Why do you garden?

[GardenJester]

I don't really know, cept to say. It gives me a sense of certainty, control and accomplishment. Nothing is more certain then planting a seed, watch it sprout, and grow. And if you run into any problems, there's always something you can do to solve it, and hard work gurantees bountiful rewards. About what else in life can you say the same?

[applestar]

I'm just amazed that they GROW!

.... ... ... ... ...

[VeggieGrower]

Because I've never found canned tomatos at the store that tast anything close to what I grew up with. I grew up with home canned tomatos and nothing else tastes as good.

[vermontkingdom]

Well, there are as many reasons to garden as there are varieties of tomatoes! I grew up in a family of 18 kids and quite frankly, gardening was survival. I have gardened my "entire" life, well 66 years at this point since I actually don't know what the entire will turn out to be.

Gardening provides wonderful, healthy exercise and nutritious food. It provides a time to commune with nature and God. Once upon a time it provided a great opportunity for me to interact with my three daughters and now, priceless time to interact with my grandson (2 years of age). And, what a delightful feeling to give to friends, family and the needy, both in summer and winter, produce you grew from your own labors.

Perhpas you have already done this but, if not, try it. Bring a big basket of produce to Church for your church friends. There are many senior citizens who can longer grow their own veggies and fruits and would be enormously grateful for your kindness and generosity.

[sweet thunder]

I really like learning how to do things from scratch - bake bread, spin fiber, brew beer, grow food. I think it can be downright revolutionary to reclaim the ability to feed and clothe ourselves.

I think our economy and culture is set up in such a way as to make us think we can't do these things. We believe we must rely on chemicals and complicated processes, but the truth is that it's easier than we think. In the case of gardening, all we really need to do is set the process in motion and nature will do much of the work.

That doesn't mean that I always want to do everything for myself. In most cases I'm happy to pay someone else to do these things for me, but I like to learn these skills as a reminder of their real value.

Plus it's just plain cool to see things grow!

[garden5]

The food tastes great and it's so amazing to know that it all came from enough seeds to cover the palm of your hand. Plus, there's the constant learning experience.....observing and trying new things each year .

[Urban_Garden]

Wow these are great responses everybody!
It seems sustainability, freshness, and costs are the main reasons!

[gaberdeen]

Gardening for me evokes a wide range of emotions. When I smell tomato plants it fondly brings me back to the days when my grandparents were still alive and I as a young boy would anxiously peek under the leaves to see if any were ripe. Or perhaps it inspires a sense of independence in a day and age where technology and fast food have robbed us of that independence. Not to mention that it also tastes dam good.