Sustainable and Organic Gardening

The Whats and Whys of Sustainable Gardening

So you want to know more about sustainable gardening?  It has finally risen above the ashes, as has organic gardening, from when it was the norm.

With the advent of easily accessible packaged food and grocery stores, we moved away from foraging for food, sustainable gardening, and organic gardening.  

But most people are now realizing those older generations had kept the Earth ripe and safe for us. We are also realizing that we ourselves have moved very far away from that, and the Earth is suffering (as is our health!). 

Why We Must Use Sustainable and Organic Gardening Methods

We can meet our own needs without compromising the future generations’ needs. When you are a sustainable and organic gardener, you are practicing excellent environmental stewardship. 

Your motto is “Do no evil”.

The motto sounds on the highly religious and moral spectrum, don’t you think?  I prefer to believe that the concept is more on the “spirit of the universe” side of things.

There really isn’t a technical definition of sustainable gardening, but we will surmise it to say that it is the use of gardening practices that cause no harm to the earth and it’s living creatures.  Instead, you actually try to enhance them.

We at Needlepointers.com are all about “going green”!  We want to take care of the earth AND live healthier lives!  

That means we spend less time and money at the grocery store and spend more time growing our own vegetables, fruits, grasses, and shrubs at home with organic gardening.

Is Organic and Sustainable Gardening a New Concept?

Though many people think so, this is not a new and novel idea.  Most of our families grew their own food in ways that worked with nature and not against it.

I remember my grandparents’ garden; it was huge, and there was such a variety of items grown there.  They had watermelon, corn, beans, peas...there are too many foods to list.

In the yard grew pear, apple, peach trees and wild mushrooms, and they were all harvested and eaten or preserved by the process of canning so there would be food all winter.

My grandfather was always experimenting with something new each summer, whether it be natural fertilizers and pest controls, or a new variety of tomato. 

He would garden with beer, which seemed very unorthodox to me as a kid.  But he found that gardening with beer provided a natural fertilizer and tended to keep pests away!

I’m pretty sure one or two of the beers were kept aside for my grandpa and my dad to enjoy at the end of a long day in the garden!

My grandpa knew all about organic gardening before the term organic was in vogue. 

Ever heard of kohlrabi?  We ate it freshly pulled from the garden in slices made with my grandpa’s pocket knife!

I remember fighting with my sister to be the one to carry the vegetable and fruit scraps from making dinner and toss them into the large compost pit at the edge of the garden.

We loved to make DIY garden decorations to adorn the beautiful plot of soil and greens. Our garden deco was obviously made by children; you can find garden decorations to make yourself right here on this page!

The truth of the matter is that even though we hustle through our busy lives, sustainable gardening is not that difficult to begin.  You need the motivation, the seeds or plants, some gardening tools, and a good bit of determination.  Nature provides you with soil, water and sunshine!

Take It From Your Garden to Your Table!

We hope you will begin the lovely process of garden to table; growing your own food, cooking it, and eating it with one common goal: enjoyment!  

We want you to be inspired to link your garden and your kitchen, and feel the joy of the garden to table life.

There is so much information, tips, and ideas on this page related to sustainable and organic gardening!  Be sure to check out our miscellaneous gardening page for even more ideas!!

JOIN US IN THE ADVENTURE!  YOU’LL BE SO GLAD YOU DID!