When I was growing up in the 70's and 80's, my grandmother grew part of the food we ate. Every little bit grown was something you didn't have to go to the store and buy. Times were tough back then.

Fast forward to today. We have high inflation, multiple wars in progress, a widening wealth gap, increasing debt, and the threat of recession. All of these signs are red flags to the coming problems.

For me, having access to food is my biggest concern. Some of the problems coming down the line have the power to disrupt our access to food, especially if your only source of food is from grocery stores. These concerns were my motivation for building our greenhouse, planting fruit trees in our yard, and having a garden every year. I also learned how to store food through the process of canning.

Another reason to grow your food is for personal health. Food grown at home in a garden or greenhouse is healthier than food purchased at the grocery store. Most foods purchased from a grocery store are heavily processed. This process reduces the nutritional value of the food by removing vital nutrients. These foods also contain various amounts of unhealthy chemicals used during the food-processing process.

Another problem with grocery store foods is the produce. You don't know what pesticides or other chemicals were used during the growing process unless you buy only organic produce. Organic produce is expensive. Some chemicals and pesticides stay on the outside skin of the produce, while others are absorbed by the plants and produce during the growing process. If you grow more produce at home, contact with these chemicals and pesticides can be reduced or eliminated.

Things in today's society can change at a moments notice. That is why I started growing more of our food at home. It is all part of being prepared. Do you grow some or most of your food? If you do, share your story with us. If not, are you interested in learning how?