It is quite sad that it takes inflation and supply chain issues with our current Resident Buyden to wake up regarding something extremely important: our food supply.
America’s food is tainted. It is filled with countless artificial and ambiguous ingredients. There is lack of transparency in a broad sense. It’s mainly a highly processed product from a few big companies. The average consumer gets the impression that there are many brands when they go into a big box supermarket, but unfortunately it boils down to just a handful of companies peddling engineered crap.
Regardless of who is occupying the White House, taking control of your food is vital. Grow as much food as you can and start transitioning off of packaged crap that isn’t good for you anyway.
The “AHA” moment for me arrived when a few short documentaries came across my path. I watched them not knowing that they would start me on a journey for a better health. Questioning everything became second nature as my multi-year journey thus far has provided so many wins. Different ailments over the years has made me more conscious of what I put in my body. There is power in not only different herbs but in eating a clean diet.
My family started with small steps to make the transition more attainable. Meat, for example, it came down to finding local farms that could supply us. Do your research and make sure that you find a solid farm. As with anything, looks can be deceiving. Every body responds differently, make sure you tread carefully.
Processed sugar did not respond well to my body. It was imperative that I work to reduce my reliance on it. Still a work in progress, I find myself finding healthy “substitutes” to combat the sugar cravings. Juicing has been a friend of mine and I highly encourage it.
This year after we had found local farms and produce venders, our next step was to producing as much as we could ourselves on our urban lot. The goal: growing year round. We purchased grow lights, set up a greenhouse, and plan ahead with prepping our back stock.
Transportable grow bags dot our back patio with bunches of potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and zucchinis. Powerful herbs of lavender, mint, and lemon balm line the house as well. Heck, we were even able to plant corn and rhubarb by our fence. Take the time to work the soil, it is highly rewarding. The ability to grow something from start to finish is a wonderful feeling.
In the age of technology we have found countless resources online when we have questions pop up. What is this bug on our plant? How do we harvest? Are we under or over watering? Scenarios like this will come up. Often. Tackle it headfirst and learn from your mistakes.
My favorite crop so far is corn. It is amazing at how fast it grows (once the sun comes out). Out of the seeds that I planted in my first trial run, all but two of the nine failed to sprout. Not bad for the first time. I have countless seeds left and will plan ahead for next year with planting a more rows.
Start small with easy herbs and continue to take new ground over time. You’ll be surprised as your confidence grows that you can provide more and more for yourself.