Urban-style organic gardening blog about growing your own food with limited space and creative resources.
Raised bed gardens are an easy, manageable, and great way to grow vegetables, herbs, and even ornamentals. Here are 10 great raised bed vegetable garden ideas inspired by Instagram users around the world…”
A photo posted by Hannah Martin (@hannahmartindesign) on
Busy weekend, but stealing a minute to water the garden.
A photo posted by Angela (@growing.in.the.garden) on
A photo posted by Mary & Tim Vidra (@17apart) on
A photo posted by ImpressionsbyACRL@gmail.com (@impressionsbyacrl) on
“In this episode, you will get a tour of the front yard and back yard of this residential tract home lot. You will discover what is growing and John will share his tips and tricks along the way. You will learn how you can improve how you are growing in raised beds to grow more food in less space.
You will also discover the secret to composting in a 3 bin pallet pile system and learn about the one perrenial vegetable you must grow that can grow more food than a whole 4’x4′ bed of kale!
Finally, John will interview gardener Daniel McCollister creator of the CropSwap app, which is a new product on kickstarter that helps gardeners “trade homegrown, perfectly ripe heirloom fruits and vegetables in our own neighborhood. Let’s take control of our food system!”
“Our biggest challenge is a behavioral challenge: people are used to shopping in grocery stores. We need to teach people HOW to grow food and show them why creating a localized food system is better on every level.”
Main timeline of the app. Users can scroll and look at available produce in their neighborhood, click on each item and see a detailed profile about it.
To make a deal, users make offer from their garden and say what they want back. Other user can either approve or make a counter offer until both sides agree.
CropSwap confirmed neighbors coming. Scroll through pictures of vegetables your neighbors will be bringing.
Support the Crop Swap app at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1838993996/cropswap-trade-fruits-and-vegetables-hyper-locally
Follow Daniel McCollister on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gardengraffiti/
Learn about Free Gardening Classes in Los Angeles at:
https://www.meetup.com/GardenGraffiti/
Check out Dan on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/gardengraffiti/
“The international community is beginning to recognize the integral role of urban agriculture in improving the economy, environment, and health of cities. Food Tank has put together a list of 12 organizations that are propelling urban agriculture in cities around the world. –source FoodTank.com
To read the other 9 Organizations Promoting Urban Agriculture, visit: “FoodTank.com“
“Eight miles from downtown, amid the warehouses and factories and railroad tracks of Bell, Corinne McAndrews plots out two rows of Purple Queen garlic. “I want to be part of a new way of thinking about urban agriculture,” she says of GrowGood, the farm she manages here. This isn’t a communal plot; it isn’t really a commercial one, either. GrowGood harvests food for people who are in no position to sort through the produce at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Spread over one-and-a-half acres of U.S. Army land that a few years ago, she says, was “void of biological life,” its dozens of varieties of vegetables and herbs and 50 fruit trees serve as the engine of GrowGood’s mission: sending its harvest to the large homeless shelter across the parking lot.
This little urban farm has only 6 employees, and a dozen or so volunteers. Visitors to the shelter are encouraged to volunteer and may even be hired for employment.
To read the original article, visit: “LAMAG.com“
“Madison Fields, a project of Madison House Autism Foundation, is a 400-acre property in Dickerson, MD that will provide housing, employment, and recreational opportunities to adults with disabilities, wounded warriors, and the community-at-large.”
The farm includes several structures like a riding stable, chicken coop, housing for tenants, a historic farmhouse and more. Children and adults with autism or other intellectual or developmental disabilities all enjoy the farm life at Madison Fields.
To learn more about Madison Fields, visit: “MadisonHouseAutism.org“
The home of the San Francisco 49ers has recently unveiled their new roof-top urban farm! The football stadium roof-top garden is expected to generate 150 pounds of fresh produce each week that will be used to cook up food items for club spaces and private events at the stadium
To read the rest of the article, visit: “MoneyCNN.com“
Urban Organic Gardener Interviewing @mujerlocaplanta, from Instagram!
What inspired you to start a front yard, urban garden? I grew up in a rural area about 30 minutes from where I live now. My grandparents and various other family members all live on “the Farm” and pretty much all of them are and have always been farmers in some capacity. My granddad is 85 years old, and at the end of May the family helped him get his garden in the ground to celebrate his last chemo treatment. He has taught us all to love a garden, to respect the land, and to find joy in watching things grow. My grandmother is the same way, but she favors flowers and shrubs instead of vegetables. She is a butterfly and hummingbird guru, and grows the most incredible roses I’ve ever seen. My mother’s partner is a chef and owns a farm-to-table restaurant. He uses our family farm these days to supply the café with heirloom, organic produce. His specialty is tomatoes. I work at the café, and Chef Garfrerick has taught me how to be a bangin’ craft cocktail bartender. I grow most of my herbs and edible flowers with boozy drinks in mind. I have had a lot of wonderful influences in my life, thankfully, and many of the most powerful and lasting lessons I’ve learned and concepts I’ve discovered have come to me in a garden, some with the help of some truly incredible people. I plant a garden to share the wisdom they handed down to me with the people I love. Also, it makes for really good Instagram pics 😉
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“GrowUp Urban Farms is committed to feeding people in cities in a way that is positive for communities and the environment, today and in the future. We produce sustainable fresh fish, salads and herbs in cities using a combination of aquaponic and vertical growing technologies.” To read more about the GrowUp project, visit: “GrowUp.Org.UK“ |
If you’re looking for a new account to follow on Instagram that is loaded with beautiful imagery, interactive “games”, and some amazing homegrown produce you’ll need to look no further than Garden.Of.Oz!
For years, my parents have urged me to “plant something” in my backyard garden. YES, I did have a “garden”, approximately 40 square meters in size… But it had NOTHING in it but mulch, and some low maintenance plants! The type I didn’t have to water or take care of. They didn’t even produce flowers from what I remembered! EASY! No mess, no fuss!
And then it all started about 3 years ago… My parent’s invited us over to their house one summer afternoon… because their corn was ready for picking (FYI: I think you guys at @UrbanOrganicGardener recently featured that very photo which showed my kids playing in my parent’s backyard amongst the thriving mini-field of corn!).
My kids absolutely LOVE corn! And I love it too! Our 3 kids came up to me and said… “We should plant some corn Dad!” “Yeah Dad!” “Yeah we want some corn Dad!” “I have money Dad, let’s buy some corn seeds, I’ll pay for it!” I DON’T REMEMBER who said what, but they just inundated me with requests to plant corn! I remember hearing my wife in the background saying “Dad won’t do it… he’s too lazy!”. It was supposed to be a joke, but it had so much truth in it! I was lazy! I have always thought “Why plant some, when I can just come HERE (at my parent’s house)!”
But not that day! After hearing my kids beg me to plant them, I was determined to do it! Too bad, my parents told me that I would have to wait until NEXT SPRING before I could plant corn again, as it was already late summer and there just wouldn’t be enough time to plant and see a harvest of corn.
But I was so motivated I HAD TO PLANT SOMETHING! Hahaha My Dad gave me some Green Beans seeds they have saved from previous seasons and said “Here, plant these! They will do well all the way through Autumn!” And so I did! I remember checking EVERYDAY whether the seeds have sprouted yet… hehe (too keen!) And when they finally sprouted, something ‘changed’ inside me. I said to myself, “I wanna do this!”
Needless to say, those batch of green beans went crazy prolific and the rest was history!
During my early days of gardening, I failed at so many different things! For example:
· Planting seeds/seedlings too close together
· Planting the wrong seeds in the wrong season
· Not realising that different plants have different needs
And up to now I continue to make mistakes! Some I have found ways to deal with, and some I am yet to figure out how to solve.
I find that the best way to overcome any obstacles in gardening is that you must have patience. I am very patient… I do a lot of research… I talk to a lot of like-minded gardeners on Instagram… Check blogs and watch YouTube videos… ALL OF THESE TOGETHER is a powerful learning tool!
But if I have to choose one that I like the most, it is talking to like-minded people. There is nothing better than getting first-hand information from people who have successfully done it before. And that is why whatever I learn, I always make sure to share it with others! To help them with their own journey!
This is a tough question to answer, not because I don’t know what to say… but because I don’t know which one to tell you first!
On a personal note, the sheer joy of knowing that all these vegetables I harvest is the result of all the hard work I’ve done… it really is a truly wonderful feeling! From a SINGLE SEED, comes baskets and baskets of beans, or eggplants, or tomatoes! Isn’t it AMAZING!??
My family gets to eat fresh vegetables free from all the chemicals! On top of that, my kids get to learn where food comes from! And since they help me around the garden, I know for a fact that one day, they too will be doing exactly what I’m doing… Feeling exactly the same happiness I am feeling!
The amount of like-minded people I got to meet, both on Instagram and in person… it is unbelievable! Some of the people I have met in person through Instagram will now forever be my friends…
And last but not the least… many people would randomly message me on Instagram THANKING ME… about how I have inspired them in their own gardening journey! These are people whom I have never met… from all over the world… quietly watching my posts… Whenever something like this happens, I feel a sense of accomplishment… a sense of pride… that what I am doing is truly worthwhile and rewarding!
This is part of the reason I run those “Garden of Oz Games”! TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER! A lot of people on Instagram just “watch on the sidelines”… I feel that these games bring them out of their shells. I have been overwhelmed by the support… And many have thanked me for introducing them to so any wonderful accounts! So this is definitely another rewarding aspect of gardening! 🙂
I live (and garden!) in Nashville, TN, which is zone 7a. We are blessed with an incredibly long growing season here. It’s not unusual to be able to grow things from March – December.
I’ve been concerned for quite awhile over the diminishing honey bee population, and starting looking into beekeeping several years ago. I was thrilled to discover a thriving beekeeping community in Nashville, and to discover that Tennessee is very accommodating of beekeepers, making it legal for almost anyone, anywhere to keep bees. Last year I took a class and plunged into the world of honey bees. We now have 4 hives on our tiny urban farm. Since keeping bees I’ve noticed a huge improvement in pollination in the garden. Unfortunately honey bees are plagued by many pests and diseases. I use only natural beekeeping methods (and constant vigilance!), and so far our bees seem happy and healthy. I love talking with friends and neighbors about the importance of honeybees, urban beekeeping, and how to help save the bees. Being that we are in an urban setting we have to deal with whatever chemicals and poisons neighbors might spray in their yard, that could compromise the bees and other beneficial insects. Not surprisingly, many people don’t realize that something so simple as trying to eradicate mosquitoes in their yard can have dire consequences for bees.
Having a colorful, eclectic garden is important to me. There is nothing better than looking out the window when I’m stuck inside and seeing the rainbow colored fence, the brightly colored beehives, my Grandaddy’s horseshoes hanging on the fence – it makes me happy to be surrounded by vibrant colors. Having little pops of art and brightness in the garden is wonderful on a dreary winter day when nothing is growing. Although I plant mainly in raised beds, my garden is a bit wild. I love letting plants go to seed and then having the new sprouts pop up to surprise me. There are always volunteer dill, borage, basil, or zinnia popping up throughout the garden, and to me it makes the space so inviting (the beneficial insects think so too!) Although I really admire geometric gardens that have perfectly straight rows and magazine-cover looks, my garden will never look like that. I rarely try to tame or confine my plants (unless it’s necessary for their health or an issue of space); I let them grown and reach and spread. I like to try unconventional combinations (Right now I have a volunteer sunflower growing right in the middle of a bed of tomatoes and peppers. I’ve heard that sunflowers shouldn’t be grown alongside other plants because they could inhibit growth, but so far everything is doing great). I like to tuck flowers and herbs throughout all my planting spaces – borage and basil with tomatoes, dill and nasturtiums with squashes or cucumbers, zinnia and marigolds everywhere! Like me, my garden is a bit untamed and maybe a little messy, but underneath it all my garden does what it is supposed to do – provides my family and friends with healthy, organically grown food.
A favorite crop – I have to pick a favorite crop? That’s so hard! I think I love my perennial culinary herbs the best. I have two perennial herb beds, one in the front yard and one in back. Just about year round there is some sort of fresh herb growing and ready to add a touch of freshness to a meal. Even in the dead of winter I can usually find some thyme or sage to use. Herbs add so much to even the most simple meal, and there is nothing like growing your own. It’s also great that most herbs attract beneficial insects when they flower in the spring. Flowering thyme and oregano especially seen to attract lots of good bugs.
In 2008 this German city started turning public spaces and abandoned lots into vegetable gardens where local residents and even visitors were encouraged to harvest vegetables free of charge. They grow mostly lettuce, pole beans, and even tomatoes.
“It’s hard for townspeople to experience nature, so we’ve decided to bring nature back into the city,” says Lutz Kosack, the town hall’s resident botanist and driving force behind the project. Andernach has turned intimidating and abandoned public spaces into pleasant meeting spots, he says.
To read the entire article, visit: “WSJ.com“
There are many reasons why you might choose container gardening over more traditional methods. Maybe you’re short on space, have trouble bending over, or are just really, really lazy (like me). Regardless of why you settle on container gardening, I’m here to tell you that it’s an absolute delight and has the potential to be incredibly productive.
After a few years of gardening, I’ve found a slew of vegetables that grow effortlessly in containers.
Bell Peppers
Container Type: 2 gallons or larger, 1416 inches deep, 24 inch diameter with multiple drainage holes. Ensure there is room for stakes.
Sun: 6 8 hours daily
Peppers like consistently moist — but not soggy — soil. Water them whenever the top of the soil is dry, and be careful to never let the soil dry out completely. You can help them avoid drying
out by covering the top of the potting soil with mulch. Bell peppers are sweetest when they’ve ripened fully on the plant in full sunshine.
Carrots
Container Type: M ore than 12 inches deep to give carrots room to develop. Make sure there are multiple drainage holes.
Sun: At least 68 hours daily, more is better.
Carrots require little skill, minimal care, and minimal effort — perfect for beginning gardeners. Grow carrots in soil that is loose, lightweight, and well drained. They’ll need regular moisture, but not too much as root crops may rot if left in soggy soil.
Cucumbers
Container Type: M inimum 12 inches deep, 24 inch diameter with multiple drainage holes. Ensure there is room for a cage or trellis. When in doubt, go with a larger container rather than a smaller one.
Sun: 6 8 hours daily
Cucumbers absolutely depend on water, so you want to make sure they get a consistent level — you must ensure the soil never dries out completely. Add a trellis or tomato cage as the plant grows to maximize floor space and allow the plant’s leaves to get more sun.
Tomatoes
Container Type: 1 5 gallon minimum, 18 inch diameter (determinate), 24 inch diameter (indeterminate). Ensure there is room for a cage. When in doubt, go with a larger container rather than a smaller one.
Sun: 6 8 hours daily
Tomatoes have extensive root systems, and once they become root bound, their fruit production tanks. They need large containers, plenty of room, and lots of water once they start producing..
Zucchini
Container Type: B road and deep, at least 24 inch diameter.
Sun: A t least 68 hours daily, more is better.
Zucchini plants have high yields, even when grown in containers. They sprawl, naturally
reaching diameters of three plus feet, so take that into consideration when choosing a container.
Tips
The most important thing to remember about container gardening is that containers lose moisture quickly, especially when they’re in full sun. In the spring, you’ll water everyday, and in the heat of summer, when plants are producing, you may need to water two or three times daily, depending on the temperature.
I’ve spent the last few evenings dutifully watering my tomatoes and cucumbers, checking the leaves for damage, and looking closely for any signs of insects. The time I devote to my container garden is some of the happiest and most peaceful I have each day. I’m looking forward to seeing what my plants produce this season.
**Liz Greene is a dog loving, history studying, pop culture geek from the beautiful City of Trees, Boise, Idaho. You can catch her latest misadventures on her blog, Instant Lo.
Gardeners have been showing off their “most liked” Instagram images of 2015. Want to learn more about a specific Instagram user? Just click on their image to be re-directed to their Instagram homepage. Would you like to be featured on our Instagram page? Tag your Instagram images with #bestnine and #urbanorganicgardener.
How did you get started with your blog?
What sparked your passion?
Have you ever made mistakes or failed doing something? 
Follow @Grow.Fish.Cook. on Instagram!
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How would you quickly describe yourself to others?
I’m a green thumb, nature lover from the suburbs, and my husband is a tech nerd from the country! We are both a bit artsy, love science, and love food.
How did you get started with your blog/Instagram page/etc?
I wanted to record our garden as it changed. I felt my personal FaceBook page was not the place for it, so I set up Instagram so that also posts straight to Tumbler, and people started following. My small following seemed to enjoy it, they gave me great advice and got just as excited as I do when we start a new venture. This has just added to my enjoyment in the garden. It’s a great online community. I love being a part of it!
Did you start when you began your transition to live this life style?
We have had a clean lifestyle for a few years now, though I would very much call us newbies! Sparked by a couple of difficult pregnancies, (the last one I developed insulin dependent gestational diabetes), our family turned our eating and exercise habits upside down, and we didn’t turn back. We started with small steps: cooking our food from scratch, (no processed food, etc), and I only recently started making our own cleaning products. We now compost most of our waste or recycle it. We have plans for clean heating our home and being as self sufficient as possible – we will get there, time and money allowing.
I only started blogging when we bought our first home last year. We have learnt so much from the online community, so now we are trying to give a little back.
Have you always been growing your own food? If not, what sparked your passion?
I have gardened for as long as I can remember. One of my first jobs was in a garden center. At times my garden has been no more than a tomato or chili in a pot. Other times we could set up full veggie patches with chickens. It was dependent on the rental property we had at the time. This is our first wicking bed set up, and we are very excited to get started on our aquaponics greenhouse that we have been researching for the past couple of years. We are on a tight budget, so we reuse as much material as we can (Our wicking beds are used pallets and repurposed lintels from our old pool shed. My passion has always been there; however, I had to work on my husband’s – his main passion is eating the food!
Have you ever made mistakes or failed doing something? How did you overcome any obstacles?
Mistakes, ah, so, so many! I know my plants, but I’m a definite newbie to the tools. While I’m getting the hang of it now, the beginning was very slow. We had to work out how to dismantle pallets so that they were still usable pieces of wood. Then building the cladding for the wicking bed caused a few disagreements between my husband and I on how it should be done!! Hubby decided to leave me to it in the end.
We have also had a couple of leaks in water outlets; we put the water inlets and outlets on opposite sides of the bed, which means we have to runaround when we are filling the water reservoir. My cabbage and peas were both infected with fungi this year, so we lost both crops! (My seeds were cheap imported, so we will be buying local from now on). The frost has turned into my worst enemy. I had never had to deal with such severe frost as we get in Ballarat. Though it has produced some of the best kale I have ever tasted – very sweet. We have made plenty of mistakes, but it is the best way to learn! (Well for me, anyway). It’s all experimenting, finding what works. Ooh, almost forgot about my mushroom flop, Ive been meaning to update on my Instagram about that.
Have you ever dealt with a person who disregards your life style?
Sure, but if they are disregarding mine, good chance I’m not impressed with their life style choices either! I get a lot of the sideways head and “Why?” Why spend so much time and effort? My answer is generally, “why not?”. It’s one of those things that until you do it yourself you don’t fully comprehend how good it is, bit like yoga! I don’t think it is a lifestyle you can push onto anyone. We are not all gardeners after all, nor are we all academic or able to create great art. But, if I can make a difference, be it a small one, to the environment and world around me, why would I not? One of my favorite sayings is “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito! (Dalia lama or African proverb!) Small changes to your life can lead to so much more.
Another statement I get is “you’re a stay at home mum, you have all the time in the world – It’s impossible with a job!”. For which I suspect they are making excuses for themselves! Sure, you can be busy with work, doing long hours, working weekends more often than not in a job without much joy, making someone else rich, but me, I work hard making a home that feeds my family and is cheap to run, while I study an area (nutrition and psychology), that is close to my heart and will hopefully, one day, pay for the holidays and bigger garden I have been dreaming about! Not sure who the crazy one is in that scenario. I’m still baffled by those that think three kids is not a full time job!
What are some of your greatest rewards with a lifestyle such as the one you live?
Good health just naturally follows. Growing your own organic food saves you money, though we still have to buy some. We are not yet producing enough to live off. My kids have become more interested in what is going on, too. The waste that leaves our house is minimal, due to composting food scrapes, avoiding having to buy packaged food, and when I do I save most plastic containers for seedling trays or pots (yogurt tubs are grate). That alone is pretty satisfying for me. The health benefits for your mind are amazing, symptoms of anxiety and depression can be reduced! People don’t realize what a bit of sun (vitamin d) can do for you, add to that a little dirt and you’re a winner! It helps me feel connected and calm, and it’s just so cool, picking a veggie or fruit that you yourself grew from seed, what more can I say!
What tips and tricks would you like to share with other people?
Research and plan your garden, it has been a big part of ours. I’m not a neat-freak in the house, but I seem to be in the garden! The gardening community, online and locally, are a wealth of information, so ask questions, lots of questions. YouTube is fantastic, check it out, but beware the vortex! Patience, lots of patience. Love your bugs, sometimes putting up with a few of the not so good bugs will attract beneficial bugs that helps create a happy little Eco system in your garden. Learn about the climate in your area. Melbourne, where I lived previously, is only one and a half hours from Ballarat, my new home, but the climate difference is huge. I feel like I’m trying to grow veggie in a freezer some days!
If you are planning to use pallets in your garden look into what stamps mean what, example they mark what they may or may not have been treated with. Especially if your dirt or animal will be come in to contact with them. From what I have read Australia has the worst problem with this. America and Canada have banned most of the problematic chemicals from their pallets. Also, be careful where you grab your pallet from. That lonely looking pallet on the nature strip may well have been there for months but if it has any markings like a name Chep, Loscom come to mind, on it it still belongings of that company, if you take it, you’re a thief.
Start small, it will grow if you let it!
What are some of the other things you would like to have other people understand about living a healthier and self-sufficient life style?
I’m of the belief we as humans can not continue down the path that common consumerism has taken us. It’s a lazy way of life. People are so busy being busy, too busy to recycle, or so busy they have to eat that plastic, microwave rubbish. People want new things, always throwing out the old (cyclical consumption). I could go on for hours about our current government and them trying to shovel coal energy down our throat, but I wont! I get so overwhelmed with the helpless feeling of “what can I do?” I’m not claiming I’m not guilty of the busy lifestyle, but I can definitely say I have been a happier person living off my own food and striving towards self sufficiency. In my opinion, we need to get back to basics not only for our environment, but for our own sanity and for our kids. Another favorite saying “I don’t believe we were put here to work”. Another favorite? ” Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life” both said by I’m not sure who.
What are your favorite plants to grow in the garden?
I’m a bit basic I LOVE my chili, tomato, herbs lots of herbs are always good. I’m really looking forward to getting our apple trees in! I only grow what I would eat regularly
Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you?
While I talk about my big garden here, I realize not everyone can live this way. A lot of people are in rentals or flats. I just wanted to say you can still make a wicking bed, just on a smaller scale and take them with you when you move. But, more importantly, I think those of us who are lucky enough to grow so much produce should share when they can. When I moved to Ballarat I was blown away by the community. We have people sharing seeds, seed potatoes, manure, etc. It is a large city/ county town that still cares about one another. We need to cultivate that community attitude back into the suburbs and our big city’s. I really feel food and growing it could help do this.
Looking to escape the rat race? Wanting to re-locate somewhere and start a full or part time homestead? This Urban Rustic Homestead/Farm is located in a desirable location in Bremerton, Washington. Close to military bases, shopping, parks and plenty of recreation…not to mention the beautiful Puget Sound.
Recently remodeled with new flooring, updated appliances, fixtures, wood ceilings, plumbing, & wiring, this charming home offers a farmhouse feel on the inside and out! Move in now and harvest your first crop – all the work has been done!
15 fruit trees, a variety of berries, kiwi, currents, artichokes & much more! This urban farm consists of two greenhouses, chicken coop, mini stable, custom dog kennel, patio, new above ground pool, playhouse, security system, garage w/workshop and an extra room that can serve as just about anything you desire.
If you want to start living a more sufficient lifestyle or have a desire to become homesteaders, THIS COULD BE YOUR NEXT HOME.
View the complete listing for this Urban Farm/Homestead here!
6654 Old Military Road Bremerton, Wa 98311
This interview is originally from SeedsNow.com (source: http://www.seedsnow.com/blogs/news/28929665-featured-homesteader-blogger-naturallyloriel-com)
Mom. Wife. Dreamer of self-sufficiency. Lover of sweets. Knack for storytelling. Chicken & cat lady. =)
I got started with my blog, NaturallyLoriel.com, because I had just found out information on feeding babies that totally contradicted the information I was given by my doctor — my son was 9 months old at the time. From there, it was a domino affect and I began researching and questioning every single thing I was doing, eating, and buying. After about 4 months of steady research, I began talking about it with my close friends and family. In March of 2011, three different people in the same week suggested that I start a blog. I took that as a sign and so I did. 🙂
Yes and no. At first my blog was about real food and learning about GMOs. At the time, I was living in California and I was heavily involved in the Prop 37 campaign so a lot of my blog geared towards that. As you may probably know, once you become passionate about the food you eat, you start to realize that the best way to control what you are eating is to grow it. Now Naturally Loriel is more about the journey to living a natural life and everything that comes with it — real food recipes, gardening, chicken raising, DIY, and more.
I’ve always been conscious about the earth but it never occurred to me how MUCH there was to *really* know about life. My mom always had a garden when I was growing up but as a child, I was never interested in it. My continuous journey to living a natural life began those first few months before I decided to start my blog. I really began being interested in building a thriving backyard homestead when I moved to Florida and realized my options for fresh food were limited. I knew that it was up to me to create healthy food. Plus, I’ve always been somewhat of a rebel so the idea of growing my own fresh food and raising chickens for eggs is like a huge middle finger to big corporations like Monsanto… which excites me.
A few things I’d like people to know is that most likely you won’t receive instant gratification. I’m in my third season of gardening and it has been a struggle — between the bugs, the weather, the fungus, more bugs — it seems like I never win. And actually, sometimes I wonder why I still try but I guess it’s because growing my own food and showing my son what real food grown in a garden from love tastes like is absolutely worth trying over and over again.
Living a healthier lifestyle is about trying, trying, and trying again and sometimes it’s certainly anything but easy. It’s about learning to lean on other people for advice, it’s about researching, and ultimately, I think it’s about teaching you to enjoy the process and slow down a little. Our world is moving so fast right now but moving towards a self-sufficient lifestyle takes time and patience.
HA! Yes, I have totally made mistakes or failed at doing something. One thing that is constantly a battle for me (and my husband) is my lack of watering the garden therefore keeping my plants alive. If it’s not because I forgot to water, my garden seasons have flopped because of the bugs that I deal with in Florida. Though, with each failed garden season, I am more prepared for the next one.
I could go on and on about the amazing rewards I get with this lifestyle but I’ll try and keep it somewhat short. In a few words, this lifestyle has taught me patience, gratitude, motivation, excitement, and appreciation for what it takes to grow and raise my own food. For example: by the time I actually account for all the money I put into my chickens, my eggs probably cost me $15-20 a dozen but I never doubt for one second that it’s worth it.
Out of all the rewards, one of the biggest of living this lifestyle is making it possible for my son to grow up with a backyard homestead. I think the problem with our world right now is that most of us have been completely disconnected from our roots. In my opinion, as a society, we’ve all lost the appreciation and knowledge of what it takes to grow real food (veggies, meat, and dairy) and would rather resort to convenience. Most of us don’t realize that the convenience comes with a huge cost that impacts our environment, and ultimately impacts the future of our children.
In my eyes, our children are suffering because they don’t know where their food comes from. That’s why it’s so important to me to continue what I’m doing for my child’s sake and to keep trying each year even if I’ve failed at gardening. It’s imperative for him to see that in order to get an egg that nourishes our body, we need to make sure our chickens are fed, hydrated, and cared for. It’s only until then that a child can see the full circle and learn to appreciate what it takes to have food that makes them feel good.
It’s only until a child sees the patience, handwork, and dedication it takes to start a plant from a seed, water it, love it, and see it grow that they can appreciate their food and truly know the difference between something home grown and something from the store. Ultimately, I want him to know that the good things don’t always come easy, hard work pays off, and there is nothing more gratifying than harvesting something you grew or raised with your own two hands.
This source of this post, content, and photos is from goodshomedesign.com
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