Do It Yourself: Have it from the Backyard

By Berly Thomas

Toronto: When it comes to repairing your iPhone and fixing issues, some people suggest doing it on their own. The question of who owns your iPhone determines the right to repair. Can we fix the rising grocery prices in the same way? Some people are repairing their broken home budgets by farming vegetables in their backyards. They are doing it themselves. They own their own groceries.

Food inflation is a factor that creates economic imbalances in households. According to Canada’s Food Price Report 2024, food prices are expected to increase by 2.5% to 4.5%. This means that an average family has to spend around $701.79 more on groceries this year. According to Statistics Canada, major factors contributing to food inflation are the prices of fresh vegetables and fruits. So why don’t we grow vegetables in our backyards and save money on our grocery bills?

Since the pandemic, public interest in farming and gardening has increased a lot.. More people started growing their own vegetables. Collective farming and backyard farming have become widespread in Ontario. Charitable organizations like ‘Living Green Barrie’ are helping people cultivate their own vegetables and live a sustainable life. Small scale farming tailored to individual needs is one of the best options to have their own vegetables and fruits. Because it doesn’t require too much space, time, or other resources, it is not very hard to do backyard farming. With minimal effort, time, and resources like water, anyone can get enough vegetables for their own use.

Many of us think that backyard farming is a herculean task and that only those with a passion for farming and gardening will become successful at it. Actually, that is not true. Anyone who has some space available in their backyard can cultivate their favorite vegetables within their time limits. For this, we can use various things that are available around us. This will reduce the initial costs of farming.

Instead of buying new planters, we can use old buckets, crates, and tires to plant vegetables. Any container with proper drainage can be used for farming. We can cut plastic bottles in two to plant small plants. Egg cartons can be used to seed plants. To manage the use of water, you can collect rainwater and use that to water these vegetables. In this way, you can reduce your water bills too.

Many libraries and local community centers offer seed libraries for free. This helps local communities start farming without much cost, even without purchasing seeds. They also have community gardens. People can access community gardens to share tools and knowledge with fellow gardeners.

Many countries have successfully established backyard farming. Countries like Argentina are very advanced in this. In the city of Rosario, low-income families have been given access to public land for food cultivation. By this method, they are producing enough food for the residents at minimal cost. The Australian city of Melbourne has community gardens and street gardens to promote food cultivation. The Canadian province of Saskatchewan has a program called the askîy project that teaches younger generations how to cultivate their own food. This project also helps convert urban spaces into farms and gardens.

Backyard farming is a proven and successful solution for the rising grocery prices. It is empowering people to become more self sufficient. By converting available spaces into vegetable gardens, community members can promote sustainability. With minimal resources and creativity anyone can start growing their own vegetables.