 |
Some of the vegetables from last summer. |
When I first started my garden project, a couple of years
ago, a friend of mine said that it seemed like I was trying to make my life more
complicated.
Here is a list of how much less complicated my life has
become:
Time
1.
Instead of shopping for eggs every week, I only
have to buy chicken feed once every three months.
2.
I no longer have to wait in check-out lines so
frequently.
3.
I don’t have to spend time clipping coupons or
searching for weekly grocery sales.
4.
I have more time to learn, such as listening to
audiobooks while gardening.
5.
Eating mostly non-processed foods may prolong my
life.
Money
1.
A dollar’s worth of seeds can grow enough of
that particular food to last for a year… or possibly a lifetime.
2.
The fruits and vegetables I grow are typically
more expensive to buy than to grow.
3.
I no longer spend money on the medications I
used to need.
4.
I’m no longer lining the pockets of large food
companies.
5.
I don’t have to pay for gas to drive to a
grocery store every week or even every month.
Health
1.
I no longer need to take acid reflux medication
and rarely have pain from my gallbladder.
2.
I’m physically very strong from working in the
garden… no gym membership for me J
3.
The eggs I eat are from healthy happy hens.
4.
I know for a fact that most of the vegetables I
eat have not been sprayed with pesticides.
5.
It makes me happy to watch a seed grow into a
plant.
I guess the view of gardening as complicated or convenient
is dependent on the individual. For someone who hates gardening or has an
aversion to birds, my lifestyle would not be suitable for them. There are also
people who will waste too much money gardening because they have an endless
list of what they believe a garden has to look like… such as having a
greenhouse, raised beds, 10ft high fences, pre-packaged compost, heirloom seeds
from one specialty seed producer , a $2,500 tractor and the list goes on and
on.