Personally, I haven’t started a garden because I have yet to have anyone rave about how successful their garden is (especially in Texas), and most of all I have NO clue where to begin. I’ve never had a green thumb when it comes to gardening, I don’t even have a black one, mine has been completely burnt off (not really, but I did actually try burning it off in the 7th grade, but that is another story). At the back of my mind, I keep wanting a garden, but I keep justifying that I don’t have time, nothing will grow, it’s easier to pick up produce at the store, but recently that has all changed.

CONSIDERATIONS:

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) 

GMO food has been popping up everywhere lately, actually nearly 70-80% of prepared food at the store now has the stuff in it. A quick GMO internet search will leave you wishing you had put your Depends on first, but I’ll let you come to your own conclusion.

FOOD COSTS

With food prices constantly on the rise, having a garden is one way to slash costs and maintain your healthy eating habits (or in my case, pretend I have them :).

ULTIMATE SURVIVAL

Knowing how to grow your own food, is probably the Ultimate Survival Skill! You can know how to tie knots, make home-made tampons, or even build your own Arc, but being able to grow your own food will probably keep you alive longer. Plus no one likes hanging out with Hangry people :)

Even if you now the why, the real question is the HOW? Whenever I embark on doing something, there are a few rules I apply to EVERYTHING:

It Must be SIMPLE

It needs to be idiot proof before I attempt it. I want layed-out, organized, step-by-step instructions on exactly what needs to be done.

It Must be MANAGEABLE

I want something I can maintain and be able to stick with. Nothing drives me more crazy than starting a bunch of projects that I can’t finish or keep up with.

I Want it DONE RIGHT

As much as possible I want to do things right the FIRST time! I hate wasting money and especially time. Both are hard to come by, and I can never get them back!

So taking all these into consideration let me introduce you to the…

Mittleider Gardening Method

I’m sure there are a million other methods and ways of doing something, but this meets the criteria above, and the free resources that are available can’t be beat!

It’s a Better, Simpler, Money Saving Way to Garden.

• Increases Yields From 6-10 Times and Gets Higher Nutrition.
• Saves Water – Water for Only 30-60 Seconds a Day.
• Garden in Any Soil Without Manure, Compost or Mulch.
• “Super Organic” Method using Natural Mineral Fertilizer.
• Grow Healthier, Pest Resistant Plants 365 Days a Year.

They were offering a Free Seminar and Hands-on class in our area, so I told my family and we decided to check it out. It really opened up my eyes and I left feeling like this is something I could actually do. It was a race to see who could get their garden in first. My cousin is in the lead right now, but we are close behind. We just cleared an area, staked out our beds, and are getting ready to make the garden boxes!

RESOURCES:

If you’re ready to get going, need some ideas, or just curious what the hype is all about, find out here:

• YOU TUBE VIDEOS: Very detailed videos that explain everything!
• FREE SEMINARS: They offer seminars that include hands-on instruction!
• BOOKS & MORE: Books, Fertilizers, & Everything you need to get started!
• FACEBOOK GROUP: Join the Facebook group for even more support!
• RADIO INTERVIEW: Listen in to Jim Kennard interview LDS Prepper.

I’m excited to add a gardening section to this blog and start posting what we learn along the way. Our kids have already started telling everyone we are farmers and have planned out where to keep the horses & sheep. They definitely are a little more ambitious than we are, but they are having fun. They especially enjoy coming up with new games like terrorizing lizards, chasing each other with shovels, & walking around the garden like zombies. So create your own family memories and consider if having a garden is right for you!