Jan 2

Jan 2 Copy of 5 reasons to grow your own food: the perfect holiday gift for the family

Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Kids, Food, Gardening, Grow your own food, Blogmas

Hey Squad!

Its been forever but I'm coming to you with a new blog as we gear up for Blogmas!!!! I will coming to you with a whole bunch of Christmas related blog as its my favorite season of the year!

Speaking of seasons right now in the most parts of the country is cold and even snowing. For those that garden this is usually the time to hang up your hats until spring as its very hard to grow certain kinds of plants during the winter time.

For those who haven't developed a green thumb this certainly isn't the ideal season to get started. But what if I told you there was an easier way to get started. Move your green thumb indoors with a super cool aquaponics system that doesn't take up too much space, uses no soil and 90% less water!

First let talk about why you should be growing your own food:

1. Poor food quality

Most of the fruits and vegetables you’ll find at your local supermarket aren’t as fresh as they could be. And that’s because they usually spend weeks in transit from other states or countries before landing in the produce aisle.

The result? Bland fruits and veggies that lack nutrition.

Buying from local farmers is one way to overcome this problem. But nothing will ever be as flavorful or nutrient-dense as a tomato you pluck from the vine in your own backyard.

2. Toxic chemicals

Nearly 70 percent of conventionally grown produce is contaminated with pesticides. And even crops that are certified organic often contain residue from natural — but still potentially harmful — pesticides.

The only way to really know what goes in and on your food is to grow it yourself.

3. Food-borne illness

If you feel as though you’re hearing about food recalls more often these days, well, it’s because you are. In the U.S., their frequency has increased four-fold in just five years. And we’ve seen a coinciding increase in food-borne illness outbreaks — from listeria to salmonella.

But produce from your self-sufficient garden? That doesn’t get recalled. Again, you control the inputs, which means you control the outputs.

4. Independence from food insecurity

If all grocery stores were to shut down tomorrow, how long would your current stock of fresh produce last you? Unless you’re already growing a self-sufficient garden, I’m guessing your answer is “not long.” Sourcing your fruits and veggies solely from a supermarket is risky because you’re subjected to any disruption in the supply chain.

5. Rising produce costs

In the last two decades, food prices have risen by an average of almost 3 percent a year.

As with availability, produce costs fluctuates without much warning. That’s because food prices are dictated by a number of volatile factors, including weather, oil prices, labor costs, and even politics.

But the costs of growing a food garden stay rather consistent. Plus, once yours is established, it will likely pay for itself many times over

Now for the even better news, gardening all year round!

With an aquaponics system you do not need soil and use 90% less water than traditional gardening. You can set up your aquaponics system anywhere in the house or on your porch and get started. No running out into the freezing cold to check on what might be your dead crop.

The aquaponics system comes with these convenient pockets and all you do is add the seeds and turn the system on and watch your produce grow.

Can you think of a better gift for your family then days spent picking your own produce and cooking right away with that same produce you were responsible for growing! This is a great learning experience especially for kids. Click any image below to learn more.