Stories

Meet Hannah from Sydney, Australia

“My grandparents lived 4 hours from the nearest supermarket in rural Australia so they had to grow their own food or they wouldn’t be able to eat vegetables very often. They had a huge veggie patch & I loved helping them in the garden when I visited on school holidays.

Growing your own food is fun! Plus it tastes so much better than store-bought food and is 100% free of harmful chemicals!

House prices in Sydney are ridiculous so I still rent. I have a very understanding landlord who lets me dig up the backyard & grow whatever I like but I really wish I had my own backyard. I don’t let renting slow me down, instead I plant long-term crops like fruit trees in grow bags & pots so I can take them with me when I eventually move.

I’m a keen composter and worm farmer but I can’t make enough onsite for my garden so I buy organic compost from a nearby nursery. I also add a lot of organic well rotted manure to my garden beds twice a year. I try to practice companion planting to keep pests out of my garden, my favourite combination is marigolds and tomatoes.

I save my own seeds and often share them with friends. I also have an online business selling garden kits that include seeds to help families grow their own food because I have a strong passion for teaching kids about where our food comes from.

I find gardening incredibly good for my mental health. Nothing makes me happier than spending an entire day out in the sunshine, gardening with my dog Gus keeping me company. I’m also really looking forward to teaching my daughter about growing her own food when she is old enough (she is currently 2 months old so it will be a while until she understands).

I believe that everyone can grow their own food regardless of location, living arrangement and experience. Gardening is trial and error, it won’t always work but eventually you will figure out what plants grow well in your environment.”

https://www.myurbanpatch.com.au/