There's much to gain from growing your own food: enjoying the better nutrition and taste of fresh home grown fruits, vegetables and greens, saving money on grocery bills, or simple enjoying spending time outside working with living plants and soil.

However, these days there are other more fundamental reasons to grow you own food. In 2010 and continuing into 2011 we have seen recorded breaking prices for food around the world. There are a number of reasons for these high prices including changing food preferences in countries such as China, and more importantly the onset of global peak oil adding to the transport and fertiliser costs, as well as climate change impacting many of the major food growing areas of the world.

With none of these issues likely to go away and instead get much worse, food costs and availability will become an increasingly important issue for many families.

By growing your own food you can help buffer you and your family against raising food prices and potential shortages, and learn skills that will help you survive any of the more serious future scenarios.

Grey Cliffs Permaculture is not currently offering design services, however many good permies do, so look up your local permie and book them in for a consultation.