I want to thank you for taking the time to read through this. I hope that this guide has helped to grow your interest in gardening regardless of the size of land you have to work with. It is my belief that with a little know how we can all get back to our roots and learn how to feed ourselves again. Growing your own food can be a lifesaver in many ways. Simply knowing what you are putting into your body will allow you the option of making better choices about what you eat. Our food transit system is set up to provide customers with a constant supply of fresh foods.

However, it is this very idea that is the system’s greatest downfall; the smallest ripple in the economy can cause a devastating butterfly effect. We have witnessed this first hand over the last several years. The major flux in gas prices has put a strain on the transit system that delivers the food to stores, as trucking companies have had to raise the prices of their deliveries exponentially over the last few years. This has impacted the grocery stores to increase their prices. Over the past decade, tomato prices have gone through the roof, going from .99 cents per pound up to 2.99 per pound, almost triple the cost. Bananas just two years ago were .33 cents per pound and now they are almost .50 cents a pound when you get them on SALE; and that isn’t even for organic bananas. It’s not just the cost of gas that is raising the prices, 2011 saw one of the worst droughts in US history. This drought led to a massive outbreak of wildfires across the Southwest, destroying millions of acres and many crops that were already barely hanging on. In 2012 alone the U.S department of agriculture has estimated that there will be an additional 3-5 % increase in grocery costs.

That increase, coupled with the high unemployment rate spells disaster for the families that will, now more than ever, find it hard to provide for themselves with the nutritious food that they truly need. If each of us were to grow our own produce, however, we would reduce the cost of our produce down to pennies on the dollar. If we as a community grow our own food, we can trade and barter vegetables, fruits and grains to further alleviate the strain of this economy. The first step toward self-reliance is to begin to walk away from what we have become accustomed to. Will you take that walk with me? Thank you again for taking the time to read this and good luck Cheers!