I just can't afford it.

That was always my excuse not to buy organic foods. My budget will never be able to support those who farm organically. It can barely support all the food we go through as it is!

Now that I've spent the winter in Bakersfield, and watched all the cropdusters in the air, my thought has turned to "How can I afford to not buy organically grown foods?" The volume of pesticides/herbicides I've seen sprayed is pretty amazing. And not in a good way. So, what's a mother to do when her heart and head want one thing, but her budget demands another?

Garden. Yep, garden. I've been working on a small garden for a couple of years. It's not much, but I usually get a few tomatoes and zucchinis. This year, though, I'll be getting strawberries, chives, green beans, and hopefully some corn, too! These plants will be free: free from pesticides and herbicides. I compost most of my vegetable matter, along with egg shells and shrimp tails, throughout the year. I have to improve the soil in my yard, it's very pebbly and not well-developed since I live on the side of a mountain. I do occasionally add synthetic fertilizer, but it's in pellet form, so doesn't adhere to the fruits.  I don't need herbicides; I have a weeding tool and two good hands. I haven't needed pesticides yet. I hope I never do.

Everyone can garden. There are so many different products out there for indoor or small scale gardening! I haven't tried any of these, so please don't take this list as an endorsement, it's just what I can think of at the moment.  There's the topsy-turvy, the countertop herb and lettuce gardens, and countless websites about urban gardening. With so many resources available, truly anyone can have a garden.

Not only do you gain the benefit of knowing what is on your food, but gardening is inexpensive. At a time when food costs just keep going up, I am glad to find a way to make them head back down. Think about it: Four average-sized on-the-vine tomatoes are $2.99/lb. At ~2 lbs, that's almost $6! Those same $6 can be used to buy seeds and a container, or a plant already started.  Instead of 2 lbs of tomatoes, you can easily harvest 6 lbs or more, potentially much more if you choose seeds.

If you want to add global benefits, start with transportation costs. You don't have to drive to the store. As more people grow their own tomatoes, fewer tomatoes will be produced, and fewer trucks drive to the market. Fewer pesticides are sprayed, with lowered airtime for the dusters, and fewer chemicals will be produced in the first place. If you compost as well, that means less waste heading to the dump, and again, fewer trucks.

See? Gardening in your yard or on your balcony or in your kitchen is a very "sustainable" thing to do. It's the ultimate in local foods. Just walk out your door, and go pick something yummy.