There is nothing more delicious and prideful than eating (and sharing) a tomato and basil salad made with ingredients you personally nurtured. I haven’t yet had a chance to garden full scale, but that is one of my life goals – to have a farm with all sorts of produce and animals. I’ve been able to do some small-scale backyard gardening though, including retrofitting my non-garden backyard to a gardening one. I take pride in being able to produce food, and knowing that I know how to nurture and support plants so that they grow most effectively and with the biggest bounties. Plus, as a chef, there’s nothing better than using the freshest, most loved ingredients.