need Inspiration? We Gotcha!

Sustainable Wellesley is a community.
We get inspired by each other.
Today, we are launching our annual series of spotlights on community members who are inspiring by taking active steps to be kinder to our environment. 
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Meet Lara, Jaden and Lilly Crawford. The Crawfords have an incredible garden that has brought them beautiful flowers, delicious foods, and countless memories. Show this video to your children to get them as excited as Lilly who proudly put together this video of their garden and all their crops.

The Crawfords’ front yard garden originally started out with Lara’s love for growing her own flowers. As they moved further away from wanting to spend money and resources in order to maintain their lawn, the inspiration came to start growing fruits and vegetables. They now grow a plethora of produce such as: carrots, garlic, onions, cucumbers, carrots, beets, dwarf fig trees, and so much more. 

Jaden grew up around vegetable farming so maintaining a garden was very familiar to him. What started as really a hobby, has really blossomed into something so much more. The benefits are many including delicious produce, nice family time, using land in a beneficial way, avoiding pesticides, and there are financial benefits as well. 

The biggest benefit the Crawfords said is sitting at the dinner table, taking a bite of fresh produce and knowing that this is a creation from your own yard. Farming has become a strong passion for both Jaden and Lara Crawford, and one that they were excited to share with their daughter Lilly. Lilly enjoys helping out around their garden, harvesting and planting. Lilly loves knowing exactly what they are eating and where it came from. 

Wondering how you can start a garden too?
Just DO IT!

Jaden suggested that the easiest way to get started would be to plant something like lettuce in a pot or a 5 gallon bucket. This makes it psychologically less daunting - no digging up and changing your yard. Lettuce grows quickly offering faster gratification. 

It is also important to start small and not to be too ambitious because that can be discouraging. It will take trial and error to learn what works and what doesn’t - something even the most  experienced of gardeners does. Some things are unpreventable and there are times where you will have a fantastic crop, blooming completely on schedule, and the day before you are set to harvest it, a rabbit gets to it first. This all comes with engaging with natural wildlife and should not act as an excuse to not plant. There are so many unbelievable benefits that arise from growing and harvesting your own food.  

Grow items that you want to eat so that you are more apt to take diligent care and above all, ENJOY WHAT YOU’RE DOING. 

What are you growing? Have any tips? Want to meet others growing food? Email [email protected] and we will connect you. 

Thanks to the Crawford Family for the inspiration!