I’m a backyard gardener with heaps of enthusiasm. My journey began with a family challenge around the dinner table: to go a whole year without buying vegetables from the supermarket.
The kids were briefly excited, until they realised we’d still be eating vegetables, we’d just be growing them ourselves. The only catch? We didn’t even have a garden yet. That decision, made while living in suburbia, sparked something. It continued and expanded when we moved to the Waikato to explore homesteading on a grander scale.
I grew up with home-grown produce on Kawau Island, where our family garden was more about survival than hobby. With no local store and expensive trips to the mainland, growing our own food just made sense. The garden was huge, protected by six-foot-high fencing to keep out wallabies and possums. It was a way of life. And now, as a grown-up, I’m rediscovering it.
This section shares everything I’m learning along the way: how to grow fruit and vegetables from seed, the seasonal forth-comings from the garden, and the basic maintenance that keeps it all humming. It’s a mix of small wins, big mistakes, and satisfying progress. I hope it inspires you to get your hands in the dirt and grow something of your own.
