WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a million more families dealt with food insecurity last year than the year before. Experts said expiring COVID-19 food assistance programs and inflation continue to keep families from finding affordable food at the grocery store, and that's led some families to start growing their food at home.
It's growing season in South Florida.
So over at Westgate Community Farm, they're keeping busy.
"People will come in and we will have workshops," farm manager Jetson Brown said. "We'll teach them how to grow in whatever space they have."
Brown told WPTV that growing food at home is becoming somewhat of a trend.
"I find that a lot more people are interested in growing their own food and finding food that isn't quite as expensive as what they're seeing in the stores," Brown said.
For example, Brown said, while the price of a bag of kale could cost around $4 at the grocery store right now, planting it at home will ring in just under $1.
A large garden can cost between $100-$200 for seeds, soil and tools, but Brown suggests starting with one plant and slowly planting more from there.
"It does save quite a bit of money," Brown said.
Over at Love Plant Nursery, a fruit tree farm in Loxahatchee, business is booming there too for the same reasons.
"It's more cheap," co-owner Ashraf Makara said.
According to the latest consumer price index, food prices in September were 3.7% higher than they were in September 2022 and grocery store food purchases specifically were 2.4% higher.
The USDA also predicts processed fruits and vegetables could rise 8.5% by the end of the year.
"Inflation is easing and the prices are coming down a bit, [but] not in every area," Carl Gould, a business analyst and founder of 7 Stage Advisors, said. "So it’s like that equalizer on your stereo where one bar's high, one bar's low and then they seem to move around a bit."
Gould told WPTV that supply chain issues could also be to blame for fluctuating prices.
"The supply chain is still not perfect," Gould said. "Just because COVID is over, we still have a shortage of 250,000 truck drivers in the United States."
So growing a garden at home could be a viable solution for many families looking to save a few bucks.
"Apart from just helping their wallets, it also is really good for their health in a multitude of other ways," Brown said.
