Dear Source:
Yes, the cost of food is terribly high here. However, we have discovered and would encourage others to do container gardening for vegetables and herbs. It is amazing how much one can grow with virtually no land. I love tomatoes, but they are so tasteless here because of early harvest and shipment. My husband bought some with the stems on and saved the seeds. We have a huge crop of tomatoes now and they are delicious. I have a continuous crop of basil and other herbs as well.
UVI Cooperative Extension Service has some wonderful ideas for container gardening. They are recycling old tires by stacking them on each other, filling them with soil and planting cabbage and other vegetables. A drip irrigation system is also easy to install and provides a gradual source of water which prevents over or under watering. Whether you live in a house where the land is too steep to have a large garden on in a condo, money can be saved on vegetables and herbs. In addition, they can be organically grown and taste great because they can go straight to the table when ripe. If each of us did this, we could reduce our grocery bills and satisfy our craving for taste.

Dena Langdon
St. Thomas

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to [email protected].