Embarking on a journey to eat more healthy, whole foods, Lily Shumake (11) has sprouted up her own garden. She plans to use the garden as an alternative to processed options provided by grocery stores. Shumake is excited to grow her own fruits and vegetables so she can know exactly what she is putting in her body.
What inspired your idea to start a garden?
“I don’t feel that good after eating processed food. The way that the food industry is going, food is getting faker and faker, and I don’t want to eat that. So I was thinking if I started growing my own fresh food and going to farmer’s markets, I could stay healthier and live longer.”
What is your goal for the garden? What do you plan to grow?
“I’m going to start off easy because potatoes are really easy to grow. We already have a green tomato bush growing in our front yard. So that’s a start.”
What do you think it will feel like to pick and eat your first piece of produce?
“I’m sure it will feel good, and I’ll be excited to share it with family. There’s nothing specific [I’d like to make with the produce], maybe some grilled green tomatoes because that’s all we have right now.”
How often do you plan to work on it?
“Every day to check up on my stuff and make sure it’s not getting eaten by animals. This spring could be a good time to start. It’s still potato growing season, so I have some time before the deadline cuts off.”
Is anyone else helping you, or is it mostly your responsibility?
“When I start it, I think that the whole family is going to be like, ‘you know, this might be a good idea.’ [Regardless, I’ll be] making sure there’s no pests eating [the plants], making sure they get the right amount of sunlight and making sure they’re being watered. I would have my brother and dad help me pull the hard stuff and keep up the soil. My aunt also has a garden, so that could be helpful.”
Have you thought about what you’ll do if something goes wrong, like bad weather or pests?
“If the weather is bad or animals eat the food, I’ll just regrow, or I’ll try and save what I can. I’ll probably put a little fence [up] or [use a] repellent.”
Do you see this as just a hobby, or could it turn into something bigger, like selling at the farmers’ market later on?
“I think growing food will turn into something bigger than a hobby, especially since there is a predicted food shortage in the near future, so this will help me stay prepared.”
