Your Turn
Should grocery and convenience stores in Kansas be allowed to sell full-strength beer and liquor?

  • Yes
  • No
  • I'm not sure

Suggest a poll topic
CALENDAR

Send your events to
The Herald at
news@ottawaherald.com

DIGITAL EDITIONS
News-A01


The Herald
for subscribers

Special-A01


Free
Latest Herald
Special Section

DisplayAds-A01


Free
The Shopper

Friday, November 13, 2009 11:00 AM

Save cash; grow your own food

By RACHEL HAWKINS, Herald Staff Writer

Maggie Bornholdt has her own little grocery store in her backyard.

Bornholdt, like many others in Franklin County, have turned to their own gardens in order to save costs on groceries.

“I like having the option of controlling from where my food comes, not using pesticides and herbicides and keeping the process natural,” Bornholdt said.

She started her garden more than two years ago when she moved into a new house. She said a number of her friends also have small gardens.

“Even more so, many people I know are making a point to buy from local resources, co-ops, CSAs and farmers markets,” she said.

Bornholdt loves cooking, and says it’s easy when you have your own ingredients.

“I love to cook, and it is convenient, cost-effective and fun to grow my own ingredients,” she said.  “I especially like growing cooking and bath herbs.”

She also grows tomatoes, potatoes, squash, radishes, cucumbers, onions, snap peas and carrots.

“Next season I plan to try my hand at some berries,” she said.

Bornholdt also enjoys trading items she’s grown with her friends and neighbors.

“It’s also nice to trade with friends who have different offerings when the gardens produce more than we can use,” she said. “It also frees up more money for me to spend locally on foods I don’t have the space or time to grow.”

For those looking to start their own garden, Bornholdt urges them to invest in time rather than money.

“I also make my own compost and use things around the house like newspaper and dryer lint to mulch, so I don’t have to purchase these items,” she said.

Her best tip for those looking to start their own garden is to read.

“Read everything you can about growing edibles,” she said. “I had to learn from my own and others’ mistakes, but I’ve been refining the art of container gardening, and it has paid off.”

E-mail this to a friend | Print Text | | Enjoy home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.