Five Reasons Why I Grow My Own Vegetable Garden

I started gardening two summers ago.  I figured it was the thing to do, now that I was settling in to “country” living.  Well, “country-ish” living.  It would be a nice distraction for me while my kids were in summer camp and I could learn a new hobby.  Flash forward two years and I have learned a few things about growing vegetables and herbs.  Make no mistake, I still have a lot to learn, but through each season, I gain a greater respect for farmers and all that goes into producing a successful crop.  Whether you are a seasoned gardener or you believe you have a black thumb, I am sure you would agree with me that there are many reasons why we should all grow our own vegetable garden.  Here are five reasons why I’m growing my garden:

1.  I eat what I grow now and  later.

Growing vegetables in the summer brings me delicious tomatoes, cucumbers and tons of fresh herbs to use during the summer, but the supply doesn’t end there!  I chop my scallions and freeze them for use during the winter months.  I dry my cilantro and mint that I have at the end of the season and use it in my cooking all year long.  My garden may only last me 4 months, but the bounty lasts for all twelve.  It gives new meaning to eating locally.

2.  I make delicious oils.

Amongst the herbs I grow in my garden, I have thyme, lemon thyme, and basil, to name a few.  Adding sprigs of fresh herbs to a bottle of olive oil and letting it marinate for a few weeks results in a tasty flavored oil suitable for cooking, salad dressing, or holiday gifts.  They also look beautiful when displayed on the countertop!

3. I give my water a kick.

It’s a challenge to stay hydrated in the summer and sometimes, water can become a bore.  Adding fruit, vegetables, and herbs to a pitcher of water and letting it sit for an hour will give you more options to whet your whistle.  I like to use what I grow by adding slices of cucumber and mint some days and basil with some lemon slices (the lemon is store-bought as it’s a difficult tree to grow in New England) on other days.  With so many options, water will be a bore no more.

4.  I roast the best grape tomato sauce ever!

This year I planted 14 tomato plants – 12 of them being cherry, grape and yellow pear tomatoes.  Why?  Because if you haven’t heard, I roast the tastiest grape tomato sauce ever.  I enjoy a fresh batch of sauce throughout the late summer and early fall, but once the season ends, the opportunity to eat the sauce continues;  I make batches and freeze them in gallon freezer bags.  Whenever I need my delicious Roasted Grape Tomato Sauce in the winter, I just head to the freezer.  Want to try it?  Make your own by following this link.

5.  I ferment my own probiotics.

No really!  I use my bumper crop of pickling cucumbers to make my favorite Kosher garlic sour pickles.  The lacto-fermentation process during pickling creates good bacteria that supports gut health.  Once the fermentation process is complete (about 2 weeks), I can move my jars of pickles to the refrigerator and enjoy them throughout the rest of the year.  Here is my pickle recipe from last year.  Look out for my newest recipe in a few weeks (testing is now underway!).

While I still have a lot to learn about managing pests and remembering to water, the benefits of growing a vegetable garden far outweigh the frustrations a newbie gardener encounters.  With each year, I learn more, grow more, and come up with more reasons to grow my own food.  Tell me, what do you love best about growing your own vegetables?

xo

B