Top 10 Reasons To Start Growing Your Own Food

Homegrown foods have numerous advantages over store-bought.  If you intend to grow food for your own consumption, here are the top 10 reasons why starting your homegrown food journey is a great idea!

1. Growing Your Own Food Makes You Happy!

Growing your own food can leave you satisfied in a way that can’t be expressed in words.  You simply can’t ever beat the satisfaction of biting into homegrown foods.  Plus there is the satisfaction that comes from the process of growing your own food.  Preparing the soil, mapping out the garden, watering and tending to it and then the reward that comes from knowing exactly what you are putting into you and your families’ bodies.

2. Growing your own food Can Help Prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder or seasonal depression is brought on by changing seasons.  For example when autumn gives way to winter, many people experience feeling depressed.  This depression has been attributed to a lack of ample sunlight.  However, growing your own food by gardening, particularly if you grow any cold weather crops such as kale, spinach and carrots can help keep you outside longer helping to fight the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder.  More information about Seasonal Affective Disorder can be found here.

3. Homegrown Foods Result in Less Food Waste

With homegrown food, you will be able to bring down the waste generated by your household.   By only harvesting what you’ll need, you will reduce the amount of fresh produce being wasted.

4. Your Homestead Becomes More Sustainable

Whether you are interested in living off the grid or just strive for a more sustainable existence, homegrown food can play an important role in improving your home’s sustainability.  For those hoping to get off the grid decreasing your reliance on store-bought is a vital first step on your journey to self-sustainability.

In addition, growing your own food can especially useful, almost lifesaving, if you’re stuck in an dangerous emergency that prevents you from going to a store and restocking your supplies.

5. You Have Greater Control Over What You Eat

By growing your food, you can control everything about how it is grown. You can control the pesticides that are to be used and, if desired, you can go chemical free or use natural pesticides.  In addition, you choose when to harvest your fruit and vegetables.  You choose what to grow and the quantities to be grown.  In addition, homegrown food is often of a higher quality compared to store-bought products.

6. Growing your own Food Is Great for your Wallet

Let’s face it, food is expensive and fresh food is particularly expensive.  A big portion of the household budget is spent on buying food from the store.  While you will still need to spend money on food, growing fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to reduce your overall spend.

7. Fresh Food Is Healthier and there is Nothing Fresher than Homegrown 

Apart from tasting delicious, homegrown foods are also healthier.  Studies show fresh foods start losing their nutrients as soon as they are picked.  For example, this study showed that Vitamin C in vegetables begins declining as soon as it is harvested and it continues to decline during storage.  As more time passes, more nutrients are lost. Obviously, imported vegetables and fruits are often packed for a long period of time, which causes a decline in their nutritional value but even so called local produce needs to picked, packed, transported before finally reaching a store display.

Homegrown food is able to move from the garden to the dinner table in the shortest amount of time allowing your food to retain its nutritional value.  If you are thinking about starting your own veggie patch check out the top 6 organic soils for gardening

8. Growing your own food is Fun! 

Gardening can be a fun activity.  There are few more satisfying feelings than growing a plant.  Planting, nurturing, watering…and then picking and eating.  It’s great fun!

9. Gardening is Great Exercise and an Effective Workout

You’re always moving when you’re gardening.  You’re planting, watering, raking, harvesting, and weeding and all that movement get’s your heart rate up and can help you burn a significant number of calories.  The benefits of physical activity are widely known include helping you achieve a healthier body and heart and reducing stress.  Exercise also boosts your body’s immune system, can increase your longevity, and aid your weight loss goals.

10. Fresh Food Simply Tastes Much Better

Finally, you can’t deny the fact that fresh food simply tastes better and taste, let’s face it, is pretty important when it comes to food.  When you add that to the fact that it’s better for you, saves you money, helps fight off depression and otherwise helps keep you healthy, there is no good reason not to start growing your own food today!

Conclusion

The benefits of homegrown food do not end with this top 10 reasons.  In fact, these reasons are only just the beginning.  There are numerous other benefits to be gained from growing your food as well.  Looking for some homegrown food equipment?  Check out some options here and here

It’s time for you to begin your homegrown food adventure today so you can start experiencing benefits!

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