a program started by the US (and Canadian) governments during the war years to encourage people to grow food at their homes to ease and reduce the pressure on the food supply during the course of the war. Citizens grew food on their lawns,on apartment rooftops, and wherever possible. Victory Gardens ceased to be when the war ended and things went back to their old ways, being dependent upon supermarkets and grocery stores for our food.
There are additional things we can do: rather than supermarkets, we can purchase fruit and vegetables at local farmers markets - supermarkets truck food thousands of miles, contributing to pollution and rising fuel costs. Local farmers provide fresh produce, and it supports local economy as well. I admit, in Southern California, there are local farmers markets every day of the week, some of which carry mostly organic produce. Cold weather climates are not so lucky.
Still, we have gotten out of the habit of buying seasonally, cooking seasonally. Supermarkets show summer fruits year round: meally, tasteless excuses for peaches or strawberries; cardboard tomatoes; a travesty. We've opted for convenience over nutrition.
I think, this summer, I will do a balcony garden with lettuce, tomatoes, and other yummy container treats. Since I am not the world's best gardener, I will need a lot of luck. But it's worth a shot.
5 comments:
dirt, water and sunshine are all you need- trust me :)
It's a hard rain that's going to fall. In a way I welcome it. We'll have to get back to local markets and locally grown produce. What's happened to our world in the last hundred years, all the negative things, are all relate to our dependence on artificial means of transportation.
"dirt, water and sunshine are all you need- trust me :)"
Those damn New Yorkers:P
"dirt, water, sunshine, a LOT of effort, and tender loving care......"
:):)
My love of gardening goes way back...to my young days on the farm, I guess. In Michigan, I was a big frog in a small mud puddle - "how do you grow such a LOVELY garden?" Well, uh, with Betmo's fine, but slightly altered advice.:) Most amazing of all, were the kids that I walked around the garden, showing them different stuff: corn, carrots, peas, lettuce, cabbage, and watching their faces. "I didn't know that was how we got that stuff!! Is that good to eat just the way it is?" and I'd give them a handful of raw peas or a carrot...and try not to laugh at the stunned faces as they chewed.:) "This tastes just like a carrot, only it's the best one I've EVER had!!"
When they left, I always felt like crying.....
Betmo, I have a balcony. It gets lots of sun, which is good, but it will all be container gardening. Still, I think I can, I think I can!
Frederick, I agree. I grew up hating tomatoes, until I moved to Israel and had one fresh off a vine. Such a difference between something fresh and local vs. something grown thousands of miles away, in a hot-house, last year, and then trucked cross country. Yikes.
TFWY, what an amazing story! Of course, when I grew up in a suburb of Chicago, I thought that milk came from containers. Imagine my surprise when I saw a cow being milked. Um, hello? What's that?
Container Gardening is wonderful...and so special....and so soothing, being able to check the pots every day....like waiting for Christmas..
I am planning my garden...and having long talks with the rabbits out back ;-)
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