Growing your food matters more than ever

There’s something deeply satisfying about growing your own food. Watching tiny seedlings emerge from the soil, watering them through dry weeks and eventually harvesting something you grew yourself changes the way you think about food. Even a small pot of herbs on a balcony can create that connection.

At Green Connect Farm in Warrawong, we see this all the time. Children pull carrots from the ground with amazement. Adults proudly take home their first bunch of silverbeet or lettuce. People who never thought of themselves as gardeners discover how rewarding it can be to grow even a small amount of food.

And right now is one of the best times of year to start planting.

As cooler months settle into the Illawarra, many vegetables thrive in our climate. Leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, rocket, silverbeet and kale grow well through autumn and winter. It’s also a great time to plant broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, peas and broad beans. Herbs such as parsley, coriander and dill also do well this time of year.

The good news is you do not need a large backyard or fancy set-up. A few pots in a sunny spot can produce herbs and salad greens. Raised garden beds make things easier, but even recycled containers can work surprisingly well. The important thing is simply starting.

Growing food teaches patience in a world that increasingly expects instant results. You cannot rush a tomato plant or force lettuce to grow overnight. You learn to pay attention to weather, soil, insects and seasons. You also gain a new appreciation for farmers and the work involved in producing fresh food.

There are health benefits, too. People who grow food are often more likely to eat fresh vegetables and spend more time outdoors. Gardening can reduce stress, improve mental wellbeing and provide gentle physical activity.

For children especially, growing food can completely change their relationship with vegetables. A child who refuses lettuce from a supermarket is often surprisingly willing to eat lettuce they helped grow themselves.

At Green Connect, we love seeing families reconnect with food through the farm. Children collect eggs, smell herbs straight from the garden, and learn that carrots come covered in dirt not plastic. Many adults tell us visiting the farm inspires them to start growing something at home, even if it’s just herbs on a windowsill.

In uncertain times, there is something comforting about growing food. It reminds us that small actions matter. A handful of seeds can become meals, habits and lifelong skills. It reconnects us with the seasons and with the simple satisfaction of creating something ourselves.

You do not need to become fully self-sufficient. Most people won’t. But growing even a little of your own food changes your perspective. It slows you down, gets your hands in the soil and creates a stronger connection to what you eat and where it comes from.

And if you’ve been thinking about starting a vegie garden, now is a pretty good time to begin.

The writer, Robert Servine, is the CEO at Green Connect Farm