Written by Craig Witt and Mark O’Farrell, Soil Council |
Tough economic times are when the garden becomes most valuable. Robert Rodale sums it up quite eloquently, “so the best fall-back possession is not gold, but a large garden and a pantry full of home-produced food.”
Dr. Arden Andersen further describes the value of home-produced food; “the intention of this book is to help people with their quest for medical options and to help them understand the foundation of health vs. illness. That foundation is diet and the nutritional integrity of the food and the nutritional integrity of the soil upon which the food is grown. This to me is real medicine to solve the real causes of illness resulting in real health rather than mere suppression of symptoms with more and more drugs.” Wow! Powerful information, isn’t it?
Let’s not forget the fact that the food on the average American plate was trucked in from more than 1500 miles away and spent between 7 and 14 days in transit. Imagine that if all you had to do was step out your back door to harvest your own nutritious produce – being a localvore. This is the year to grow some of your own food. How do we get started?
1) Start with a soil sample that speaks the language of a plant.
2) Create an easily manageable automatic watering system.
3) Identify a reputable company that specializes in soil fertility and compost in your area.
4) Amend your soil based on the results of your soil analysis.
5) Pick seed varieties that are adapted to your local climate.
6) Dig in!!
An extra perk to harvesting on your own is that it can be great exercise! As you dig and mulch, your abs are twisting and contracting against resistance. All the bending, lifting and walking burns nearly 350 calories an hour.
References:
1. Fresh Food, Dirt Cheap (All Year Long!) Rodale Press, Inc., Emmaus, 1988.
2. Andersen, A. Real Medicine Real Health. Holographic Health Press, Waynesville, 2004.
For more info, contact Craig Witt and Mark O’Farrell at Full Circle Compost at (775) 267-5305, craig@fullcirclecompost.com or mark@fullcirclecompost.com.
Follow Us