Greg Holdsworth

Vegetable gardening has always been one of my biggest and most rewarding hobbies. My first garden “success” was harvesting a few radishes that I had planted in the family’s home flower bed in 7th grade. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get me interested in it at an early age. It wasn’t until high school when I could actually grow and maintain a full-size garden. By then, there was no turning back. I now had Green Thumb blood in my veins.

I had to take a gardening hiatus during college and through the first few years of my career due to not having the room for a garden. In 1999, I moved into my first home in North Texas, and again my gardening passion was unleashed. I give credit to a few great books that helped my knowledge; most notably The New Victory Garden by Bob Thomson. The first few years were tough, and a great learning experience (not that I’ve ever stopped learning).

My goal now is about refining my skills and experience, trying new things, decreasing my dependence on store-bought produce, and becoming a “greener” citizen. I want to give back to my community. One big way I’m doing that is volunteering my time at the local community garden in Plano. This has rewarded me with new friendships and knowledge without measure.

I’m now in my second year of a side business called “Your Own Victory Garden”. It is a local business where I offer organic vegetable garden installation and maintenance, garden “structures” construction, compost system setup, and consulting.

Today there is a revival of the “Victory Garden” movement that occurred during World Wars I & II. The desire to be self-sufficient, save money, eat healthier, and enjoy the freshest produce possible is something I think we can all relate to. It is tremendously rewarding to help anyone start their first garden or to exchange knowledge with other experienced gardeners.

Cheers!