Edible gardening has been a major interest of gardeners for many years, but it is experiencing an upsurge right now.  This upsurge in partially due to the economy, but there are other contributing factors that will remain even when the economy recovers.

 

There have been several major food scares in recent years.  Salmonella and E. coli are top headlines that come to mind.  Pesticide safety is also an issue.  Producing one's own food eliminates this concern because you will control the environment in which it is produced. 

 

A recent lecture by Dr. Arden Andersen revealed to us that 100% of all corn, soy, cottonseed, and canola produced in the U.S. are from GE seed unless they are marked "certified organic".  While it is difficult to produce these foods in a home garden, it is possible to avoid them since they are common ingredients in processed foods.  Eating fresh from the home garden reduces intake of processed foods. 

 

Because of the above issues, gardeners are more interested in consuming healthier organic foods. Producing one's own vegetables and fruits is easier than producing one's own meats and dairy products, so this is where we start.

 

The more locally food is produced, the less of a drain it is on our transportation resources.  It can't get more local than your own backyard!