 Growing your own food can seem like a foreign concept to some. Ironically it is the oldest, most common and well-known method of eating the best food possible.
Eaters have come to expect the food that they are getting. None of it is natural or organically grown. Obviously enough North Americans seem to think processed equals normal. How is this a possibility or even acceptable? Chefs, Farmers, Caterers, Mothers, Hippies, and even my brother who lives in the middle of Downtown Toronto, can make sense of growing their own food. Whether you are growing your own food to save money, to fuel the environment or to fuel your family, there is no doubt about it; there are only benefits to growing your own fruits and veggies. The process is not as difficult as it may seem. The intimidating nature of the garden can be overcome with patience and perseverance. It is definitely not as easy as planting and walking away. However, as soon as you start, you immediately feel the reward of being able to eat food that YOU GREW YOURSELF! Places like Jamaica are going back to its farming roots by creating their own food by their own country to support their own mouths. Finally, it has been recognized by an entire country that providing your own natural food is the answer. A New York Times article “As Cost of Importing Food Soars, Jamaica Turns to the Earth”, written by Damien Cave on August 3 2013, wrote “In Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas and elsewhere, local farm-to-table production is not a restaurant sales pitch; it is a government motto”. Jamaica jumped on this train almost 10 years ago. Why is it taking so long to catch on? According to the National Farmers Union, as of 2011, Farmers in Ontario only made up 1.5% of Ontario’s Population. Can you imagine how little of them were growing organic? The Jamaican government has taken many steps towards increasing local agriculture, one being, handing out seed kits to encourage backyard farming. Schools are heavily involved in the farming process as well. Over 400 schools are involved, allowing everyone to participate and feel responsible for what they consume. (New York times, Aug 3, 2013). From Toronto, Canada to Kingston, Jamaica, omnivores, carnivores and everyone in between, feel the need to grow their gardens in hopes to raise our food standards. Whatever your reason is, you know that it just makes sense.
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