God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food. … the fruit of the tree whose seed shall be food for you.” ~ Genesis 1.29
Start your own veggie patch
Buying food that is locally grown is a great way to minimise your environmental impact, but growing your OWN food takes it to the next level. You can grow your own food by starting a veggie patch in your home. It requires a small amount of space, so you can grow it on your backyard, balcony or even some space on a window ledge.
How to get started:
Most vegetables need lots on sunlight for growth, so make sure you choose a sunny area for your veggie patch
It is important to have healthy soil to grow healthy vegetables. Prepare your soil by adding 4 spadefuls of compost to every square metre of soil. Compost helps to improve drainage of the soil and it is a vital for the growth of healthy vegetables.
Decide on what to plant. Plant what you really like and what you will use on a daily or weekly basis. Plant veggies that mature quickly and that you can re-use throughout the season
Sow smaller amounts of each vegetable at two week intervals, this will result in a steady supply of veggies throughout the growing season.
Practice crop rotation. This will help keep your soil healthy by preventing the loss of any nutrients in the soil. You can apply this by not planting the same veggie in the same spot, two years in a row.
Benefits of growing a veggie patch:
Reduce carbon emissions and waste: When you grow your own food, you help reduce the high amounts of burning fuels that emit carbon dioxide and fill our environment as a direct result of importing food from commercial farms. You will also reduce waste from packaging materials from the vegetables from grocery stores.
Avoid toxic pesticides and fertilizers. By growing your own veggies, you decide what goes on your plants and soil. Grow veggies organic veggies by using safe and natural fertilizers and pesticides removal products.
Improve your health. Consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. When you pick vegetables right from your garden, the vitamin content will be at its highest.
Get outdoor exercise. Gardening is a physical activity and pulling weeds, planting, and digging can burn up to 400 calories per hour. Gardening is also a good mental exercise and helps keep your mind sharp.
Gardening is a natural stress reliever. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine can improve mood and make you feel rejuvenated and overall happy
https://www.burke.org/blog/2016/4/the-benefits-of-growing-a-vegetable-garden/83