Why You Should Stop Buying and Start Growing Your Own Groceries

It is my habit that whenever I'm chopping tomatoes, I throw that last piece into my mouth. This Thursday was no different, but guess what… Something unusual happened. The moment I bit into it, the smell hit me so hard, I froze. I thought I had chewed a tomato soaked in paraffin. It was that strong. I froze because It felt like I had tasted a mix of chemicals that had no business being in food at all. Just before you imagine this was my first shock, it was not. Not long ago I bought six bananas from my mama mboga, yes, six! My obsession with this fruit sometimes makes me wonder whether I belong closer to the monkey family or the human one. So there I was, excited about this perfectly yellow banana but inside, instead of the soft sweet flesh, I found something hard and dry like a maize cob. Later I learned the science behind it. Farmers sometimes use ripening chemicals to force bananas to yellow overnight instead of allowing the natural three to four days that involves storing them in a warm, shaded place or wrapping them in plantain leaves to accelerate ripening. 

The results from injecting the bananas with artificial ripening agents looks good on the surface but inside is a  disaster .

   Ripe bananas on display at a grocery store in Kesses center

   Photo: Derc Powel Okunyo .

Man poisoning himself 

 This is where the problem begins. As Rachel Carson warned, “We spray poisons from the air, and then we walk on the poisoned earth below.” The more farmers reach for quick fixes, the more toxins end up in the food we eat every single day. Another one of her reminders rings even louder. “Pesticides are not selective. They kill the good and the bad and eventually they reach us.”

They reach our plates and from there they find their way into our bodies. These chemicals are not food. They are something different to our bodies, they poison the cells and what becomes of us is disastrous. Over time, they accumulate in our bodies, burdening our liver, kidneys and the immune system. 

Derc Powel Okunyo visits Mr. Bartai 

 an organic farmer in Kesses 

Some scientists link these exposures to cancers, hormonal imbalances and even neurological disorders.It’s a silent war we wage on ourselves, often unknowingly by walking to mama mboga and buying that sukuma wiki or oranges without proper understanding of how these groceries are grown and cured until they reach out dining tables.

Organically planted vegetable garden. 

I have come to think, there must be a way to reclaim some control over what we consume and the toxins we absorb. Think of organic gardens...  Growing our own vegetables and herbs reduces the reliance on industrial chemicals and connects us to the food we consume  through actively engaging in its organic growth by ensuring we know exactly what touches our plate.

Choosing organic is not  just a concern of taste, it's an extension of survival. It is a step against diseases like pesticide-related cancers, respiratory illnesses and chemical-induced allergies.

 It’s about telling our bodies, "You deserve better than this daily chemical bombardment."

Urban gardening is a sure way towards healthy groceries 

Let's talk about it, do you have any weird experience with groceries you buy from the grocery stores? Do you think planting your spinach in the bucket or sack on the balconies is a good idea towards a healthy diet?