Person holding plant in their hand Photo by Benjamin Combs on Unsplash
Gardening in the Chicago area can be a challenging routine when you have little to no grass area. However, my friend Grace McCarthy makes it work.
McCarthy is currently a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago and lives in Lincoln Park. Her family has been gardening for almost 20 years now as they plant herbs such as rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, and mint.
“Ever since I was little, my parents always kept a garden in our backyard,” McCarthy stated. “My parents started gardening because my dad is very into cooking and he wanted to grow some herbs and spices that he uses in the food he makes rather than have to buy them packaged in a store to be more sustainable.”
Planting these herbs not only gives the McCarthy family a chance to experiment in the kitchen but also to reduce the intake of plastic packaging.
Chicken in brown butter sage on a plate Photo by Andrea Goh on Flickr
There are many changes gardening has introduced to McCarthy, one being how she reflects on the impact this lifestyle has on the environment.
“This (gardening) has made me think more about where my food is coming from,” McCarthy stated. “I stopped eating red meat a few years ago after watching a documentary all about the meat production industry in America. I was just appalled by the environmental impacts of it.”
Since then, McCarthy has started to look at restaurants that use either homegrown or fresh ingredients and she no longer eats red meats.
Man picking fresh vegetables Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
When asked why she personally gardens, she mentioned the impact food production has on our environment and wants to “do her part” in living greener.
“Having a garden can help you lead to living a more sustainable life,” McCarthy stated.
Three plants on a platter Photo by Daniel Öberg on Unsplash
If you’re someone who’s flirted with the idea of starting a garden especially in the city of Chicago, Grace McCarthy has some motivating advice.
“Just go for it! It can be very therapeutic and you will hopefully see your efforts pay off with a beautiful garden,” McCarthy concluded.
There are many community gardens in Chicago that allow public gardening if you do not have the resources to plant flowers or herbs in a backyard. However, if you have an empty windowsill that could look a little greener, gardening a tiny plant is a great solution.
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