Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

A lot of people come to my class and want to learn about gardening and growing their own organic fruits and vegetables and most miss on the first lessons of garden ergonomics and garden safety gear .By the way I am not in the business of selling either. So, keep on reading and learning how to protect yourself and prevent potential accidents or injuries while in the garden or the farm.

 Safety garden gear is not taken seriously until something serious happens like an injury or an accident.

 As a certified massage therapist, I have learned my lesson about the importance of body posture .The way we use our body determines how long we live our life free of self inflicted injuries to our muscular and skeletal system and ultimately averting unnecessary pains and aches and the accompanying medical bills!

Here are some advices to the wise who want to eat fruits and vegetables without inflicting harm to the inner gardener in us:

 When you are in the sizzling summer sun and mosquito infested S. Florida outdoor garden.

A)-WEAR:

1-A long sleeve shirt and pants to discourage the sun burns and mosquito bites .

2-You may also wear natural organic repellents oil like citronella essential oil blended with olive or coconut oil. I personally do not use sun screens after reading about the humongous chemicals added.

3-A hat for the head and a sun glass for the eyes , will keep you from the hospital bed, not to say from the sunstroke if otherwise .

4-Boots or a shoe, but never a sandal or a flip flop or a bare foot. Snakes might be present for example , beside other uninvited or unexpected garden visitors from the animal kingdom !

B) DRINK FLUIDS from NATURE: I prefer spring water over distilled one.Our body needs minerals especially after a garden round of sweating at the garden.So replenish the lost electrolytes from the natural source:Spring water.Do not  garden under the influence DRINK NO ALCHOHOL.Hydrate not dehydrate.Alchohol dehydrates fluids out of your body!

C)BE SAFE not sorry using your BODY as a tool in gardening:Use ergonomic garden functional movements .That incudes using your body weight and training your hand  muscles(flexers and extensers).

      Uuse ergonomic tools .Carpal tunnels and tennis elbows render your hands vulnerable to doing garden choirs.Rheumatoid arthritis ,back aches,wrist and hands injuries are commom among gardeners who have such a passion that they forget to take care about their body while gardening.There are plenty of  dirt cheap  herbal  remedies to buid your strengthes right from your garden.The following herbs were used since ancient times in fortifying the body against arthritis, for example:Tumeric,sage,ginger,cayenne,stinging nettles and more.. 

D) Use organic a) fertilizers and b) pesticides c)compnion herbs ,instead of  synthetic chemicals: 

     a): Bone meal,blood meal.sea weed,alfalfa meal,coffee ground etc..

     b) Neem oil,garlic oil etc..

     c) Cuban oregano, basil, marie gold,nasteurtium etc...

E)  Prevent presence of ground pests by using natural organic methods.Example:Top get rid of ants ,use corn grits,baking soda .To discourage snakes sprinkle garden boundaries with cats poop litter .

Have a happy and safe gardening!