The New York Times asked people to submit essays no longer than 200 words describing one good thing about 2020. I wrote about how more people started growing some of their own food during 2020 and as a result some large seed companies sold out on some seeds and garden supplies. They received more than 1,400 entries and published about a dozen of them. Mine was not chosen. so I thought I'd share it here:
One good thing about 2020
People are growing more food in response to:
- more time at home,
- worries about food safety,
- food shortages in grocery stores, and
- searching for educational and fun projects for their children around the home. Kids should know that carrots grow in the soil and don't just come in plastic bags.
This year several large seed companies have run out of seeds and gardening supplies. Also, there has been a significant uptick in the sales of vegetable gardening books, including mine: "Organic Methods for Vegetable Gardening in Florida." Plus, the chatter on gardening groups on social media and my personal contacts has been more centered on growing food. This fall, I was a guest on a local NPR radio station program when I talked about growing food and how people can get started.
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| Victory gardens of World War II |
This movement seems a bit
like the Victory Gardens of World War II, but without the urging by Uncle Sam. Homeowners
are doing it on their own to add resiliency to their family's food supply,
budget, and well-being. I hope this movement continues well beyond the pandemic
so people will have control of their food from seed to table.
