Serving your Family and Community with a Backyard Garden
Serving Your Family and Community with a Backyard Garden
If you’re looking for a productive hobby that will allow you to spend more time outdoors, now’s the perfect time to start a backyard garden. After purchasing supplies and seeds, your family will be able to enjoy free fresh produce. Plus, you can share your harvest with those in your community who need it most. We’ve collected some informative resources to help you plant your garden, preserve your surplus produce, and share what you’ve grown with your neighbors.
Resources for Starting Your Garden
Ready to start digging up your backyard? Go over these important guidelines for planting and harvesting from your garden first!
● Before you pick up seeds or starter plants, purchase these essential supplies online or at a local gardening center.
● Learn the ins and outs of planting everything from vegetables to herbs to trees! You can also try composting to improve your soil quality.
● Don’t pick your crops too early! This guide will help you ensure that you’re harvesting your fruits and vegetables when they’re ripe and ready to be eaten
Cooking and Preserving Your Harvest
How can you make your produce last for months on end? Check out these tips for preserving your food and cooking with canned vegetables!
● Canning is a popular method for preserving vegetables, but you need to take safety precautions to avoid botulism.
● Try cooking some of these nutritious recipes with canned vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, and green beans!
● Try freezing your veggies; this method will keep them fresh for six months to a year.
Giving Back to Your Community
With an abundance of produce from your garden, you’ll have more than enough to spare for those in need, so find out how you help your neighbors stock their pantries.
● Your senior neighbors are more likely to experience food insecurity, so consider donating to a food bank that assists seniors.
● Get your children involved with your donation efforts! This is a great way to show them why giving back helps us improve our own character.
● Consider organizing a food swap with your neighbors so that you can exchange meals and try foods from each other's kitchens.
Starting a backyard garden and giving away some of your crops is a beneficial endeavor for anyone with enough space. You may not think that you have a “green thumb,” but you’ll be surprised at how simple gardening is when you consult the right resources!
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