Why should we grow our own fruit and vegetables?

An outdoor lifestyle with physical activity is linked to living a longer healthier life. With gardening you are getting low-intensity physical on most days.

Some of the benefits of growing your own vegetables:

• Be able to supply ourselves with home-grown, organic food.
  • In a time where supply chains are breaking down
  • In a time where food costs are soaring
  • Fresh food from garden to stove to plate
  • Increase fruit and vegetable consumption

• Overall health benefits
  • Improve mental health
  • Increases self-confidence
  • Reduce stress
  • Induces peacefulness and content
  • Feel more relaxed
  • Being in the moment
  • Soil Therapy **

• Connecting with nature
  • Being outdoors
  • Fresh air
  • Vitamin D from sun
  • Being around wildlife

• Learning new skills
  • Responsibility – caring for plants
  • Understanding – cause and effect
  • Self-confidence – achieving goals and enjoying food grown
  • Pass onto the next generation
  • Family hobby

• Control of your own crop
  • Grow what you wish
  • No pesticides
  • Use your own fertiliser

• Cut down on food bills
  • Initial outlay
    • seeds, pots, gardening tools

• Food exchange
  • With friends, family and neighbours

**Soil therapy

Studies have shown that gardening produces health benefits by exposing gardeners to a non-pathogenic bacterium in soil called Mycobacterium Vaccae.