Agriculture is a tough industry to work in and has been tough for a number of years. In addition to the hard hours of work, there is an increasing trend to try and cut the cost of food by cutting the value of the goods produced. In a desperate bid to produce more at lower costs, many are having to turn away from organic and move toward additional help to keep our land working hard.
After a hard day at work, most of us want to curl up in front of the TV and go to sleep. For a few of us, we continue the work in our gardens. Gardening can be very therapeutic, and growing trees and plants for our pleasure rather than to meet a quota can be a wonderful thing to do. If you like to bake with fruit, or you are thinking about having a small orchard, you can find fruit trees online.
Some gardeners enjoy planting flowers or tending to hang baskets. They add some lovely color to your garden and can be freshened several times a year. Some flowers grow in spring and others in summer. With clever planting, you can enjoy the flowering most of the year. Some regions are fortunate enough to have species that enjoy flowering all year round. You could also try some shrubs or hedges to enhance the shape of your planting.
Water features in gardens have fallen out of favor with recent droughts and the rising cost of electricity to power the pumps. However, some are solar powered and recycle all the water. If they are kept in a shady area, you are less likely to need to top up the water too often. Be wary of animals drinking it all though! If your pets like to use your garden, you may want to avoid using gravel or shingle. You could use raised beds to lessen the appeal of digging to both cats and dogs too.
Agriculture will always be a tough industry to work in, but sometimes our own gardens can inspire us. Some farm owners have taken to make a mini model of their farmland in the garden, to watch the effects of irrigation and drainage up close. Others test crops on a small scale in the quiet corners of the garden. Some even test new fertilizers on small patches of test crops, although this is usually advisable far away from the farm kitchen window!
While most people try to avoid doing their job in their spare time, for farm owners, their job is at home. It cannot be avoided. You are on call twenty-four hours a day, especially with livestock. Working your land and tending your garden can be enjoyed side by side. For those with a passion for farming, gardening can be exactly what they want to do on their day off. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone, but with so many reports raving about the therapeutic benefits, try it before you knock it.
