Nurturing something all the way from tiny seed to full-grown edible goodness is pretty darn cool. I’ve been at it for two years now and I’m amazed by the whole process. Plus, you really can’t get more local than your own backyard.
I placed my seed orders at the end of January and have been eagerly awaiting the mailman ever since. As fate would have it I received not only my orders, but was erroneously sent an order from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds originally destined for someone in Missouri. I immediately notified them and they said not to worry. They would re-send this person’s order and I was welcome to keep the extra seeds or share them with friends.
That’s when I thought to myself: What a cool opportunity to encourage other people to get growing! Thus, I present to you the “Grow Something You Can Eat Challenge“.
This year I want you to grow, even just one thing, that you can eat. I don’t care how little experience you have or if (like me) you are a notorious brown thumb. If I can do this, you can do this. I don’t care how much or how little space you have. Growing one tomato plant in a container on your balcony is a start.
To kick off this challenge I’m giving away the extra seeds I received from Baker Creek. I’ll randomly select two (2) winners who will receive an assortment of seed packets including:
(1) Tomato
(1) Sweet Pepper
(1) Melon
and either (1) zucchini or (1) cucumber
How To Enter: Comment on this blog post with your level of gardening know-how and why it’s important to you to grow something.
Contest starts 2/10/2012 and I’ll be accepting entries until midnight 2/25/2012. All entries past then will be great, but won’t count. I’ll announce the winners on this site and on my Facebook page on 2/27/2012.
Even if you don’t win I hope you’ll join in my challenge to grow something you can eat. And, I hope you’ll share your growing hits and misses with me. I’ll certainly be sharing mine.
Just grow it!
OFFICIAL RULES: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 18 or older to enter, continental U.S. residents only (I have to pay for shipping). Each seed prize pack is worth approximately $10. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. After all entries are received, I’ll use random.org to pick the winners. Selected winners have until 2/29/2012 to claim their seeds, otherwise I’ll draw more names. I make no guarantees about germination rates or quality. I assume no liability if the seeds don’t grow. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW
My level of gardening know how is very minimal, but I've been accidentally successful for a few years, so I decided to try to grow heirlooms for the first time this year. I think it's important to grow food because it's awesome to eat and there's always lots to share! 🙂
I love growing my own veggies – theres something so inexplicably great about going to pick something and then cooking it for dinner.
Alicia,
My husband and I love gardening in every form, from veggies to flowers and shrubs to trees. This year we are planning to buy a house and build a greenhouse so we can garden all year! This will not only save us oodles of $$$ but also contribute to our overall well being. We would love to incorporate the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds into our garden.
Thank you for your love of sustainable gardens, buying locally is so good for all involved!
Anita
I have a decent amount of experience gardening, however, I just moved into a new place with a guy, and he has no plants and no landscaping around his house. I've been thinking about how much I need to "green-up" the place. Getting some plants started in the house and then transferring them outside would be a great place to get started. And of course we are always looking for ways to save money and eat healthier. All around, a win-win for us!
I grow a garden every year and get such satisfaction from it. I had an organic farm in Vermont for a few years and wish I had enough land here to do it again. My kids have such an appreciation for the stuff we grow. That to me is so important. Growing stuff is easy. If you don't have land, do tomatoes in containers or a small herb garden in your kitchen. It's inexpensive and so worth it. Watching a seed turn into something beautiful is a wonderful journey to go on with your children. Grab some soil and plant some seeds.