Since the initial major depression that struck Australia in 1892 and 93, There have been numerous calls to go back in the gardens as a physical reaction to food shortages, as well as a psychological remedy that gives the impression of being at ease and in control.
Urban food production during the late 19th century was booming. It was normal to grow many varieties of vegetables on small plots alongside dairy farms, piggeries, and animals in bustling suburbs, both in the inner and out.
Local production on a small scale was the best method to ensure that the local community could access fresh food. As a severe recession was looming, there were calls to bring people on the farm. An influx of young urban workers began to seek security, autonomy, and opportunities in self-sufficiency for rural or semi-rural areas.
Gardening with a fresh landscape
The idea of growing your own meals was motivated by the need for food in desperate economic times and also as a symbol of a departure from modernity, bringing spiritual and social regeneration.
Self-provision for early suffragists was deeply apolitical. Ina Higgins Vida Goldstein, as well as Cecilia John, established a farmers’ cooperative for women only located on the outskirts of Melbourne around 1914. Food production during the war of 1914 was practical and essential and also provided the opportunity for economic and social emancipation.
Ina The Higgins garden of Killenna in 1919. National Library of Australia
Women could get away from the confines of their homes and factories; small-scale farming let them break out of the norms of marriage, labor, and motherhood and redefine production as being physically beneficial as well as morally rewarding and socially responsible. This enabled women to take charge of their own lives in ways that were previously unattainable to women.
The hippies in the 1970s began the movement to return. With a passion for homesteading activities like craft food preservation, crafting, and up-cycling, the kids of the post-war generation sought peace with traditional “old ways.”
These were basic, home-based actions that fulfilled their desire to establish boundaries on the environment and to take responsibility for their use of resources. Growing food was not just nostalgic, but it also showed a lack of trust in commercial advertisements and generally a disdain for consumerism, work, and other materials that were not used in the home.
Nimbin, during the 70s, was the capital of counter-culture in Australia, with an emphasis on self-sufficiency. Harry Watson Smith/Flickr, CC BY
There is another surge in small plots and backyards. Food production, as well as bottling, canning, and even preserving.
Making yourself a meal at home might not meet all of the food needs of your family; however, the process of preparing, picking, and cooking food at home provides a sense of control and tranquil.
Read more: Anxiety and depression: why doctors are prescribing gardening rather than drugs.
Tips for your venture into veggie gardening
Interact and observe
Take a look at the area you have and the resources available. Do you want to grow your garden in pots or on the soil? Look beyond the square: could you utilize your natural strip, your balcony, or even a neighbor or family member’s garden (while keeping your distance from social interactions)?
For those who are in the soil, Your time is running out as we enter winter, so begin small. Please get rid of as many plants and grass from your garden as possible. Dig up some good compost, like mushroom compost, in order to improve soil quality.
The gardens that are not dug can be found above the soil, with layers of organic material that create the ideal conditions for the growth of vegetables and herbs as they degrade. These gardens can be established without a lot of money.
You can purchase (or construct) the elevated planter containers, which wick away water from a reservoir that is built inside the box. Garden beds that are raised are ideal for planting small areas of flowers and vegetables. They help keep weeds off of the soil of your garden, reduce soil compaction, and provide excellent drainage, and act as a deterrent to insects like slugs and snails.
