Mike Stewart wants to change how … and where … Americans get their fresh fruits and vegetables.
He’s not promoting a drastic diet or far-out fad. Mike wants to make it easy – almost automatic – to enjoy an unending supply of fresh organic fruits and vegetables in a space no bigger than a picnic table.
Mike is the owner of U.S. Victory Gardens, based in Jackson, Mississippi. For years, he grew traditional gardens, even though it was time- and labor-intensive.
Then it happened – a rash of contaminated produce recalls in 2006 caused him to rethink his approach to gardening. What, he wondered, if there was a way he could feed his family without the time and labor requirements of a traditional garden?
The idea for the Personal Produce Garden was born.
During both World Wars, Victory gardens were common in the US and Great Britain. Governments promoted them so families could feed themselves, leaving more food for the troops. Today, U.S. Victory Gardens is helping people fight a different war – the war against diabetes, obesity, and diet-related diseases.
“I decided everyone, regardless of their age, physical condition, or time limitations should be able to enjoy delicious whole foods without paying Whole Foods prices”, says Stewart.
Over the next few years, he perfected the design of the self-watering “Personal Produce Garden” kit. By combining the best of container, raised bed, and square foot gardening, anyone can have fresh, healthy and safe produce growing right outside their kitchen door.
“Some people love digging in the dirt. Most don’t, and some can’t”, says Mike. “I wanted a design that anyone could enjoy with minimal effort. I call it “labor-free gardening. There’s no back-breaking labor. No bending, no tilling, no weeding. Seniors and people with disabilities love it for it’s accessibility and busy people like how it runs almost on autopilot, once it’s planted”.
The kits come in two sizes – 60 gallons and 90 gallons – and they’re shipped in a single box. They are priced at $199.99 and $219.99 respectively, plus shipping. Kits do not include the pressure treated timbers because they can be purchased from any lumber yard or home improvement supply store.
“I sell the pre-cut timbers, but I encourage folks to get them locally due to the high cost of shipping. I provide timber cutting instructions and easy-to-follow instructions with every kit.”
Another personal touch is that Stewart includes his cell phone number on every set of assembly instructions. “I want my customers to know that I’m available 24/7 and if they have any questions, they’ll be talking to the guy who invented their garden, not some kid in a cubicle reading from a script.”
Each garden has a vinyl-coated metal trellis for climbing plants and a super-efficient watering system that’s capable of watering all six large containers in about 3 minutes. Using a high-quality planting mix and organic time-release fertilizer, the owner can grow organic vegetables virtually labor-free.
The box the Garden Kit ships in features pictures of produce Stewart grew using the same techniques. There’s an 11-ounce bell pepper, foot-long banana peppers and a single tomato plant that produced over 200 tomatoes, all grown in the same 10 and 15 gallon containers that come with the kits.
In addition to the Personal Produce Garden, U. S. Victory Gardens, also manufactures Convertible Greenhouses, the only greenhouses that convert from open-air and animal-proof to fully-enclosed in minutes.
“This isn’t just a business to me. It’s my passion. Everybody knows we don’t eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s causing an epidemic of diabetes, obesity, and premature aging. The Personal Produce Garden can help people get healthy again. And it’s very rewarding to feel like you’re in charge of what you put into your body, especially when you grow it yourself”, says Stewart.
==============
For more information on the Personal Produce Garden, contact Mike Stewart at (601) 924-8784 or by email at mike@usvictorygardens.com.
U.S. Victory Gardens, LLC
Mike Stewart
JACKSON
MS
USA
(601) 924-8784
mike@usvictorygardens.com
https://www.usvictorygardens.com/