Is Self Sufficiency Possible?

Are you thinking about growing your own?  Do you have a large garden or allotment?  Do you want to grow your own? 

We have all been there, dreaming of hot summers walking barefoot down the garden to harvest dinner for you and your family.  But is it really possible?  Can you do it?  And is it cost effective or even affordable?  Now, more than ever we are looking to ensure our loved ones eat wholesome food that is free from chemicals and preservatives.  We are all aware that pesticides and herbicides can contaminate our food and can possibly cause health problems, whilst organic produce is readily available it can be expensive and may not offer all the health benefits we are looking for.  So we decide the only way to go is to grow our own.

Growing our own produce can offer a wealth of benefits, from knowing it is free from undesirable chemicals to being able to harvest it at it's peak of ripeness and ensuring it is tasty and fresh.  And it is with this in mind that I am going to attempt to grow a range of vegetables for the first time.  Now I have to admit that I am not a novice gardener, I have been gardening for nearly 30 years, but most of that has been ornamentals.  I do make sure I have a few tomato plants each year and have grown runner beans successfully.  Peas, sweetcorn and even courgettes have been a failure in recent years.  

So what makes me think this year is going to be any different?  I am hopefully going to have more time from now on, as my youngest has flown the nest.  So with just me and Mr Gadget Nerd (an affectionate name for my techno obsessed darling husband) left in the house, and him working full time and then hiding away in his Gaming Cave, I don't have a lot to distract me.  In fact I need another hobby!!!  

So, lovely people, I am inviting you to join me as I turn my neglected and overgrown garden into a food producing paradise - well that's the plan, but I'm going to need an awful load of luck for it to happen.