There are many reasons why we should be careful about what we are eating. You are what you eat, and in this case, we must all be carcinogenic chemicals and additives. It’s probably why we all feel so bad all the time.
We are exhausted, sick, stressed, depressed, and ridden with anxiety in the modern day society. Not like these problems are new, they aren’t. But, we are seeing a steady increase in cases of basically every health issue today. This is because we are fed so much processed food. Processed food is food that isn’t even remotely food, yet it is sold as natural and healthy ingredients, per say the labels. This is exactly why you should look into yard farming.
Yard Farmers is a new tv series that is expected to hit the air by spring of 2017. It follows a diverse set of six young Americans as they move back home with their parents to become yard farmers. While the production crew is still looking for crew members to effectively fill these roles, they are quite simple. The concept is to make a livelihood out of growing food in parents and neighbors yards, random street flower boxes, churchyards, school yards, vacant lots, and cemeteries.
The point is to raise awareness about some of the important issues we face today when it comes to the food we eat. Yard Farmers is about converting unsustainable suburban developments, urban food deserts, or other neglected and more sustainable. Not everyone can become a TV series star, but anyone can become a yard farmer. In fact, Here are 9 solid reasons to become one.
Lawns are Outdated
Lawns originate in the 1600’s in the cool and mild climate of Europe. It was essential to growing lush green grasses and lawns. They had practical applications and were used in and around medieval castles. They used them to provide guards and watchmen an unobstructed view of enemies, but that’s not really something we have to deal with today.
Lawns Account for Significant Water Usage
The upkeep and sustenance of lawns account for a great portion of water usage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, sustaining lawns and landscaping accounts for over 30% of all water used in the United States. This amount of water could be greatly utilized to grow food instead of flashy lawns and flower gardens.
Yard Farming Can Improve Overall Health
Aside from the fact that you will now be consuming whole, natural, and safe ingredients that you grew yourself you will experience an increase in overall health. This is because you are consuming whole ingredients, staying outdoors, exerting physical activity, and getting your vitamin D.
Food Security
When you grow your own food you don’t have to worry about it being contaminated with toxic chemicals or being genetically modified. When you grow your own food you get an entirely new palette of nutrients that we miss out on mass produced and distributed foods. You also save a tremendous amount of money! Ron Finley says, “growing your own food is like printing your own money.”
Lawns are Wasted Resources
It is estimated that there are 40 million acres of unused land that is unsustained lawns. In 2015 the fifth largest crop in the United States was the turf grass lawns. These lawns using valuable resources like water, fertilizers, energy, and fossil fuels. Each week across North America millions of gallons of water are used in weekly lawn substance. What a waste of water.
It Builds Communities
Supermarkets haven’t exactly been around for that long. Many western societies have little resources that are based on a car dependent society, but before all of this most people grew their own food instead of getting it at a market. These significantly helped communities grow because people would sell and trade their own produced meat, dairy, and vegetables.
It Increases Local Food Production
Mass produced food is a recipe for disaster. Yard Farming increases the amount of locally grown whole foods on the market. Mass produced and industrialized food companies poison us using additives and other ingredients to preserve food way past expiration dates. This causes massive health issues, and we’ll never be able to stand up to them if we can’t grow our own food.
You Know Where Your Food Comes From
Nothing beats eating the food that you grew yourself. You worked and put in hours of effort to grow your own food and it gives you a new appreciation of it. When you know where your food comes from it goes down much easier. You additionally gain many benefits from the actual food rather than the processed versions you buy from the supermarket.
You’re Helping Put Dirty Industries Out of Business
Food and meat producers have destroyed our health by using toxic ingredients. They use additives, colorants, texturants, fragrances, dyes, and preservatives. None of these things are food. Many poultry farmers are even guilty of mixing in cardboard, carcinogenic chemicals, and potatoes in with the rotten meat to make it look fresh. If we are able to yard farm we can get our food from somewhere else and put them out of business for good. Of course, that would take quite some time and a lot of yard farmers, you are certainly contributing to the downfall of the cruel food processing industries – and that feels pretty good.