How often lately have you heard of government recalls of food? Was that before or after you ingested the product of concern? By growing your own food, you know what went into the process. Were insecticides used? What ingredients are added that you cannot pronounce? How was the packaging handled?

When I open a jar of canned food, or pick something out of the garden or defrost if from my freezer, I know the answers to all these questions

Once you have decided to grow your own, where do you start? I recommend growing "easy" veggies and herbs. This includes the ones that you can readily find as starter plants at local hardware and general stores. This includes tomatoes, peppers and basil. All 3 are compatible with each other. This is important to understand to minimize the number of attacking insects. Add one of my favorite, marigold flowers. In addition all of these can be grown in pots on a balcony or patio deck - all need 6 hours or more of sunlight to prosper.

Basil and marigolds will assist in repealing harmful insects, while attracting pollinators to the garden. Add the benefit that basil is a top herb for cooking and easy to dry for year-round use.

(Check out SPRING 2924 UPDATES to better understand all that is grown on the farm. Each year I change it up a bit)

Once at the store, you will find a number of varieties. Select based on the description on the store tag. Favorite tomatoes are: Better Boy, Early Girl and Celebrity. These are all-around good for flavor and uniform size.

Peppers will be based on the amount of "heat" you want. Bell is low, banana adds a bit of punch, Jalapeno takes it up a notch, with cayenne, tobacco and habanero bringing on the heat. NOTE: peppers generally can withstand more dry soil than do tomatoes.

This year, I grew 6 different types, from Bell to Habanero, and dried them for use throughout the year. One of my favorite recipes is Pimento Cheese. It is now a family staple and ohhhh so good and creamy.

When you begin to grow herbs, start with the basics. Some are annuals, like basil (one year) some are biennials, parsley (two years) and some are perennials, like oregano (will continue to grow year-after-year).

These three are my go-to herbs. they are great fresh, easy to grow, and can be dried for year-long use. Plant them in the garden, flower beds, and pots to enjoy them everywhere.