"Virtual Organic Garden Clubs Movement"

This campaign or movement was created on June 15, 2017 to flood communities with ideas on how they can gain access to good, clean, organic foods as quickly as possible.

It consisted of training by videos, teleconference calls, seminars, workshops, webinars, consultations/coaching, etc. For more questions or to join forces with this movement contact Cathy Harris, Founder, 'Virtual Organic Garden Clubs' and CathyHarrisGardenClub.com at (512) 909-7365 or email: cathy@cathyharrisinternational.com.

(click here)

Book Release - July 2018

"Green Thumb At 60: How I Started My Gardening Journey With Raised Beds and Pots and Containers"

(available as an e-book and paperback)

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

PREFACE – A NOTE TO THE READER

What we are experiencing right now in this country is a “food fight.' So therefore, we need to fight for those who deserve saving, especially those that fought for us our entire lives.

There is no one or nothing standing in our way to building sustainable, holistic and natural communities again throughout the land. I know this for a fact!

You see I was raised on a farm in rural Georgia and everything my 8 siblings, my mother and father and I ate came from the land. We had several apple, pear and peach trees, cows, mules, pigs, chickens, etc. -- the usual things you find on a farm.

We knew no other way of living, so despite many people today making all kinds of excuses for not growing foods, I know ‘first-hand’ we can get back to nature – back to our roots and start growing and eating delicious, home-grown foods again.

At 60 years old -- many people would probably be too embarrassed to admit that they are finally growing their first garden – but not me.

Our first raised bed garden was planted on June 14, 2017, for our Summer crop and contained Honeydew Melons, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Peppers, Cucumbers, New Zealand Spinach, and Swiss Chard.

Our Winter crop on Nov. 1, 2017 contained Swiss Chard, Beets, Lettuce, Spinach, Turnips, Cabbage, Broccoli, Mustard Greens, Kale and Cauiflower.

Our Spring crop on April 19, 2018 included Sweet Potatoe Slips, Peppers, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, New Zealand Spinach, Cucumber, Watermelon, Cantaloupe and Honey Dew Melon.

Each season we doubled-up (or planted extra rows) of green foods because of their “nutritional value” and also had 2 citrus fruit trees (a lemon and tangerine tree) in pots on the back porch.

It’s especially Seniors today that need to start growing their own foods because homegrown foods taste better; to make sure foods are safe to eat and are Non-GMOs; to fight diseases and keep down doctor’s visits; to save money and cut down on grocery bills, and in order to have a healthier environment -- as they age.

As an Empowerment and Motivational Speaker along with being a National GMO Health and Wellness Expert, I see growing my own foods as a necessity. And it’s certainly nothing that people need to be embarrassed about – no matter your age.

I wanted to grow foods successfully for one year before I wrote a book about growing foods. So this book is the completion of my own one year gardening journey.

Despite the fact that over 40% of people stop growing foods after one year, my family is still going strong. I can’t tell you what it has been like to be able to look out of our kitchen window of our own home and look at something we started from scratch - our own backyard, raised bed garden -- and now the count is up to three gardens.

We can’t bring this gardening project to an end without telling you first how successful it was. Remember, never let anyone define success for you, whether you are looking at your personal or business life.

Success is in the eye of the beholder. Success is a journey not a destination. Success is simply moving forward and accomplishing whatever it was you set out to accomplish and -- that we did.

First of all I am not going to tell you my journey was easy. There were a lot of hard work and many challenges, which taught us what to look out for in the future.

Sure we made mistakes, but we have owned up to them and will be using them as guidelines for our future gardening journeys. If we are truly working to save our families and communities, then it’s vital that we all be on the same page.

Remember your ultimate goal should be to educate yourself, your family and others in your own community. The goal is to teach everyone how to fed, clothes and shelter their own families.

And one of the best ways to get everyone, especially teenagers, who can’t find work, especially in the summertime, and former prisoners involved in job’s programs and business ownership is around growing foods.

However, not everyone will be able to start a business so they will need to seek employment opportunities in urban farming, agriculture, and gardening.

The sooner we get back to basics and start growing our own foods again by becoming gardeners, farmers, or join food co-ops or food coalitions – the sooner we can save generations upon generations of families. Good luck with your gardening journey!

Book Release - June 2017

"Overcoming Food Deserts in Your Community: How To Start A Home, School or Community Garden, Food Co-op or Food Coalition"

(available as an e-book and paperback)

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

PREFACE - A NOTE TO THE READER

This book not only lays out several action plans to gain access to good, clean, organic foods, but it will help all family members gain access to job and business opportunities, while they eliminate food deserts in their communities.

Face it we will never get back to totally living off the land like our ancestors did, but families must come together today for the sake of future generations. We need to seriously look at solutions because this is the first generation that will not outlive their parents. However, there are economically-empowered ways we can feed, clothe and shelter our own families.

Food is not always only about the most expedient way to suppress hunger. Many community organizations have long understood this and believe that food access and quality is tied to both racial and economic justice.

Over the past few years we have heard quite a bit about food deserts, or high poverty areas where a lack of grocery stores makes it difficult for residents to purchase fresh food. However, we know far less about the food realities of people who live near grocery stores where fresh food is sold, but because of their limited incomes, they simply cannot afford it.

Affordable healthy food is an issue of both equity and justice that disproportionally affects working-class and poor people of color in cities and rural areas. Reducing the economic necessity for some to rely so heavily on food that is unhealthy, is not only a tool for fighting health concerns, there are other benefits too.

Time and time again it shows when many schools team up with healthy venues and swap out soda machines and offer instead -- juices, water and low-sugar energy drinks and also prepared meals entirely free of additives and chemicals, but with abundant amounts of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole-grain breads, this have led to reduced behavioral problems, higher grades, lower expulsion rates, decreases in the use of ADD prescription drugs, and teachers are reporting that the students were more attentive and could concentrate for longer periods of time.

Gaining access to clean, sustainability, grown food is a basic human right so we need venues to offer education to inspire family members to live healthy lives, by offering hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition and this is what this book will do.