Grow Things you can eat

I learned many things from the pandemic. I learned that buying groceries would be a dangerous prospect if you are in a vulnerable category. Some of the online “shoppers” were not careful to check expiration dates, leaving me with food that wasn’t fit to eat. Prices were inflated. My ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables was at the discretion of the shopper regardless of how detailed a list I created.

Coincidently, I have been reading Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. It’s a fictional story of the devastation brought about during The Great Depression when people were starving and dying. I decided to create a mini-garden on my small, and I mean small) deck to provide enough vegetables for myself and my husband. I used old unused pots, organic soil I already had, as well as slices from tomatoes, carrot tops, and celery bottoms. I Googled which plants could withstand full sun. The feeling of accomplishment helped alleviate the dread of the pandemic. I was keeping busy in a healthy way.

The end result would be a sustainable source of vegetables right outside my sliding glass door. Hopefully my efforts will yield tomatoes (several varieties), broccoli, kale, brussell sprouts, yellow peppers and snow peas. I learned that many flowers are edible. From reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah I learned that during World War II the people of Amsterdam used tulips to make flour.

I hope to extend my exploration of edible plants and types of plants will that grow in my area. I am determined not to be deterred by limited space. There are many container plants that do well with care. I hope none of us ever have to experience extreme circumstances that leave us famished or desperate. One sure way to be proactive (ok, maybe reactive) is to grow things you can eat.