Reasons to Garden
The Season
of Spring is lavish with its abundance. Before we
even ask, nature blesses us with every shade of color and profusion of
green. Far and wide, beauties of nature are bursting forth with new
growth and blossoms. Our copious supply abounds everywhere. Everyone is
relieved spring has finally sprung for nature is teeming with plenty
for everyone. Yet, our country is presently experiencing numerous
economic, environmental, and health crises.
Concerns from
reducing pollution,
greenhouse gases,
energy
consumption, and
the burden on our landfills,
to
protecting our
increasingly scarce water supply,
plants and animals from
extinction,
and
against serious threats to human health, 
have risen on the list of
public interests causing many more people to “go
green”. There are simple but meaningful actions people can
take to save our planet for future generations and us including:
choices
to recycle,
composting,
using energy efficient light bulbs, or
using
barrels to collect rainwater.
Consequently,
over the last
year one reason gardening is
witnessing tremendous growth nationwide is because people who love
fresh food are reducing environmental costs of mass-producing and
shipping food all over the globe by drastically reducing
“food miles” and simply choosing to grow their own.
With this culinary trend towards fresh, local cuisine one knows exactly
what they are serving and eating. Among the numerous reasons more than
70 million US gardeners grow their own fruit, veggies, and herbs
includes:
for
health,
to
save money,
to
teach children, and
to
share.
Another
enormous dilemma in America is our growing hunger
plight. 
According to a 2007 USDA
report, over 35 million Americans
experienced food insecurity in 2006. In other words, there are tens of
millions of Americans including over 12 million children who are not
sure when or where their next meal will come from. Our nations largest
charitable hunger relief organization, Second Harvest reported in
“Hunger in America 2006” over 25 million Americans
depend on emergency food services annually with the hardship currently
exploding.
Many food banks struggle to meet the need for
food assistance
to the point where now they only serve people living within their zip
code area. By 1995 to contend with this ever-growing predicament, the
Garden Writers Association (GWA) launched their Plant a Row (PAR) program
encouraging gardeners to donate their extra produce to food banks and
local soup kitchens serving the homeless and hungry. Wherever a local
Committee exists, the GWA PAR program provides direction, training
support, and materials for businesses, church groups, home gardeners,
schools, and youth and community organizations making a difference in
their community for their neighbors. Through their simple
people-helping-people approach they have made a significant impact on
reducing hunger. In 2005 mainly through the media, GWA PAR efforts
provided, without government subsidies or bureaucratic red tape, more
than 1.5 million pounds of fresh produce to over 5.5 million hungry
recipients. 
Throughout the US and Canada their total
donations have
reached nearly 10 million pounds.
(Hunger Persists in the US)
If these reasons don’t persuade your interest in gardening, take into account the quandary we are in two different wars and our soldiers are returning home daily. During World War I and World War II private residence gardens provided up to 40% of the vegetable produce consumed thereby reducing the strain on the food supply. Such devotion doesn’t exist now.
Are you
aware the Veterans Health
Administration confirms an average 126 veterans per week for a total of
6,552 veterans per year are committing suicide? Sorrowfully there are
about 18 veterans suicides per day, which hasn’t happen in
previous wars. 
Imagine after war coming home
with health and
psychological problems to unemployment, high prices, and a
non-responsive government. Consider welcoming home your local
returning
weary vet by donating a row of garden produce to assist them as they
re-assimilate.
Some seed companies have even stepped up to meet some of these
types of community needs by donating seeds to qualifying organizations.
Two examples of companies with seed donation programs are:
Seeds of Change
and Park Seed. Interestingly, there is even a Victory Gardens organization in Oregon specifically devoted to supplying untreated, organically grown or certified organic open-pollinated and heirloom seeds.
With all
the supplies and options available, gardening is much
easier today. Between the Internet, the local County Extension
Agencies, and gardening supply businesses, a plethora of information is
available to make your 2009 gardening endeavors great. Gardeners
contribute to saving the planet for our children, future generations,
and us. So whether you are motivated by:
concerns
about the environment,
feel
a civic duty,
just
want to share with your neighbors,
need
a new
hobby,
teaching
children,
or whatever your impulse might be, pick up some seeds and supplies and Happy Gardening!
© Debby Bolen
Consequences of the American
Processed Foods Diet
Processed foods main ingredients are nutrient empty.
Fad Diets Can Be Ineffective and
Dangerous
Fad diet plans and concoctions promising dramatic results
don’t offer long-term success, and some may even be dangerous
to your health.
Easy Ways to Get
Your Five Per Day
Inspiration for you with numerous ways to include more fruits and
vegetables into your
pattern of eating every day.
Processed vs Whole Foods
There are only two categories of foods: processed foods and whole
foods.
Processed Food, Pharmaceuticals
Contribute To Declining Health
In March 2007, Health and Retirement Study research revealed the
disturbing trend of Americans in their early to mid-50s reporting
poorer health, more pain, and more trouble doing every day physical
tasks than their older peers reported when they were the same age.
