Fruits and vegetables aren't as nutritious as they used to be. What happened?

[MadameButterfly]

25. Individual gardens just aren't practical for everybody

I gardened for years and loved it but realized it was competing with my career. There are dedicated organic farmers who can grow food much more efficiently than I can and who need the support from those of us who care. If we buy from farmers markets, join CSAs, support organizations that buy land for small farmers, we are doing as much or more than if we had our own garden.

Where I live there is the Agricultural Stewardship Association. They buy land and make it affordable for beginning farmers. These farmers commit to making the land for farming forever. This means it can't be developed.

I've been to NOFA conferences in NY and VT--I assume they have them in every state. Farmers who present are constantly innovating farming methods. There is an army of young people dedicating their lives to this cause. There are organizations that offer opportunities to invest in organic farming. The primary goal is to promote organic farming but investors do make money.

It was most important for me to have a garden when my daughter was young to understand where food really comes from. So that she would grow up valuing vegetables and understanding the role we and nature play. Now my priority is to support people who can produce organic food on a small scale (the large scale farms aren't doing it right) but on a much larger scale than I ever could.