“Home grown vs store bought…”

 

Shared by Breanne Smedley

This spring, I decided I wanted to plant a garden.

We planted one a few years ago at our house when we lived on Whidbey.

It was fun watching all the little seeds and sprouts we planted sprout through the dirt.

Then, seeing those zucchini and squash sprouts turn into plants that would take over our yard.

But then there were some plants, like the bell peppers, that just died completely.

Not enough water? Too much water? Planted next to plants it didn’t like?

I would spend hours trying to research why.

Then changing the location, soil, water amount to see if I could get it to thrive.

It was always a satisfying feeling, the few times that we were able to make a dinner that we had grown or “caught” ourselves.

Salmon caught by Brett in the strait of Juan de Fuca, just 5 minutes away.

A salad with the kale, tomatoes, and carrots from our garden.

So, this year, we are taking a stab at doing it again.

We plotted out a space in the backyard that we thought had the best exposure to the sun.

Measured out the dimensions for the raised box that we would build.

Started researching the best soil for our climate and veggies.

Made a list of all the vegetables we wanted to include.

Started researching which ones we should get in seed form, and which one in sprout.

Then comes the planting, watering, weeding, pruning.

Watching for animals and bugs that want to eat the hard work we put in.

Assessing our garden daily, and patiently waiting for the results.

And in a few months, after days and days of this, we (hopefully) will get our first harvest.

I’ve often thought to myself, “I can just buy all these veggies (year-round) at the store.”

It’s true. It’s definitely easier, more convenient, and maybe cheaper in the short run to do this.

And, obviously, our garden isn’t big enough to sustain all our vegetable needs.

But, there’s something different about the food on our table that came from the months of labor and research we put in.

Sure, it might taste different.

More than that, I have a different appreciation for it.

I was invested in the process.

I saw this yellow squash every step of the way. From seed to harvest.

I protected it from weeds and rodents that might kill it.

I watered and nurtured it daily.

While I enjoy my veggies purchased from the store, by the time they get to me, I definitely don’t have the same appreciation for where they came from.

Store-bought vs home grown.

One is quick, easy, convenient.

The other is long, often challenging, and requires sacrifice.

One always tastes better than the other.

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