START A GARDEN AND SUPPORT LOCAL

One of the most powerful things you can do to for your health, for your food budget, and for the planet is to start a garden, and support the local farmers, restaurants and vendors that provide local, seasonal food.

As food costs skyrocket and we look for ways to save money on groceries, taking even the small steps to grow some herbs, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and sprouts can be so rewarding. You don't need a lot of land, you can put a raised bed or hanging plants on the deck and watch them flourish as the weather gets warmer.

I live on very wooded land, so what I planted in my backyard never got much sun and didn’t grow too well. I started putting planters on the deck and front yard where I did get sun and inside by windows. A hanging tomato plant bought at the farmers market produced cherry tomatoes for months, greens grown from seed or starter plants in a box near the front porch in spring produced kale, chard, arugula and red and green lettuce. Herbs like mint, chives, oregano, basil, parsley and rosemary are easy to grow and have amazing health benefits. They add a lot of flavor for salads, omelets, meat and fish marinades, veggie sauces and dressings. Radishes grow from seed to ready to eat in about three weeks and peas are a great early spring plant. Joining a community garden is another option for growing your own food.

Once your family sees the bounty and the fewer items you need to buy at the grocery store you will be hooked. Kids love to be part of this process, and they tend to eat what they have helped to grow.

Another way to get local healthy food to your family is by shopping at a farmers market or a local farm. Seacoast Eat Local (one of our grant recipients) has some fantastic resources on their site about local markets and where to find them and about their mobile markets, another way to get fresh local food to your family. Did you know you can use your SNAP dollars (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps) to double the amount of food you purchase at local farmers markets? Check out www.seacoasteatlocal.org for more information.

Did you know?

The term Victory Garden was coined towards the end of World War I as a way to assist with the war effort. Americans were encouraged to produce their own food, planting vegetable gardens in their backyards, at churches, in public parks, schools and open lots. It was promoted again after World War II, when at one point almost 40 percent of the produce consumed in this country came from Victory Gardens.

As we spring into summer think about how you can bring more local food to your family.