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Gardening: The Most Local of Foods

We've discussed a number of ways to green your eating by incorporating more local and organic foods into your diet. If you really want fresh, eco-friendly food, though, it's hard to beat growing it yourself. Whether its vegetables from a backyard garden, or herbs from a kitchen windowsill, serving food that you've grown yourself can't be beat for freshness, taste, and, of course, the pride you feel!

The section of the Green Life Guide devoted to organic gardening lays out the basic practices of growing your own food the natural way: no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. For a genuine wealth of information on how to put these practices to work a t home, check out Journey to Forever's organic gardening site. Whether you want to grow vegetables in the back yard or on an apartment balcony, they've got all the tips you need for square-foot gardening, container gardening, composting (which we 've already discussed), and other practices.

Your Action for Today:
Choose a Spot to Start a Garden

If you're in an apartment or other living space without available land, you probably do have a balcony or patio where you can put some pots or other containers. Home owners and house renters generally have more versatility. The main feature needed: lots of sunlight. If your soil's not in the best condition, don't worry - there are ways to fix it.

Gardening takes time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it. Return to your Green Journal as you make progress with your garden, whether in choosing a location, preparing it, planting, or harvesting. And don't forget to share the recipes you use to prepare that great food!

Tomorrow: Buying and/or generating green power

Sincerely,

The GO Team
GreenOptions.com