
The trend of home growing food
FSI Landscape Supply weighs in on home growing food during covid-19. Michael Fraimen shares “As national lockdowns sowed economic chaos, several seed banks, garden centres and urban farming organizations reported spikes in website traffic and overwhelming digital orders.” (Source: Maclean’s, Some Canadians are turning to their yards to grow their food during the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Fraiman, April 3, 2020, https://www.macleans.ca/society/some-canadians-are-turning-to-their-yards-to-grow-their-food-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/.)
The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged many individuals to incorporate different methods of typical day-to-day tasks. A mundane task such as making a trip to the grocery store has become challenging. Michael Fraimen shares the story of Diane Archer, a mother of two. Diane made the decision to grow a food garden. Diane expressed, “having some extra food coming in this summer sounds like a pretty good idea, rather than having to worry about paying for our next meal.” FSI Landscape agrees, “growing a garden has always been a popular pass time. Now more than ever, growing your own vegetable garden or planting fruit trees is a great way to feed your family at a low cost and keep you from making frequent uncomfortable trips to the grocery store. Maintaining a food garden is also a great way to unwind and relax during this stressful time. To start, you will need basic landscaping supplies. Suppose you are planning to garden on a larger scale; you will need a landscaping professional. Once you begin, maintaining a garden is easy and very rewarding.”
Michael shares, “as national lockdowns sowed economic chaos, Canada’s garden industry boomed, as several seed banks, garden centres and urban farming organizations reported spikes in website traffic and overwhelming digital orders.” It is easy to see why gardening has become increasingly popular. It is both functional, great for health, assists with stress relief, and encourages people to enjoy the outdoors safely rather than feeling stuck indoors. FSI Landscape Supply expresses, “we at FSI have noticed a similar increase of interest in the landscaping industry. Contractors are constructing raised garden beds and extending a client’s home by creating outdoor living spaces. Everyone is turning their home into a private oasis that incorporates their lifestyle choices. Culinary enthusiasts are building outdoor kitchens and extending their patios to enjoy a full dining experience. As long as you have the right landscaping supplies, materials, and guidance from a landscaping professional, you will see that your home has much more space than you thought.”
Michael shares Arlene Hazzan Green and her husband’s story, who have created the Backyard Urban Farm Company. Arlene mentions new and existing clients have voiced concerns regarding quality control within supermarkets. The article highlights that Arlene divides the surge into two groups: haves and have-nots. Therefore, those whose food stability was uncertain before the pandemic and the “haves” are those whose jobs are not necessarily in danger and who garden or farm recreationally. FSI Landscape Supply shares, “food security or the fear of not having easy access to foods, as the article mentions, is definitely one of the main reasons as to why gardening has gained its popularity.”
This article presented by Michael Fraimen was written in April 2020, time is passing, and there is hope for better circumstances. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax, expresses, “we’re going to have access to food, no problem, but it’s not going to be perfect.” In other words, there may be other factors that interrupt our food supplies. One example used in the article is cost. The price for fresh produce may increase, and many other economic issues may cause inflation. FSI Landscape shares, “as we hope for a brighter future, it is beneficial to start up a vegetable garden and expand our living space outdoors. You can feel comfortable knowing how your produce is being handled; you will be making fewer trips to the grocery store, saving you money, and experiencing the joy of feeding your family fresh food. Ask us here at FSI Landscape Supply to help you choose the appropriate landscaping supplies for gardening and landscape design”.