DIY Food Safety – How to Get Started (Guest Post)

Editor's Note: That's right, she's not from Texas (hit it, Lyle!) ... but when we saw some posts on Twitter, we knew that wanted Sheryl (@yardfanatic) to guest blog here about her transition from the Pacific Northwest to the Lone Star State. This is #1 in a series. Be sure to leave a note and say, "howdy."

I don’t know about you, but the continual bad news about our nations food supply scares me to death. From E. coli-tainted spinach to hormone stuffed beef; nothing seems safe any more. There is only one solution for me; grow my own food.

No problem. Except for one thing, I just moved from Oregon to Austin three months ago. The house my husband and I bought has a lovely front and back yard full of St Augustine grass. But since it’s not exactly something I’d serve for dinner, grass is out and edible is in. I’ve done this a couple of times now, and here’s my list of some things to consider before actually going out and digging in the dirt.

1. What will my family eat? What can they be bribed to eat? What can they be FORCED to eat? There is nothing worse than growing some excellent produce and having to haul it to the food bank because your ungrateful, beanie-weenies loving family won’t eat it. If you are a first time gardener, start growing things that you know they will at least try. Green beans? Onions? Potatoes? Sweet Corn? How about cantaloupe or watermelon? All of these are relatively easy to grow and can introduce your family to eating fresh. Once they discover how food is supposed to taste, they will be much more likely to try other things.

2. How can I involve my family in the project? Grow some fun things. Yard -long beans are easy to grow and provide some interest in the garden. They taste fabulous too. Try squash varieties that look like space aliens. How about “ghost” pumpkins? Or popcorn? It’s not just little kids that you can entice; my city-raised husband likes to see what I’m up to as well. Every year I like to grow a few weird things to keep him interested. And, if I happen to hand him a harvest basket or point out a few weeds…well, where’s the harm in that?

3. Where can I get advice? The best information source for me has always been the local extension service. These folks are a treasure trove of information and they publish a lot of free stuff. Their Texas Home Gardening Guide is an example. Another great resource affiliated with the extension service is the Master Gardener program.

4. What will the neighbors think? Involve them as well. I talked to the neighbors about my plans before I even made an offer on my house. When I purchased some citrus trees, I had them over to smell the leaves. I’ve walked my yard with them and shared my vision of an edible landscape – with heavy emphasis on all the free produce they are going to get. They may think I’m crazy, but nothing I do now surprises them because I keep them updated and in the loop. Most people just don’t like things sprung on them – especially when they think their home values might be threatened.

Vegetable gardening is greatly rewarding and satisfying. Give it a shot. Where else can you get the opportunity to eat your mistakes?

Sheryl blogs regularly at Yard Fanatic.