Grow some FoodIn a sustainable world, many more people will be participating in growing their own food. Not just because it is the most efficient way to make fresh, chemical free food, but also because it contains many important lessons for sustainable living. Growing some of your own food is a perfect antidote for Western civilization. • Time is measured in seasons, not nanoseconds. • It puts a contented glow of increased self-sufficiency on your face. • It saves money, oil, water, CO2 and packaging. • It encourages making simple delicious meals from scratch. • You work with your hands so your mind can take a rest. • It’s exercise with a purpose … and without any mechanical gym equipment. • It gives you a productive use for 1/3 of your trash. • You can’t get food any fresher, sweeter, and more nutritious than the food grown outside your door. In short, “What’s not to love?” Sure, it takes more time than zipping down to the grocery store. But that’s just the point! Food gardening is a quality of life issue. The hours you spend in the garden will take you out of our modern habit of stuffing as much activity as possible into the smallest amount of time. People who have done it for a few seasons all say that they are deeply fed by the time they spend in the garden. Just because you live in an apartment in the city doesn’t mean you can’t have the pleasure of gardening. Google “urban agriculture” and you’ll see some amazing examples of cost and space efficient urban gardens made from wading pools and old tires. One pool alone yielded an average of 22.5 pounds of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini and a variety of greens. Greenery along walkways, on porches and in window boxes all provide a welcome relief to unrelenting concrete and asphalt. You can find detailed directions at http://www.arts4all.com/elca/ and plenty of other sites. Pics from http://www.arts4all.com/elca/ You can also join with your neighbors to create a community garden. If you are a first time gardener, finding a mentor is very good idea. There are so many little tricks of the trade that are based on local knowledge and not found in books. Besides, it’s always more fun to do things together. If you haven’t been able to calm down your life enough to grow some food, consider joining a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically you invest in a local farm by purchasing a share of the harvest before it’s planted. During harvest time, you get a box of fresh-picked vegetables every week from the farmer. The vegetables are less expensive because you’ve cut out the middleman and lowered the cost of doing business for the farmer. To find a CSA near you, go to http://www.localharvest.org/csa/. We are losing small family farms at an alarming rate. This is a way to help keep farmers in business and securing the rolling countryside that we love.
If this looks like just one more list of to do's—then STOP! How you go about being sustainable is MORE important than you might imagine. We can't create a sustainable world from overextended lives.
Don't proceed until you read
"Guiding Principles for Lasting Change"
and
"Why Be Sustainable?"
The 12 steps are organized so that the things that take the least amount of time and money come first. Most items on the list will actually save you money. Many will also save you time.
In all the steps, we ask you to spend more time connecting with neighbors. Connecting with your neighbors is the only way to avoid getting overwhelmed.
A sustainable world is only possible within a deeply connected community — It's that fundamental.
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