Hilary and Peter are a married couple teaching the internet how to grow lush gardens that produce delicious, healthy foods. Located in southwest Ohio, this husband and wife are also teaching their four young kids the importance of cultivating and cooking your own food.
Across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, Hilary and Peter are known as the Garden Family.
The family's mission is to provide valuable gardening information that encourages others to become more self-sufficient in their food supply.
"Every change begins small, love your life in the moment and inspire others," the couple wrote in one of their videos.
One of the most obvious benefits of growing your food is the cost savings.
As Peter mentioned in a TikTok about pruning raspberries, packaged berries from the grocery store can be so expensive, especially given the still-rising cost of produce. But raspberries are one of the easiest plants to grow.
"You have no excuse not for gardening them," Peter joked.
@thegardenfamily Still confused? Ask questions in the comments! #raspberry #gardentok #howtogarden #raspberries ♬ original sound - TheGardenFamily
Part of the couple's appeal is the beautiful layout of their home garden, which is full of tomatoes, raspberries, zucchini, peppers, eggplants, and more. After harvesting season, their posts shift to feature Peter's wood carving craftsmanship and Hilary's beautifully made dishes and desserts.
Another way they encourage others to start growing their food is by providing helpful information. Their instructional gardening videos cover the characteristics of crops, vocabulary, gardening techniques, debunking gardening myths, rainwater collection, and dealing with garden pests.
As the couple has noted many times, one problem with getting others to try home gardening is the belief that they don't have enough space.
"You don't need to live on a farm to grow food for your family," Peter said in one of their Instagram posts. He added that vertical gardening is key to creating a diverse and lush garden with limited yard space.
Many of Hilary and Peter's posts feature a common lesson: learning to slow down. The family is part of a movement to engage in the more mindful practices of homesteading.
@thegardenfamily Cheers 🍻 to everyone who is enjoying the journey and not just the destination!
♬ original sound - TheGardenFamily
Growing your food, sewing your clothes, and crafting items are ways more and more people are participating in "slow living," allowing them to connect with nature and appreciate our planet.
A less obvious benefit of growing your food is that it helps the planet. Because freshly gardened food travels straight from your yard to your table — rather than a farm hundreds or thousands of miles away — it reduces the harmful carbon air pollution used during transport.
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