When one of my daughters was 5 years old, we noticed she was developing significantly faster than we thought she should be. Our pediatrician tested her and found nothing abnormal, and suggested we go see a doctor specializing in pediatric endocrinology. The one we ended up seeing was further specialized in research regarding “precocious puberty“. After two visits, six weeks apart (he was ALWAYS over booked), we were told our child is fine, and that her issues were more than likely caused by the growth hormones in our food. He went on to tell us that in his opinion, in order to halt the problems, we should all go to an organic diet, milk and dairy as a minimum.

This was all before the big stink about recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) in our milk. Publix, our local grocery store, had not yet gone to non-rBGH sources for their milk, so we were buying organic milk at $6/gallon. Thankfully, public pressure has since changed the view of Franken-milk, and we can now find more affordable options.

This whole incident started out feet down a path of caring more about what we eat. Having a paranoid nature, I quickly determined I cannot trust anyone other than myself to feed my family SAFELY.

Therefore, reason number 1- SAFE food.

The economy has its ups and downs, and nothing will change that. If you can get by comfortably in the bad times, it just makes the good times that much better, and we quickly found that raising our own food was a less expensive option. Our four chickens produce about 1200 free-range eggs per year. Food costs about $10 per month. That makes our free-range eggs about $1.20 per dozen. Egg production drops off in the winter due to shorter days, so we do end up buying eggs occasionally, but for 10+ months a year, we never buy eggs!

We also get composted manure and fewer bugs in our yard. No pesticides are ever sprayed in our yard. Apparently beetles, roaches, ants, and spiders taste good when processed through a chicken and converted to eggs!


So, reason number 2 – Less expensive, high quality food

Have you ever tried a watermelon radish? Go here for a GREAT mock-up of a tiny watermelon:
http://www.tinyurbankitchen.com/2010/10/watermelon-radish.html

Most folks have never even heard of them, let alone tasted one. We grow them. And love them. Raw, pickled, or roasted. They are a new addition, but are now on the permanent list of things we will grow. And NOT available at any fruit stand or grocery store we’ve been to on this area. If we didn’t have a garden, we would never have had the chance to try one. The same goes for Thai yard-long green beans, luffa gourds, sunfruit, ground cherries, lemon basil, lime basil, amaranth, Mexican oregano, or red orach. Or the color variants of purple carrots and purple tomatillos, black tomatoes, or golden beets.

Thus, reason number 3 -Variety not available commercially

Today is February 28, 2012. We are in the extreme southern end of planting zone 9b and on the coast. We rarely get frost, sometimes going several years without one. These two factors have allowed us to be picking fresh salad greens and garlic chives since last November, tomatoes and hot peppers non-stop since late last summer, and a continual rotating radish crop since last October. Our weather issue come in the summer, when it is too hot to grow conventional veggies. It’s also the time when the rest of the country north of us has an overabundance of produce. If we cannot grow it, we can buy it when the supply is at its highest, so we pay less (again!).

So, reason number 4 – year-round convenience

Life is stressful. Money, time, politics, kids. These things can wear you out. Having to take the time to go check on your garden, to interact with your animals, to see the fruits of your labor are good for the soul. Burying your arm into soil you’ve created, nurtured, and guarded, and smelling the raw healthiness in it empowers you. (With our Florida soil being 99% sand, I’m as proud of the soil in my raised beds as I am of the food those beds produce) Recently, programs have started using gardening to help recent war veterans to heal emotionally. Click here to read our full article on Planet Green Working with my hands is therapy for me. Crushing snails, staking tomatoes, feeding treats to my rabbits are all good for my emotional stability. And honestly, have you ever watched a flock of chickens? I’m surprised there isn’t a 24/7 chicken watching channel….

Finally, reason number 5 – Growing my own food is therapeutic

So, even if its only a small pot with a single basil or oregano plant, go out and get started. If you choose an unusual variety, you will cover all five of MY reasons, and probably come up with a few of your own. And having fresh herbs on hand is a good idea, just in case.