How Gardening Changed My Life!

Over 3 years ago..I remember feeling like something was missing in my life. As a business owner & coach of my own successful Nutrition/Fitness Business (earnthtbody.com), I worked non stop. And when work was done, I was a mom to my incredible teenage son and a wife to a wonderful husband. No complaints. Just wasn't waking up excited each day for another work day.   I can't remember what sparked my first interest in gardening....but I remember asking my husband if he would build me an elevated bed so I could try it. The moment he said, "YES", was the moment I was filled with excitement for the first time in a long time.

Looking back it makes a lot of sense why starting my own vegetable garden was so intriguing to me. It was the next step in my health & nutrition journey. With my degree in Eastern Medicine, I have always been incredibly passionate about balanced nutrition, organic eating & a healthy life. And now being able to grow my own organic produce seemed like I would finally have max control over what is sprayed (even if organic) on my food and who touched it!

I had ZERO background in gardening. It was not done in my family growing up, and it was not something I knew anything about. But I'm the kind of person who does not just throw caution to the wind and jump in. I researched as much as I could to get started. Tons of online searches and finding a local garden store where I could ask lots of questions about soil, fertilizers and how to begin.

Once that first bed was made, we (my amazing hubby and I) filled it with organic potting soil, some organic slow release fertilizer and then....I started planting those transplants! I remember planting cherry tomatoes, red malabar spinach (which I learned quickly was NOT your regular spinach!), radishes and some marigolds.  I honestly just bought what I saw at the store and couldn't wait to get them growing!

I must say, my first garden bed was successful in many ways, and yet I also learned a LOT about what to DO and NOT DO for the future. But what I loved more than anything, was no longer WORKING WORKING WORKING and then SCROLLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA  all day. I now had an outlet that got me outside in the fresh air, getting my hands in the dirt and feeling the joy of seeing all my vegetables grow day after day. Although, don't get me wrong...not everything grew (ha!). 

Very quickly I asked my husband for Bed #2 and then Bed #3! And 3 years later I plant in containers, troughs, elevated beds, raised beds in ground and even started No Dig Garden Beds.  I now grow all kinds of tomatoes, peppers, collards, bok choy, luffa, lettuce, spinach, ginger, herbs, sweet potatoes, garlic, chard, potatoes, peanuts and more!

My life went from the daily grind to jumping out of bed each day so I could get my work done in time to spend hours in the garden. 

To say I'm hooked is an understatement. I feel like my health has changed from the organic vegetables I now eat (trying so many new foods that you can't even get in the market) and my mental health has benefited greatly.  I learned quickly that gardening has a wide range of health outcomes including reductions in depression, anxiety as well as increases in life satisfaction, quality of life and sense of community. And this is from actual research I have read.

It is now my passion to PAY GARDENING FORWARD. I want to show everyone that you can grow your own organic foods in something as small as a terra cotta pot or as large as an in ground bed! And that you will not only get to eat vegetables that taste so much better than anything you can buy..but you also might just fill that void in your soul & be happier than ever before.

Garden 2 Healthy Mind. Garden 2 Healthy Body & Garden 2 Health Life! 

Kim Eagle