Garden Tour

Everybody responded to the global pandemic in different ways. At first, I went through the sour dough phase. I got pretty good at it, but I didn’t like that I started to gain some weight due to my increase in carbohydrates intake. Prior to March of 2020, I had always used my job as an excuse for being overweight. I couldn’t get consistent with working out. I was traveling about 50% of the time which means that I was eating out all the time. Even when I was in the office, I went out to lunch daily. The global pandemic gave me the opportunity I had been wanting over a decade which was the ability to focus on my health. 

I have been able to get consistent with working out, which has been great. I needed to also force myself to eat healthier. This is where my garden comes in. I have always enjoyed growing food, but it was limited to containers on my back patio. Typically, I would plant a few tomato plants, some peppers and some herbs. I envisioned growing more to the point where I could grow about 70% of the produce my family consumes. 

On July 4th, 2020 I built two raised beds that are 5 by 10 feet, and 10 inches deep. The first six months was a learning opportunity. I made a ton of mistakes that I learned from. For example, I learned that fertilizer is a good thing. I also learned that plants need space. I tried to fit as much stuff in those two beds as I could, and the plants were overcrowded and stressed out. So earlier this year, I built three more beds. I am still learning as I go, but this year has already been more plentiful than last.

So far, I have harvested potatoes, arugula, kale, romaine, swiss chard, turnips, beans, broccoli, squash, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes. It is a lot of work, but I love it. It is extremely rewarding to plan your meals around the fresh produce that you have grown from seed. It also makes you more considerate of wasting food while forcing you to make healthier choices.  

In the words of Ron Finley, “growing your own food is gangster.”