Gardening is a large part of homesteading, but for most of us, it looks nothing like the back breaking work of our ancestors. We can accomplish in hours, what took them days. We have ready supplies of water and fertilizer, where they waited on rain and worked with the soil they had. Perhaps the difference that has most affected society, though, is that while we grow gardens for fun, health, or economy, they grew gardens to survive.

Most of society today has no idea where food really comes from. There is no connection between the food that nourishes us and the Creator that sustains us. It is all clean and processed and waiting in convenient packaging at the store. No shucking, no shelling, no canning, no planning.  Amazingly, we have seen potatoes, plastic wrapped on trays, advertising that they are already washed and ready to bake! We have had people tell us that we can get things at the store just as cheap, so why spend the time and energy on a garden? After all, last week, green beans and corn was on sale for .50 a can. (We stocked up by the way).

Gardening gives us perspective and keeps us grounded. We have to work for the result, not just swipe a debit card for it. We wait for God to send the rain and shine the sun. We fight plant disease and insects to protect the harvest. We watch and marvel as seeds turn to food. We work our bodies and gain strength. It reminds us daily of our amazing Creator. If you garden, we hope it blesses you. If you don’t, we encourage you to try it.