247Health.com Trainer: Growing Your Food Is Its Own Reward

My wife and I have had the unique opportunity to spend the past year doing things with our kids we previously didn’t have time to do. We know our circumstances are very different from the typical family so this isn’t a “look how cool we are and you should parent more like us” lesson. More so, it’s a “we’ve been given this time with our children while they’re young, are we going to waste it or teach them things we wish we had learned?”  

It was important to note that at the top. It is not bragging, it is (hopefully) a life hack!

The old proverb, give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime, plays often in my mind. Over the course of a lifetime, I’ve taught myself a lot of things I wish I had learned from my father. My wife grew up with her dad and learned to hunt, fish, build, etc. We both had mom’s and grandparents that grew gardens and showed us how to snap beans, cut tobacco, load hay and so on. Things that are lost on a lot of our youth today. 

It is literally up to you to change that.

Working from home and homeschooling in the country can present a number learning opportunities.

Planting a small garden is one of those we jumped at the chance at doing. We taught the girls to germinate seeds, potting the germinated seeds and finally transferring the young plant into our outdoor planter boxes. Or in this case, repurposed water troughs.  

We all share in some sort of excitement and accomplishment with every stage each plant reaches. Until we finally get to harvest the finished product. I remember the small satisfaction of knowing I grew what I ate when I was a kid and we can see that in our kid’s faces when they get to eat what they’ve grown.  Plus it’s a twisted way to get them to want to eat anything but pasta and ketchup. 

Our kids may never grow their own garden when they’re older or fish/hunt for their food, but at least they’ll know how. 

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Josh Green has helped educate and inspire hundreds of men and women in their health and fitness journeys for over a decade. He is recognized as one of the most influential and energetic sports and fitness trainers in the state of Tennessee. His signature HIIT, cardio strength, and strength programs have helped his clients achieve their goals, including an Olympic gold medal.

Green is the owner of The Forge Live Online Gym on Facebook and G1 Elite Fitness. The Forge is a completely free, private group. He continues to build an online community of support and inspiration. That helps others find their happiness again.