everyone to see. We’ve gained weight at an
So what if all I did was pick up some alarming rate, and weight is a prime pre
produce at the market and cook it. Does
it really matter that there is no sweat cursor of ill health, especially for coronary
equity in the entire process? disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Answer: Growing my own food gives Strangely, our retreat from the scratch
me great pleasure and satisfaction in kitchen and the kitchen garden really does
having gone the extra mile to provide provide an interesting opportunity for a
the very best for my family and friends.
combined synergistic turnaround.
Throughout this, my first year as a gar
dener, I’ve noticed a clear improvement in
both our family meals and my perception of life itself. To grow a vegetable, har
vest it in its prime, and cook and eat it on that day is to relish food in a whole
new way.
I thought that I had always eaten intentionally and valued the overall experi
ence, but I was amazed at my increased appreciation of each plant, just because I
had tended it as it grew and watched it carefully as it was more perfectly cooked.
It looked better, tasted better, and even felt like a far better choice for my body.
From seed to soil to plate was now a continuous experience, and at no stage
had I been indifferent. Of course, all this had taken time, and this is where I went
from being amazed to becoming astounded.
I’ve always felt that I never had enough time for everything I’ve tried to do,
and because of that stress, I’ve been robbed of the joy that comes from completing
a job that I consider to be really well done.
I’ve never enjoyed cutting corners, even
So what if I got used to convenience
foods and my time in the kitchen got im though they may never be seen by a casual
measurably shorter? Would there come a observer. But they would be more than ob
time when even scraping a carrot would vious to me, the perpetrator, who must
seem like hard labor? labor on and often leave a trail of regrets.
Answer: If I grow my own, the har I’ve discovered that as a gardener, I re
vesting, cleaning, and cooking become
one seamless experience and make the ally cannot cut corners. At least I can’t if I
time spent joyful and rewarding. want to grow the plants as naturally as pos
sible. It takes time and eff ort, consistently8 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE