1. Seattle+Urban+Farm+Co_+Raised+BedsGrowing your own food reduces the distance your food travels from the farm to you (10 feet, say, versus 250-2,500 miles). That means you’re eliminating the petroleum products used in farming equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, packaging, storage, and transportation.
  2. By reducing the distance your food travels from the farm to you, you also reduce your overall carbon output, taking a bite out of your impact on climate change.
  3. When you grow your own food, you also know where your food is coming from (no weird salmonella strains in your tomatoes and spinach, for instance).
  4. You can grow food all year long – so in the winter when most farmer’s markets close up shop, you’ll still have fresh, tasty produce.
  5. Home grown food tastes many times better and has more vitamins and minerals than vegetables raised in a monocultural setting.
  6. There’s more variety available – you can grow various heirloom crops that you just can’t buy in a grocery store.
  7. You can choose to grow crops that aren’t genetically modified, which helps preserve seed diversity.
  8. You can save seed and create different varieties that are best suited for your little backyard microclimate.
  9. Knowing how to grow your own food makes you much more adaptable to whatever economic or environmental hardship that comes your way in the future.
  10. And lastly, it’s fun, it tastes better, and gardening nourishes your soul!

Local Gardening Resources

Local Nurseries

Local Seed Companies

Neighbors, friends, and family

If you don’t have a garden space, try partnering with someone you know who does.  Chances are good that they’d enjoy having gardening company!

Composting Information

For composting information, please visit our Composting Resources page.