I was so lucky as a child to grow up in the countryside, my parents and grandad grew their own vegetables. I can remember in the summer picking and eating fresh peas straight from the pod, strawberries warm from the sun and the smell of the tomatoes ripening in the greenhouse.
Over the years I have dabbled with growing a few things on the patio and in the garden but never got very organised with it. This year I made a concerted effort to plant some seeds and water them! It was amazing how quickly they sprouted and just that gave me so much pleasure.
The next stage was to plant them out into soil nourished from the compost we make from kitchen scraps and chicken manure.
I’m quite proud of my harvest so far. I’ve not used any artificial chemicals or insecticides. Some slug pellets made from sheeps wool have kept the slugs and snails at bay.
Growing your own gives you a reason to go and play in the garden, be outdoors and connect with nature. There is also the satisfaction that the air miles are zero and the re is no plastic packaging involved and hopefully no waste apart from some scraps for compost or making vegetable stock.
The food you produce is fresher and definitely tastes better all for the price of a few packets of seeds.
Stage 1: planting the seeds
Stage 2: potting on
Stage 3`: planting out
Stage 4: harvest and eat!
The other past-time I enjoy when I have time is foraging for wild berries. At the end of August and early September is the perfect time to pick wild blackberries and elderberries. These are full of anthocyanin and anti-oxidants to support your health.
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have the energy to grow your own or don’t have the space. Even a couple of pots of herbs on a windowsill is a start!
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