FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
The idea of growing food has been spinning around in my head for a long time. When we moved to the Catskills, I yearned to bring that vision to life.
My maternal grandmother was a gardening enthusiast. Walking her garden in the late summer, you would come upon lettuces, string beans, peppers, giant zucchinis, all grown within the sandy arid soil of northern Arizona. Surrounding her home, she had healthy, abundant fruit and nut trees. I remember going to her house in the summer and being in awe of what I could pick straight off a vine and place into my mouth. She spent months in the fall harvesting and canning, and she filled her pantry with preserves of all kinds — pickled, sweet, and tangy memories of her summer harvest.
It was simplicity in its richest form.
As we entered Spring, we soon realized that growing outdoors in the Catskills would be a challenge. Bears, chipmunks, bunnies, deer all roam our property, along with a massive list of insects. To build a garden here would require an enclosure which meant money and time. It felt overwhelming, and so over the summer, we opted to join a CSA with Ironwood Farms, a local farm that delivers incredible produce (up to 10 pounds) to us every week. We became accustomed to having fresh greens every week. Store-bought food isn’t the same; no surprise there.
I was thankful to discover Lettuce Grow, a hydroponic system that can be used to grow outdoors or indoors with grow lights. Easy to assemble and maintain, Lettuce Grow supplies you with all you need to grow your food in what they call your personal “farmstand.” After just three weeks of growing, we have harvested lettuce, herbs, bok choy. It is such a joy to know exactly where our food is coming from and that we can supply ourselves with food.
If you are in our situation or living in an urban area, I recommend considering the system. While the initial investment is pricey, the maintenance and energy costs are minimal. No green thumb is required!
