When your backyard garden becomes your Haven

A few years ago, right before the initial stay-at-home orders, I decided to make a backyard garden. With the help of other family members, we built a beautiful garden. My little ones were excited as they got to spend hours digging in the dirt and doing what kids love, playing outside and getting dirty in the mud. Initially, the garden was going to be a place where we just grew our vegetables since going to the supermarket was risky due to the outbreak of the COVID virus. As the weeks went by, we all looked forward to going outside and taking care of our plants. It became the highlight of the day after homeschooling and working indoors.

As the stay-at-home orders and lockdowns extended due to the virus, the garden was an important place. It became a source of vitamin c, outdoor exercise, and connecting with family outdoors. The kids were thrilled to be outside. They got to enjoy their playhouses, ride their bikes, and just be themselves. Something essential for all children and was crucial during the pandemic. Being outside made us all happy. 

Here are some tips for starting a garden:

1. Research the optimal growing season for your area.
2. Use organic NON-GMO Heirloom seeds which have not been altered or genetically modified. 
3. Decide what type of space you have available. If you live in an apartment or condominium, you may have to use a window seal or a balcony. You would be surprised with just a little bit of space what you could produce.
4. Select containers that fit your space. You can use recycled plastic containers you own for your window seal or larger shallow containers for your balcony. 
5. Select the herbs and plants you would like to grow. Sometimes you could use cuttings from things you already have in your fridge. For example, you can sprout green onion and celery. Cut off the green stalks just above the white area and save them for cooking. Place the stalks in a jar of water for a few days and allow them to root, then plant.

Gardening is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Starting a garden is very special, observing your seedlings sprout, grow and fruit in time. Symbolizes the plants you nurtured to grow and fruit. It resembles many aspects of our life, like building our dreams or nurturing our children. There is nothing more amazing than watching things around us grow and evolve. Happy Gardening!

Farrah La Ronde-Hutchison

Farrah was born on the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, Dominica. An island, known for its rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, and extensive centenarian population. Dominica instilled in her a respect for nature, the environment, and the power of healthy living. It is apparent why she became an Environmental Scientist. After much success in her industry, Farrah found a growing need for community-based health education and founded Gaia’s Essence, a lifestyle company for women. Over the years, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies like; Whole Foods Market, Disney, and OWN. She is the Editor in Chief of Gaia’s Essence Magazine, the producer of the New Year New You Summit, the Gaia’s Essence Women’s Wellness Conference, host of the Beast Mamas podcast, and founder of the Gaia’s Essence Network.
She lives in California with her husband and her two children.