by Michael Kelly
There’s a really interesting discussion happening on our website and social media pages at the moment – we asked people a simple question: why do you GIY? It always fascinates me that there are so many different reasons why people start growing their own food. It’s what makes GIY meetings so diverse. There is no such thing as a standard GIYer – there’s no set demographic. Young and old, male and female, rich and poor – GIYing is the great leveler.
So, why do people GIY? Well, for some it’s environmental issues or concerns about the impact that the food chain has on the planet. Some GIYers are real “foodies” and love having access to the best of grub. Some are “plants people” – they love the science of growing, the process of nurturing a plant from seed to harvest.
Lots of people mentioned that they wanted their kids to see where food really comes from, while others just love getting free exercise or fresh air. Certainly the recession means that lots of people now GIY because it’s a way to save money. Some of the posts and tweets however hinted at a less tangible, more esoteric reason: “It makes me think of my Da,” said one. “I look forward to the summer again, like when I was a kid,” said another. But perhaps this post summed it up best of all: “Because it just makes sense.” And so say all of us!
