save money. You don’t always save money right away, because of the startup cost of starting a garden, but in the long term you certainly do, and with some times like an apple tree the savings can be enormous.
4. You get more variety. At the store your options are limited, even at the most well stocked grocery store. But the variety of available seeds for your planting at home is far larger.
http://www.gardeningblog.net/2010/04/25/your-garden-the-most-local-food-of-all/