OUTDOOR LIVING
GROW YOUR OWN FOOD TO CREATE THE DISHES OF YOUR DREAMS WITH THESE TIPS FROM LOCAL EXPERTS .
BY ASHLEY RYAN
Jessica Roy , executive chef and owner of 608 Dahlia restaurant at Sherman Library & Gardens , incorporates produce from her home and on-site gardens in her dishes .
H
ealth-conscious dining has become increasingly prominent in recent years , with more and more people desiring to know where their food is coming from and how it ’ s grown . Some are turning to holistic techniques , using food as medicine to treat or heal what ails them . Still others have turned to gardening as a form of therapy , using it to combat the noise in their head or to pass the time — which was especially popular as the pandemic lingered .
Whatever the reason , growing a garden filled with fresh fruits , vegetables and herbs is a trend that is easy to get behind . Truly , few things compare to popping a fresh-grown strawberry into your mouth or biting into a juicy tomato that you raised yourself . “ Watching it grow from this little tiny seedling all the way to a large plant that ’ s producing multiple fruits is pretty rewarding ,” says Kyle Cheesborough , horticulture director at Sherman Library & Gardens .
These tips from local experts detail the wealth of benefits you ’ ll enjoy from growing your own food as well as how to get your hands dirty and what types of produce thrive in Southern California ’ s Mediterranean coastal climate .
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