LETTUCE GROW: Local residents encourage to produce own food

When the price of lettuce recently jumped, a Strathalbyn resident found a community-minded solution.

Grow Free founder Andrew Barker is encouraging locals to produce their own food, and will soon host a seed planting day and session on growing greens.

He recently offered to send seeds to those who sent himself a self-addressed envelope and was inundated with responses, working into the night packaging seeds.

“I saw people were spending over $10 (on a lettuce), I thought wow, that $10 could buy me 100 seeds which is enough for 100 plants; it’s crazy,” he said.

“There were lots of people who put their hands up for leafy greens, and my post box was filled for a week.”

Mr Barker was driven by strengthening community ties.

“Food is a major part of it but the other part is community, building community, community resilience and people meeting each other,” he said.

“(Sharing) encourages people to share as well, they might have friends or family or neighbours that see them to doing it too, and they can go ‘I can grow my lettuce as well’; it’s that easy.”

The Strathalbyn green thumb has seen increased interest in growing food to save money amid the rise in cost of living, and that trend is wider spread.

Ebay has reported a 209 per cent increase in sales of lettuce seeds in June during food shortages, and gardening supplies have also been in high demand.

Soil and gardening beds sales rose 16 per cent, and raised garden bed purchases were up by 21 per cent. 

Mr Barker promoted growing food for many reasons, not just the rise in cost of living but for the health benefits.

That passion led him to create Grow Free, a movement to connect communities by growing and sharing food with others.

Grow Free carts – often lovingly decorated and colourful– are now found across the country including many local streets.

“There is so much difference in picking lettuce and putting it in your bowl,” Mr Barker said.

“Food really should be grown there, in your garden, and you can pick and eat it straight away. It also loses nutrients and sugars after you pick it.

“Most root vegies lose a lot of their nutrients within days; a huge amount.”

Most people would think growing food is too hard or time-consuming, but Mr Barker believes, with some basic knowledge, growing vegetables is not difficult.

“I feel (leafy greens) are the ones we should grow the most of because there is a big difference picking it straight from the garden; spinach, kale and bok choy have lots of iron, magnesium, they are also ones that lose a lot of their nutrients really fast, so it’s best to get it when it’s freshly picked,” he said.

‘Lettuce-Palooza’ is a seed planting day taking place next week, seeing attendees plant their own leafy green pots/trays to grow at home.

Seed planting will be trays of lettuce, kale, spinach, bok choy and rocket, which Mr Barker will grow to give away.

To plant your own leafy greens, bring a pot, tray or tub.

Mr Barker plans to teach attendees how to sow their own seeds.

He will run a mini planting workshop every hour on the hour.

Lettuce-Palooza will be held on July 17, from 10am to 3pm, at Glenbarr (the cottage just before the homestead), 1400B Paris Creek Road, Strathalbyn.

For further information, reach Mr Barker on: (0404 281 635) or visit: (www.growfree.org.au), or search ‘Grow Free Strathalbyn’ on Facebook.