Interview with Roos van Monsjou

Roos van Monsjou is a family friend of my family. She has two children and a large vegetable garden. She loves everything that is organic and also loves her vegetable garden. She also likes to show her children how to grow their own vegetables as she is really into having a vegetable garden and organic food. She loves spending time in her vegetable garden and eating the food she produced herself.

How do you best care for your vegetable garden?

It depends on the weather and the season. But when it is hot outside you give water and every season you give manure as well.

How do you avoid or remove weeds in your garden?

You can use organic herbicides and just remove the weeds once in a while.

Why do you think gardening is fun?

The food you harvest has much more taste and is healthier than food that you buy at the supermarket.
It is a part of educating your children about food and life.
Showing children how something lives and grows.

Do you think that food is tastier without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides? And why?

A 100% yes, because the food has had time to grow and mature by the sun.

Do you use artificial or organic fertilizers and pesticides or do you use nothing? And why?

I use nothing, I just let the plant grow and if the plant dies, it dies.

Do you think growing your own food is better for the environment? And why?

Yes, because less toxins enter the waste system. For example: If I would use artificial fertilizers or pesticides or both the toxin would end up in the ground and will be taken by the rain water into the puddle and will affect/kill animals that live in the puddle.

Do you think growing your own food is better for your health? And why?

Yes, the food you grow yourself has a higher nutritional value and that is important for your health.

Do you think growing your own food has an impact on the rest of the world and food industry? And what sort of impact?

Yes, it is a kind of development of awareness of people.

How do you avoid and battle with mildew, caterpillars and snails in your vegetable garden?

Mildew: remove the leaves that are affected and let the plant solve the problem itself because only then you get strong plants.

Caterpillars: if you see one throw them away.

Snails: you can make a beer trap.