Celebrate National Gardening Day with Yaji Spice

Celebrate National Gardening Day by growing your own veggies and seasoning them with Yaji Spice’s Veggie Blend. 

• Discover the physical, mental, and social health benefits of gardening. 
• Learn how to start your own vegetable garden from scratch, step by step. 
• Pair your harvest with Veggie Blend for bold, peppery, and aromatic flavor. 

Grow it, spice it, love it—shop Veggie Blend now! 

Enjoy our Simple and Tasty Recipe Blog.

This April 14, celebrate National Gardening Day by growing your own vegetables from scratch. In this blog post, we’ll explore the many benefits of digging into gardening, as well as give some tips on starting your own garden. Your fresh veggies will pair beautifully with Yaji Spice’s veggie blend, a mixed vegetable seasoning that has a bit of a kick.  

Why Garden? 

According to the Mayo Health Clinic, there are many health benefits to gardening. Gardening increases your exercise, improves your diet, and allows you time in nature. Working in the garden can be a good form of exercise. Weeding involves squats and lunges, while pushing wheelbarrows or carrying bags of mulch work your muscles. The increase in exercise is one good reason to garden. Gardeners are also likely to incorporate the veggies they grow into their meals. This makes them healthier and more well-balanced. And finally, spending time outdoors in the sunshine can help keep you happy and healthy.  

According to the Mayo Health Clinic, gardening also reduces stress levels and boosts social connection. When you get exercise from a full day of gardening, you reduce your stress at the same time. People connect socially over gardening and can increase their health through those connections. 

So why garden? 

Simply put, gardening is good for you. 

How Do I Get Started? 

• Choose a location. Most vegetables need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Factor that into your decision on where to plant, as well as ensuring that the soil drains well. You’ll want to place your garden in an easily accessible spot so you can tend to it daily. 
• Plan your garden. Research different vegetables you can grow in your garden. Talk with experts to get tips on what thrives in your area. Once you’ve chosen your vegetables, sketch out a layout for the garden. Keep in mind the spacing requirements for each plant when in the planning stage. Start small, with a small plot of land and a few simple, easy-to-grow plants.  
• Prepare the soil. Clear the area, removing weeds, grass, and debris from the planting area. Dig or till the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches to improve drainage and root growth. Fertilize the ground with compost or other organic material. 
• Select plants. Choose from seeds, which are more affordable, or seedlings, which provide a head start. When selecting seedlings, choose plants that appear to be hearty and healthy. 
• Start planting. Plant your vegetables based on the instructions on the seed packet or plant tag. Water regularly and apply a layer of mulch around your plants.  
• Maintain your garden. Weed, fertilize, and water regularly to maintain your garden. Monitor your plants for pests and diseases. 
• Harvest your vegetables. When they are ripe, harvest your vegetables and incorporate them into your summer meals. 

Once You’ve Harvested Your Vegetables, What’s Next? 

Once you’ve planted, grown, and harvested your own vegetables, what’s next? Consider cooking with the veggies you’ve just picked fresh from the garden. Yaji Spice’s veggie blend is the perfect pairing for vegetables straight from the garden. It can be used on raw vegetables and to dress up salads, or on roasted, grilled, or sautéed vegetables. You can enjoy veggie blend on your fresh-from-the-farm veggies. Veggie blend can also be used on soups, stews, and veggie pasta. For veggie blend and other spices, visit our online spices store. 

Spice Up Your Farmers Market Finds – A Guide to Cooking with Fresh Veggies 

Farmer’s markets are great places to buy fresh produce like fruits and veggies, support local businesses, and connect with your community. Most vegetables that you can find at a local farmer’s market pair well with our veggie blend. The mixed vegetable seasoning is a great match with vegetables like carrots, peas, spinach, kale, asparagus, and more. You’ll find plenty of vegetables for veggie blend at the local market. 

Why go to a Farmer’s Market? 

There are plenty of reasons to go to your local farmer’s market: 

1. Buy Local. Local markets offer a variety of locally sourced products that are fresh and rich in nutrients. You’ll make connections with local farmers, fishmongers, bakers, and artisanal food producers, among others. Shoppers are able to choose from produce, fish, and meats that are often organic or sustainably sourced. 
2. Support Small Businesses. At the Pike Place Market in Seattle, there are over 500 small businesses that are represented. Your shopping dollars go towards supporting small business owners and their families. 
3. Enjoy Live Entertainment and Events. Some farmer’s markets have their own live entertainment and events going on. Stop by for some old-fashioned fun. 
4. Build Connections in the Community. If you shop at the farmer’s market enough, you’ll start to build relationships with the farmers and other vendors, growing your social network and building connections. 

These are just a few of many reasons to go to a farmer’s market.  

What Are Some Examples of Farmer’s Markets in the US? 

Three of the most well-known farmer’s markets in the US include Pike Place Market, Union Square Greenmarket, and Santa Monica Farmers Market. In this blog post, we’ll give a broad overview of what makes each of these markets unique.  

What Is Pike’s Place Market Like? 

Pike Place Market is located in the heart of downtown Seattle, spanning a nine-acre historic area. Founded in 1907, the market is one of the oldest in the United States. Filled with vendors selling everything from fresh farm produce to handcrafted goods, the Pike Place Market is a one-stop shop for nearly everything. There are even 6 independent bookstores, a comic bookstore, and a map store at the Seattle-based farmer’s market. 

Open: Most of Pike Place Market is active from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. 

What Is Union Square Greenmarket Like? 

There are a series of open-air farmer’s markets that make up GrowNYC in New York City. The markets are found in all five boroughs, from the Bronx in the north to Queens in the south. Approximately 140 local farmers, fishmongers, bakers, and artisanal food producers sell their food at the markets during peak season. Products like fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, fish, meat, and baked goods are sold at the markets. 

Open: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 

What Is Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Like? 

There are two farmer’s markets in Santa Monica, California—one on Wednesday and one on Saturday. Founded in 1981, the Wednesday farmer’s market features over 60 California farms. The Saturday market was founded in 1991 and features over 40 farm stands.  

Open: Wednesday and Saturday markets are open 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. rain or shine. 

Cook with Fresh Veggies 

Once you’ve picked out your fresh fruits and veggies, you’ll want to enjoy them, raw or cooked. One of the best ways to do that is to use our veggie blend, a bold mix of eight spices, including fennel, cumin, and cinnamon. The spice blend has a bit of a kick, with heat coming from the African black pepper and other spices. You can sprinkle veggie blend on raw vegetables or use it on a salad, but you can also roast, grill, or sauté vegetables with the veggie blend. Simple meal ideas include roasted carrots, sautéed greens, grilled veggie skewers, and zucchini noodles. Our online spices store has plenty of veggie blend in stock for cooking these dishes.