When we began cleaning up our diet, and trying to remove chemicals from our food, it quickly became clear that the only way we were going to be able to produce food that really was clean, that we KNEW was clean, was to grow it ourselves.

We don't always grow a lot of it, but we always grow what we can. We set out with the goal of growing every bit we could ourselves, both crops and livestock. It has been a battle to be able to do significant amounts, for reasons that are not easily explainable (complicated story). But every bit we do is a blessing to us, because we know that it is absolutely clean.

When we grow crops, we do so without any chemicals at all. We use animal manures, from animals we know are cleanly raised.

When we raise animals, they are fed in part from our own crops, and from other food sources we know are chemically clean. Some of their food they forage, and some we gather for them. Some is purchased, but only as a last resort, and we NEVER feed pelleted or processed feeds to our animals. If we buy feed, it is hay, or grains, sometimes fruits and vegetables.

The thing with growing your own is, do what you CAN, and make sure you don't let yourself get overwhelmed, either with the prospect of doing it, or with the daily tasks of doing it. Add things one at a time, and be patient with yourself. Learn ways to save time and money with it, or it will gobble up both! Practicing No-Till gardening methods saves time and money (in HUGE amounts), and raising a few animals along with your crops benefits the garden, you, and the animals.

Growing your own is just the logical conclusion that many people will reach, after they consider available food sources, and realize that for them, good clean food may be impossible to obtain unless they produce some of their own.