Celebrate Home Farming Day by Planning Your Garden Now

There was a time when the norm for a great many American families with even the smallest plots of land was to raise their own vegetables, when the decision to add ears of sweet corn, sliced tomatoes and onions, or fresh greens to the dinner menu involved a simple walk into the backyard garden.

Home gardens got a boost during the WWI and WWII years when much of the nation's agricultural labor shifted to military service. At that time patriotic Americans were exhorted in greater numbers to plant their own Victory Gardens in an effort to maintain a strong food supply.

Times have certainly changed.

As the country has shifted away from an agricultural-based economy with more and more farmland converted to commercial use, interest in home gardening has waned. Instead,  modern Americans often rely on local grocery stores for their produce, a practice that gardening advocates say has some serious implications for our food security, our economy, and our general health.

On April 12, 2010, a seed was planted and Home Farming Day was born. Sponsored by Triscuit, Home Farming Day is a grassroots movement that encourages the raising of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs at home -- be it in your back yard, raised beds, or on your window sills. And there are plenty of organizations in north central Connecticut that can offer advice to both novice and experienced gardeners.

The Manchester Agricultural Preservation Association (MAPA) is one such organization. A subcommittee of the Manchester Conservation Commission, the volunteer group supports gardening on two levels:  the first to encourage community gardening particularly at the local schools and the second to support local established farms.

"[Teaching students about gardening] is important on so many levels," said John Weedon, Chair of MAPA. "Children need to understand food doesn't just come from stores in a box.  There are a whole range of disciplines touched by growing our own food, including biology, ecology, and business that can be worked into the curriculum," he said.

"Just think about gas prices," said Weedon, explaining that conventional agriculture is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, be it to produce synthetic fertilizers, to run tractors and other farm machinery, or to transport food multiple times to get it to the local stores. By growing their own food, people can not only increase their own self-sufficiency but also reduce their grocery bills, as well as their gas bills running back and forth to the grocery store.

A feasible alternative for those who don't have a plot of land or who have land that is not conducive to gardening, is the seasonal rental of a "community garden" plot.  Typically set up on town-owned land and offered through the Parks and Recreation Departments of local governments, community garden plots provide residents an opportunity to grow their own flowers and vegetables in a friendly, helpful environment.

In Windsor, 21 community garden plots at Northwest Park that are 36' x 36'  are available to residents for $35 each. The plots are rototilled in the spring and harrowed in the fall.

"All but two plots were rented last year, and we're almost full this year," said Carolyn Gresham, clerical assistant at the Park. 

Gresham said many of the people that rent plots are repeat customers and Northwest Park staff gives them preference by sending a letter out in early March about availability giving them two to three weeks notice before opening up the plots to the general public.

"People seem to love them," she said. "It becomes a community summer project where people develop summer friends and share tips." 

For backyard gardeners, clubs such as the Tolland Garden Club can also provide a wealth of information.

Master Gardener and Tolland Garden Club member Paula Robinson said in her lectures, she tries to emphasize the importance of food safety from the garden to the table, particularly with regard to the washing of vegetables. She also emphasizes that  people who grow their own know that their vegetables are fresh and have control over the amount and types of pesticides (if any) that are being used.

"Before you plant, the first thing you should do is a soil test," said Robinson. "A lot of people don't even think about that and pass it up, but this is the perfect time of year to get one done so you know if you need to add anything to your soil," she said.

Robinson said the Tolland Agricultural Center on Route 30 has information on how and where to submit a soil test to get your results quickly. She said many people send their soil to the University of Connecticut for the relatively inexpensive testing.

Information about the UConn Home and Garden Education Center can be found at www.ladybug.uconn.edu.

"We answer all kinds of questions about gardening, about plant disease and diagnostics," said Carol Quish, an horticulurist at the Center.  Located on the campus in the Plant Science Department, Quish said they are an excellent resource for learning how to grow plants correctly, an outreach center for making the university's knowledge of plant science available to the greater community.

Those who can neither maintain a home garden or community garden can still help to support the continuity of local farms in a number of ways, said Janet Heller, a board member of the Connecticut chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (CTNOFA.)

Focussed on organic farming and providing educational programs and workshops to help promote a more sustainable food system for the state, CTNOFA also encourages citizens in joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group and purchasing a "share" of a local farmer's crop.  Members of CSAs share in the bounty of a local farmer's harvest, while also providing the farmer with needed "seed" money for seasonal startup costs.

A list of area CSA's are available on the CTNOFA website at: http://www.ctnofa.org/CSAs.htm

Another way to support local agriculture is by shopping at farmer's markets.

The Coventry Farmers Market, one of the largest regional markets in the area, will open its 8th season this June at the Nathan Hale Homestead. Operating under the Coventry Economic Development Commission, the destination market  averages 50 farmers stands at each market and serves 75,000 visitors annually.

An extensive list of Farmer's Markets in Connecticut including indoor winter markets can be found on the Connecticut Department of Agriculture web site.

Of course, without a new generation of gardeners and farmers to replace the old, agriculture will not survive and so perhaps one of the most important focusses of pro-gardening organizations today is raising that next generation.

Through her Master Gardener program, Robinson said she works with children at the Channel 3 Kids Camp in  a program set up about four to five years ago that takes young people through the complete gardening cycle from preparation of the soil, to planting, to weeding, to harvesting and to making a meal for the table.

"We're starting now to prepare the garden for planting. It's very good for the kids to be involved in the whole process," she said.