If interested, click here to see today’s pictures of my garden.

(I remembered to put them on a separate page this time, which is good, since I have so many taking up space below.)

To recount why I’ve decided to experiment with growing my own food this year, here are a few reasons:

- Imported Garlic: The idea started last September when I heard that most of the garlic sold in this country is shipped from China, and I thought we have enough dirt in our own yards, to grow a year’s supply. (And I thought I could grow a year’s supply in a 3 inch wide and about 3-5 feet long row, along the edge of my driveway — a row that is shorter than my car. No big whoop. With two rows — about 6 inches wide — I’d have more than enough, to share or use as a natural insect repellant for my apple tree and other plants.)

- The “Dirty Dozen”: It was reinforced last September, when I first read about the “Dirty Dozen” foods that retain the most pesticides, and neuro-toxins. (I purposely linked to Prevention Magazine’s list that includes beef, pork, poultry, milk, cheese and butter in their top two. Most other lists just list the top 12 fruits and veggies.)

- Animal-based organic fertilizer: As a vegan, I’m not thrilled about opting for organic food that is grown with animal-based fertilizers, especially fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, or even manure — for obvious reasons, and also because I don’t want to support animal agriculture in any way. Also, I question how organic manure is, if it comes from factory farms where the animals are fed antibiotics, growth hormones, etc. I did have some mushroom compost, but have since read that it’s likely to contain chicken litter. I don’t have a huge ideological problem with earthworm castings, however, since even careful digging or spading in my garden is hazardous to the worms. But I’m more interested in composting, and making compost tea from pulled weeds, and ideas of green manure or cover crops to fertilize the garden.

- Food costs: As someone who might be inclined to want to buy organic food, and have trended in that direction (especially with the “Dirty Dozen” in mind), and with the economy what it is, I’m looking for a way to cut my grocery bill. As it is, I spend more than I need to, and as I posted earlier, what I buy hasn’t increased like most foods have, it would still be cool to be able to cut my food costs down to practically nothing — especially by the time I hope to retire.

- Genetically-modified food: As someone who’s interested in avoiding genetically-modified food, I am trending toward organic and/or heritage/heirloom seeds, to ensure that what I grow isn’t genetically modified. I also am cultivating an interest in biodiversity in crop species. (As an FYI, the PLU codes on grocery store produce differentiate whether something is conventionally grown with chemicals, organic, or genetically-modified. If the PLU code begins with a “9″, it’s organic. If it begins with an “8″, it is genetically-modified. Other than that little-known fact, food labels aren’t required to disclose if any of the ingredients are genetically-modified. Nevertheless, even USDA certified organic, doesn’t always meet the standards that are required by California Tilth, or Oregon Tilth, because the USDA is in bed with Big Ag.)

- Community-building: I gave up on my idea that anyone at my church would be interested in my original idea of having a parish-based organic gardening food exchange club. But I was happy to see that a church in New York was featured in the news for their community garden.

- Grass is a waste of space, and an “invasive species”: I agree with the Food Not Lawns‘ attitude that grass is not only a waste of space, but that it is a manifestation of Western Privilege, that Americans can rely on others to supply their every need and want; and that nice-looking lawns require more fertilizer, weed killer than farmers use on our crops, and polluting, fuel-using mowers to keep them looking nice. (Why do we obsess over growing grass, only so we have to keep cutting it?!) Also, for the meat-eaters who ask stupid questions like “What about plants? Don’t plants suffer?”, I say, our grass is screaming in excruciating pain every time we take a mower to it. Can they hear it?

- Locovorism: Getting back to the garlic, and the environmentalist view that we should “buy local”, there is nothing more local than picking food fresh from one’s own yard.

- Midwest floods: This year’s floods in the midwest destroyed a huge amount of this year’s crops. This would have been a good year for people to plant a few things, to make up for the loss, and the expected soaring costs. (Commercial farmers seem to grown only about 5 subsidized crops in this country. So corn & soy are probably the crops that were most affected by this year’s floods.)

- Tomato recall: This Spring’s recall of tomatoes, due to the cases of salmonella whose source is still unknown, made this year a good year to grow our own.

- As an occasional “dooms-dayer”, I feel that the meek just might inherit the earth, and that the people who are able to live the most simply, or the most self-sufficiently, will be in a better position to withstand any huge, cataclysmic events that could end in food-insecurity, job-insecurity, or worse. In other words, the day may come when Americans find that they’re at a loss for depending on others to supply everything we have to transport long distances to buy.

- Easy gardening methods / humanitarianism: The Square Foot Gardening, Earth Box, and The Growing Connection websites interested me in experimenting in growing food, to see how credible it would be to promote as a humanitarian alternative to supporting charities that perpetuate animal agriculture with their “buy a food animal for a poor family in the developing world” schemes. I believe that for the Church who has various special interest groups that include humanitarianism/social justice, environmentalism (with concerns about Global Warming), animal advocacy, any mission we pursue should seek a comprehensive approach that incorporates all, instead of stepping on the toes of some — especially the animal advocates’. For more information, see my page on humane humanitarian alternatives.