Photo by Pixabay/Couleur
Parents will often say that they don’t have time to grow their own food because they have kids.
Don’t let kids be the excuse. Instead make them part of the experience too. It’s what families have done since the beginning of time. The past 100 years is when this trend changed.
Instead of a function of the family, the responsibility has been placed in the hands of others. We go to the grocery stores to pick up the food that was once grown in our backyards. We no longer have an idea as to where it comes from. We just know it’s there.
I’m a believer that food should be something that brings people and most importantly families together. From the planting, growing, harvesting, preparing, sharing and eating. All of these help to bring a deeper appreciation for everything that’s involved in getting it to our plates.
There are plenty of projects that can be done as a family to keep all parties involved and not break the bank. You can do all of this while spending some quality time together.
Now let’s get into how to start.
- What to grow. Decide this as a family and let everyone have a say. Come to a decision as a family..
- Starting seeds. You can either buy a seed starter kits from a store or online or you can make your own seed starter pots at home. All you will need it some toilet paper rolls, potting soil and your seeds.
- Containers. If you don’t have access to land and are apartment gardening like me, you’ll have to grow it in containers. If you decide to make your own containers, you can get the kids involved by having them paint and decorate the container.
- Minding the garden. The tasks can be divided up and changed on a weekly or monthly basis. Some tasks include – watering, checking for bugs and taking care of the plan. You can keep a family journal with pictures of the progress to chart growth.
- Harvesting and preparing. This is the part that everyone will love most. Once you have the harvest, you’ll have to decide how the bounty will be prepared. Do this as a family.
- Sharing. We were all taught this in elementary school. Sharing is caring and this is where it all comes together. Your sense of accomplishment and pride that will shine through individually and as a family. Everyone from you to the kids will be bragging.
You don’t have to have a huge garden. All it takes is growing that one plant to make a difference. It will bring your family closer together and make you appreciate your food that much more.
What are you going to start growing?
