Why We Started From Seed to Spoon

It’s no coincidence that we launched this whole “From Seed to Spoon” thing on Election Day. Don’t worry, I’m not going to get all political here. Honestly, I was going to be sad about the result no matter who won the election. I felt like neither candidate came anywhere close to representing who I am and the values I stand for. I walked into my polling place as a father of three and one on the way with a sense of dread for the future of our country and came out the door afterwards with an altered sense of purpose and a new mission. This story is about how the people I met on election day inspired me to help people grow food. 

First, I’ve got to tell a story about something I’ve felt compelled to do since the day we started our garden. The garden is one of my favorite places. I work from home doing software development and I go there frequently to de-stress, read, write, or think through a problem. Heck, I’m here now writing this post. My backyard backs up to and overlooks the property for a children’s home for women and children that are going through hard times and need some help. I see their campus every day and somewhere along the way, I began to have this overwhelming feeling that I should help them somehow. I can’t explain it, I just felt called to help them. It’s been on my list of “things to do”, but I never made time for taking action on the feeling. 

Fast forward to Election Day again, and we’re waiting in line to vote in the gym at a nearby church. My daughter Marianne’s social skills far exceed mine and within a few minutes of waiting in line, she’d introduced me to a few new friends. One of them just happened to work at the children’s home mentioned before. As most of my conversations do, it soon shifted to gardening and I discovered they were needing some help with a community garden. I eagerly volunteered to help out and ended up having the wonderful opportunity to help them. I felt like through this conversation and others that I had that day, I was given my new mission. Instead of worrying about everything going on the country and constantly feeling sad about all the bad news, DO SOMETHING TO FIX IT!

And that’s pretty much the moment this whole idea of starting a website (and eventually mobile app) that helped people grow food came from. I started growing food two years ago having never before grown a successful vegetable in my life. I planted tomatoes ten years ago and ended up with dandelions taller than the tomatoes. I started at square one with all of this, but I have a bit of an obsessive personality. I started learning as much as I could through reading books and blogs, watching YouTube gardening videos, taking classes, learning from people that had been doing it for decades, and touring farms. I basically stopped watching all TV shows and stopped reading the news late at night. I devoted all of that time to learning, building the farm, and growing food. 

I’ve spent a lot of time learning this stuff and now I want to use this knowledge to help others! I want to help people that are where I was back when I started and show them that it’s possible to save money and live healthier by growing your own food. I want to help others avoid some of the mistakes I made and show how easy it can be to grow your own food. My own personal journey has taught me the value of eating and living with healthy habits. I would love to be able to look back on my life when it’s over and say I was able to make the world just a little bit better by helping others live a more healthy lifestyle.

Dale Spoonemore

Dale Spoonemore is the visionary co-founder of “From Seed to Spoon,” a groundbreaking platform that has revolutionized the way individuals approach gardening. His journey from a novice gardener to a leading advocate for sustainable living and mental wellness through gardening is a source of inspiration to many. Dale’s personal transformation and dedication to making gardening accessible and enjoyable have propelled “From Seed to Spoon” to become a vital tool for gardeners of all skill levels.

Dale’s venture into gardening began as a personal quest to improve his family’s health and well-being. Faced with the challenges of learning how to garden without prior experience, Dale turned his journey into an opportunity to simplify gardening for others. He leveraged his background in technology to develop the “From Seed to Spoon” app, which guides users through the process of starting their own gardens with ease. The app covers everything from selecting the right plants for your region to tracking your garden’s progress.

Beyond the app, Dale’s contributions to the blog reflect his deep understanding of gardening, his commitment to organic practices, and his belief in the therapeutic benefits of connecting with nature. His posts are rich with practical advice, personal anecdotes, and a clear vision for a healthier world through gardening. Dale often shares innovative gardening techniques, ways to incorporate technology into gardening, and tips for growing a wide variety of plants.

Dale’s passion for gardening is matched by his advocacy for mental health. He openly discusses how gardening has been a crucial part of his own mental health journey, offering a powerful testament to the restorative and calming effects of nurturing plants. Through his work, Dale aims to inspire others to discover gardening as a pathway to physical and mental health, sustainability, and a deeper connection with the environment.

As a key voice on the seedtospoon.net blog, Dale Spoonemore continues to educate, inspire, and empower individuals around the globe to start their own gardening adventures. His story is not just about planting seeds in the ground; it’s about planting seeds of change in communities, encouraging a shift towards more sustainable living practices, and fostering a global movement of wellness through gardening.