It taught me better methods than what I was using to control pests and disease organically, and boy they made all the difference in the world – I can barely keep up with my cucumber harvest! It helped me develop habits in the garden by starting a journal, which keeps me on track for managing what I need to do and when to do it.
One of the biggest things we’ve realized is that you don’t need a big backyard to grow a lot of food. Our yard is under 1/6 of an acre, but last year we managed to grow almost 200 pounds of food! With the help of the seeds, plants, tools, and workshops provided through the program, we’ve been able to get creative with our space and make every square foot count.
What once felt intimidating now feels exciting and playful. Instead of worrying about doing things “wrong,” we’ve gained the knowledge and confidence to simply enjoy the process — and that’s been such a beautiful message to share with our three young boys.
A great thing about this program is that another family in our neighborhood is doing it too. We talk about our gardens and share our experiences. It helps to know someone else is going through the same challenges, especially with stubborn grass and daily maintenance.
Through the Build it up program I have been given a gift to learn the things about gardening that I didn’t when I was growing up. I chose to garden in raised beds for my first year. I built 4-4×8 raised beds out of rough sawn lumber and a herb spiral out of bricks.