In our roster of garden families, this one falls in the lead-off position! The enthusiasm, the work ethic – toss in some new skill, a little luck and it all adds up- they become the pace setters. We’re fortunate to have theses families. Our mission to demonstrate and prove a point on the viability and broad impact backyard gardening can have on families, is made easier with this level of engagement. Here are a few things Alicia has to say about it.

Ever wonder how home gardening can change the way you and your family think about dinner time, Well I decided to find out more about what changes I could make for a healthier dinner and to push the limits of my picky teenagers. I first started gardening in Florida about a year ago. I started small with a 5ft x 3ft raised garden bed. We didn’t have much luck with that garden, a few tomatoes and greens, but I was just learning. This past year we moved to Tennessee and I wanted a bigger garden, roughly 25ft x 25ft. It was going to be a big undertaking but when we joined the garden club it felt like things were starting to fall in place. 

Once I started planting and things just started to grow, I was in awe of how much we had done. I felt so accomplished. Then getting fruits and veggies from our own garden to our own table it made a big difference when thought about dinner time, the fresh veggies made us think healthier options. Me and my family started looking at finding recipes we had never tried before because we chose quantity over quality. We have saved so much money off our grocery bills every month, and all it took was getting our hands dirty. 

In conclusion, my family prefers the home grown produce over store bought, I have inspired my family to get out and help with the garden, maybe I can inspire someone else to start small or go big! Anyone can garden there are many different options for your home: container, raised bed or right in the ground. When you think about the price of produce now and how much it takes to grow your own, you may want to give it a try. Trust me if I can do it so can you.

Alicia E. ~ Grow Morristown Gardener 2022