Phase Zero of the Great Gardening Project of 2009 has started.
My husband and I have decided that we should be growing some of our own food. Our decision to do this was motivated more by our desire to eat things grown closer to home, and it just doesn’t get much closer than in your own yard. This decision wasn’t motivated by finances, though that doesn’t hurt, rather out of a sens of environmental responsibility. The localvore movement appeals to me as a consumer and I love to grow things, so this was a natural next step.
One of the problems we’ve had to face about living with elk is that they eat everything. In order to get any food out of the garden we’re planning we’ve decided to put in a fence. I agonized over this for more than a year. There must be a fence to have a garden, but then we lose the elk coming right up to the windows and peeking in the house. I finally came up with a plot that I hope will minimally impact their trails and travel through the yard, but still allow for enough space to grow some food.
Looking out the window at the fence posts, I’m concerned about whether I’ve made the right choice. There are voices in my head second guessing me, telling me that I’ve chosen wrong and that it will all come crashing down. I’m doing my best to ignore them. The fence will be finished by Friday, so the only way is forward. And time will tell us if it works or not.
In the mean time, I’m trying to plan for Phase One: the building of the garden proper and plant purchasing. I’m using a couple of resources that I hope will yield good results. I’ll make sure to note them as I get further into this process.
Oooh, lucky thing, you. We’ve not got a lot of space for growing things (though we’re going to plant a few things this summer), and I do love the localvore or 100 mile diet or whatever you call it. It’s a solid concept and one we’re trying to invest more into every day.
But you’re quite right – growing your own stuff in quantity is the best way to be a localvore.
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