My grandparents tending to their garden circa 1980s. Recently I came across an image of my grandparents tending to their garden and was amazed at the amount of produce they were growing. A lot of their practice came down to necessity. The local shops were far away and, without a car and with the little public transport that was then available, the commute was very long. Fast forward to the present day and we have embraced urbanisation and with it high density living where there are shops on every corner. Access to fresh produce has never been better however access to land has never been worse. This does not mean we can no longer grow our own food. Advancements in agricultural technology have given us the opportunity to reconnect with our food system no matter the space. Yes; not everyone will be able to enjoy the yields that were afforded through my grandparents veggie patch. However, why not aim to grow all your parsley (one of the most necessary culinary herbs in my opinion), pick your own strawberries (a high value crop that is usually a discretionary item) or even a head of lettuce (something that is fast growing). An abundance of one crop can help you connect with other growers in your community that would be open to a trade. Collectively we can recreate our grandparents veggie patch.
