GROWING ONE’S OWN!

Grocery prices continue to go up. But in a down economy, wages have all-but stayed the same.

That, of course, means that local people have fewer dollars to spare when shopping at the store.

Knowing that, Raceland man Timmy Watkins decided to fight back – the best way he knew how.

So he bought a shovel, dug a couple holes in his back yard, scattered some seeds and decided to try and grow his own food.

It worked. Watkins now has several rows of potatoes on his property, while also growing cucumbers and tomatoes – a luxury which allows him to save on vegetables each month.

Watkins is one of several locals who have turned to home gardening to fight the tough economic downturn, which has plagued the Houma-Thibodaux area.

He said he was skeptical about the move at first, but now he’s left wondering why he didn’t do this 20 years ago when he first bought his home.

“The savings are nice,” Watkins said. “But aside from all of that, it’s just fun, you know? It’s a great feeling to see something that you put some time into grow into something that you can enjoy. It’s fulfilling. I wish I could have done this a long time ago.”

The savings are real – assuming one plants with reason and logic.

Watkins said having a garden can be expensive if one goes overboard with fertilizers, garden equipment and other things which can run up the cost of the back-yard hobby.

“It can be a bit addicting, because we’re men and men always tend to want the latest and greatest tool or trick,” Watkins said with a laugh. “But then I had to pull back a little bit.”

Now, Watkins said he’s significantly worked down his costs. He said he has a few special shovels and hoes to help during planting. He also spends lightly on fertilizers and, of course, water comes with a cost, as well.

But he said his garden grows hundreds of tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes, which he uses in almost all of his meals.

“It all pays off in the end,” he said.

There’s an entrepreneurial side to it all, too.

Thibodaux native Cindy Reiss said she’s been growing cucumbers for a few years – something she picked up as a hobby after moving to the area.

She said neighbors and friends noticed that she had a surplus of the delicacies and started offering to buy them from her as opposed to going to the store.

Reiss said she obliged, because it allows her to buy seeds and fertilizer to expand her growing capacity.

According to gardening websites, Louisiana’s soils are among the most fertile in the country. Because of our warm, wet climate, gardeners can grow almost anything, according to the LSU Ag Center, which said our state has among the most diverse growing chart in the world.

In addition to cucumbers, Reiss said she also has tomatoes, beans, cabbage and carrots.

“I don’t want the pressures of needing to rely on this for income,” Reiss said. “But if it allows me to have some side money to grow more and have some fun with it, then I think that’s a great thing.”

Home-grown vegetables also promote better health, too, which may have added value in that they can lower medical expenses in the future.

According to US Health News, those who grow a home garden were more likely to have healthy, balanced diet, which lowers the risk for different types of cancer.

According to a survey conducted by the publication, home grown vegetables also had better, fresher tastes, as well.

Thibodaux woman Lucy Theriot can attest to that.

She said her children only eat vegetables when they come from home.

“We love it,” Theriot said. “I wouldn’t trade my back yard for the world.”

Buying food sometimes isn’t fun – especially when living in an area with an unstable economy. So grow it. That’s what dozens of locals are now doing to try and beat the stresses of rising grocery prices. In addition to the economic benefits, studies show that home-grown vegetables are tastier options to store-bought goods.

COURTESY