Importance of Garden to Table
By: Brian Puckett, Vice Chairman Helena Beautification Board
In many of the articles I write its more about growing vegetables and herbs than flowers. Don’t get me wrong; flowers are great and it’s what gets people talkin’, but unless you are a deer or rabbit they are not that great to eat. Vegetables give you nutritious rewards for your hard work put in, and I use the term “hard work” lightly.
Over the past few years, millennials have been catching the fade of garden to table. Let’s just say they are slowly but surely catching up to what all the other generations have always know. Growing your own food is cheaper, healthier and a heck of a lot more rewarding. You don’t believe me? Well, let’s just use a tomato plant to break down these three benefits.
Cheaper. Yes, growing your own tomatoes are cheaper than going to the store to get them. In growing your own you can spend a dollar on a pack of seeds and sow your own plants and end up with several plants. If sowing your own seeds is just a bit too adventurous for you, have no fear. You can spend a couple of dollars starting in late March to buy a plant that is already started. Either way you go, that one plant will yield you between 15 – 20 pounds of tomatoes. Compare that to the $1.99 price per pound at the grocery store and you have saved on the low side $30.
Healthier. When you grow your own tomatoes in your backyard or on the patio; you know what is being put on those plants to keep them healthy and growing. If you are want to put a pesticide or plant food on them so be it. You know exactly what’s being applied. Now think about the tomato at the grocery store. (Disclaimer of sorts: I am not saying this is a true statement, but could be.) You have no idea where that crop has come from. It could be from some small Cambodian Island… who really knows? Since you really have no clue where it came from and how many handling channels it went through to get there you can’t really say what was put on that bright red tomato.
Rewarding. A man is built upon pride. We are proud of everything we accomplish from raising great kids all the way down to plucking that sweet tomato off the vine. The next time you pick vegetables at your house, raise it high up in the air and yell out “I made this.” Not only funny but also a reminder of the reward. Let’s take a trip down to the grocery store. When was the last time you or anyone you knew threw up a Instagram picture from the store touting their tomato purchase? Yup, didn’t think so.
As you can see there are great benefits to the Garden to Table movement. Get out and start growing your OWN.
Hope to see you on Saturday July 8, at 9:00 AM to my cooking demo and discussion on Garden to Table at the Helena Market Days.
Over the past few years, millennials have been catching the fade of garden to table. Let’s just say they are slowly but surely catching up to what all the other generations have always know. Growing your own food is cheaper, healthier and a heck of a lot more rewarding. You don’t believe me? Well, let’s just use a tomato plant to break down these three benefits.
Cheaper. Yes, growing your own tomatoes are cheaper than going to the store to get them. In growing your own you can spend a dollar on a pack of seeds and sow your own plants and end up with several plants. If sowing your own seeds is just a bit too adventurous for you, have no fear. You can spend a couple of dollars starting in late March to buy a plant that is already started. Either way you go, that one plant will yield you between 15 – 20 pounds of tomatoes. Compare that to the $1.99 price per pound at the grocery store and you have saved on the low side $30.
Healthier. When you grow your own tomatoes in your backyard or on the patio; you know what is being put on those plants to keep them healthy and growing. If you are want to put a pesticide or plant food on them so be it. You know exactly what’s being applied. Now think about the tomato at the grocery store. (Disclaimer of sorts: I am not saying this is a true statement, but could be.) You have no idea where that crop has come from. It could be from some small Cambodian Island… who really knows? Since you really have no clue where it came from and how many handling channels it went through to get there you can’t really say what was put on that bright red tomato.
Rewarding. A man is built upon pride. We are proud of everything we accomplish from raising great kids all the way down to plucking that sweet tomato off the vine. The next time you pick vegetables at your house, raise it high up in the air and yell out “I made this.” Not only funny but also a reminder of the reward. Let’s take a trip down to the grocery store. When was the last time you or anyone you knew threw up a Instagram picture from the store touting their tomato purchase? Yup, didn’t think so.
As you can see there are great benefits to the Garden to Table movement. Get out and start growing your OWN.
Hope to see you on Saturday July 8, at 9:00 AM to my cooking demo and discussion on Garden to Table at the Helena Market Days.
About the Author
A twelve-year resident of Helena, Brian is actively involved in civic and faith based initiatives and is currently serving as Vice Chairman and Secretary of the Helena Beautification Board, Secretary of the Helena Elementary PTO, and a second term on the Riverchase Business Association Board of Directors, where his eye for design has help lead the Riverchase ARC. Brian has an MBA and works at Regions Bank. Mr. Puckett is married with two daughters. With a knack for design, Brian makes ideas come to life. His eye for detail bodes well from small planter flower selections to grandiose projects. A skilled woodcrafter, he recently showcased his skills in the various holiday displays throughout Old Town.