Cookie-cutter homes, strip malls, congested highways and fast-food. This screams suburbia. In a city like mine that is expanding at a horrifying rate, one must find her inner “Country Bunkin” and make the most of what her family has. As more and more families get pushed off their farms and rural properties and into the cities, it is more important than ever to keep the country living mindset alive.

Fifteen years ago, I began my first above ground garden bed in the back yard of my suburban home. Most of what I planted failed, but a couple things took root and grew. I had accomplished growing something from a small plant, bought at the garden center at a home improvement store. For someone who had never grown anything, this was a victory!