We had a great veggie patch going in Wanaka but sadly had to give it up. So we have just started again with what space we have on our balcony.

7 Reasons why you should grow your own food:

• There is nothing more local than food grown in your own backyard, your windowsills, or on patio containers.
• Growing your own fruits and vegetables means that you know exactly what does and does not go into your food and exactly where it comes from.
• You will get healthier in a number of ways. Not only will you end up eating more fruits and vegetables, but you will be getting added exercise. Did you know that you can burn as many calories in 45 minutes of gardening as you can in 30 minutes of aerobics? And, working in the garden reduces stress.
• You will get a bigger variety of your favorite fruits and vegetables because you can choose from hundreds of different varieties and you can grow the things you like the best.
• A survey done by the American Gardening Association found that the main reason given for increasing or maintaining edible gardening last year was to supplement household food supply — to help them save money on food. That alone is a very powerful reason.
• You can teach your children or grandchildren where their food actually comes from and that it doesn’t come from the supermarket but from the soil, the earth that we all depend on.