Hey there and welcome to the Surviving Changes podcast. I'm Heidi, and this episode is about something we all need but often overlook Food. Not just what's on our plates, but where it comes from, who controls it and how we can take back that control. So let's rewind for a second. In early America, growing your own food wasn't a trend. It was a necessity, a way of life. The founding fathers, especially Jefferson, envisioned a country powered by independent farmers, each tilling their own land, feeding their families and their communities. Food sovereignty was baked into our roots. But over the centuries something has changed. Regulations have crept in, sometimes under the radar. Laws were passed, homeowners associations or HOAs began enforcing these aesthetic over agriculture ideas. In some states you can actually get fined for collecting your own rainwater. What? And suddenly growing tomatoes in your front yard has become an act of civil disobedience. I'm a rebel. So how do we go from independence to interference? Let's look.

Today, millions of Americans face food insecurity, not because there isn't enough food, but because the system that delivered it is broken, expensive or simply inaccessible. The USDA began tracking food insecurity officially in the 1990s, but hunger, especially in low-income, marginalized communities, has very, very deep roots and while food pantries, government programs. All of the nonprofits help. They're often band-aids on a bigger wound. Oftentimes they need to keep the problem going just to stay in existence. Right, if they solve the problem, they don't get that funding anymore. Think about it there's a lot of money to be made by never solving the problem. So what if we could grow our way out of this problem? Instead, what if we could do it? That's where today's spotlight comes in.

Let me tell you about Alex. They live in Florida in a small apartment with just a patio for outdoor space. Back in 2020, like a lot of us, alex was stuck at home Too much time, too many seed packets and not much else. What started as a hobby turned into something more. Alex transformed that little patio into a mini garden and began sharing extra produce. Before long, neighbors were reaching out asking do you have any extra herbs? My tomatoes didn't make it. Can I buy yours? Now Alex brings in over $2.50 a month just selling their homegrown food Peppers, cucumbers, herbs, you name it. No shipping, no grocery markups, just people helping people. Imagine the way it was supposed to be, but it wasn't always smooth sailing. Alex's HOA sent a warning letter about unauthorized planter boxes, but Alex pushed back. He explained what they were doing and eventually he won.

Because running your own food shouldn't be controversial, it should be celebrated right. So Alex's story is one of thousands and a reminder. This just isn't gardening. It's community, it's power, it's resilience from the ground up. So, whether you've got 10 acres or 10 square feet, you have the power. You have the power to grow, you have the power to share, you have the power to reclaim a little bit of that early American spirit, one seed at a time. To make it even easier for you, we're giving away a free pack of heirloom tomato seeds. Download the Backyard Gardener app in the app stores. Hit the buy button at the bottom and it will take you to your free seeds. Just pay shipping. Let's grow. Thanks for listening to the Surviving Changes podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a neighbor, leave a review or, better yet, go plant something. I'm Heidi, surviving Changes. See you next time.