Our newfound green thumb

Lately I’ve been getting into the whole locally-grown/home-grown foods thing. There is something really cool about growing your own herbs/vegetables in your own backyard. For some reason, they just taste ten times better than anything at the store.

 

One time my dad brought home a giant crate of cherry tomatoes from work.  Someone he works with grows them at their home and had a bunch left over so he just gave them out to all his co-workers. Let me tell you. They were the BEST cherry tomatoes I’ve ever had in my whole life. They were the size of ping pong balls, bright red, and sweet. My sister and I probably ate half the crate in about two minutes.

 

Home-grown and locally-grown have several health and community benefits:

 

• Crops are picked at the peak of ripeness versus being harvested early in order to be shipped and distributed at the local grocery store
• Less likely to use excessive pesticides and chemical fertilizers
• Nutritional value of foods can decrease if shipped hundreds of miles
• Food contamination risks are lower
• Supports the local economy
• Maintains farmland and green space in the community

 

There are several ways you can start eating locally!

 

• Shop at community farmers markets—McKinney, Allen, Fairview, Collin County, Dallas, etc.
• Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)—connects participants to a local farm. You buy a share of the farm and in return, you get a share of the harvest. You get the freshest, best produce the farm has to offer. I’ve always wanted to try this.
• Plant you own garden!

 

 

My Mom has been growing herbs for who knows how long on our kitchen windowsill in pots—basil, oregano, chives. My Dad started building this raised garden bed a couple months ago so that we could move the herbs outside and add more produce.  We’ve planted basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, red bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and onions. I’m so excited for our first crop!