I live in Indiana and I'm fortunate to have a place where I was able to plant a large garden for the last two years. It started out with the idea that we would utilize the garden for ourselves and some of our family members. We had tomatoes, corn, half runners, two kinds of peppers, zuccinni, cucumbers, strawberry's and pumpkins. We talked to a farmer up the road and he came down and plowed an area of about 1/3 of an acre for 30 dollars. Plants were obtained from local greenhouses and we were off!
If I was going to have a garden that my family and myself were going to consume I decided to not use fertilizers or weed killers of any kind. That ment we spent alot of time weeding. Let me tell you my kids were just thrilled to death about this. It was hard work but we reaped the benefits by eating some of the most delicious fresh vegetables we had ever had. Not only that we actually canned alot of stuff and munched on it throught the year.
This year Mike was layed off so we decided to start our own plants in Febuary. Our garden grew this year and Mike decided in between side jobs he would sell vegetables at local farmers markets to make extra cash. We haven't become millionaires but let me tell you every penny helps. Not to mention all of the good people we have met along the way. Other people struggling like we are, trying to use what they have to take care of their families.
If you would have asked me if I would be selling vegetables for extra money a couple of years ago I would have probably have laughed at you. It seems that with the economy on the downspin we are going to have to re-learn how to take care of ourselves. Hard work and determination will get us through, I know this because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my families struggles.
So next year look out in your yard or on your patio and think of what you can grow that would help out. Think about how much you pay for tomatoes when you purchase them from a grocery store and how nice it would be to walk outside and just pick a few.
Dovey
