homegrown vs. store-bought: a family garden debate

When I was a child, my grandmother’s backyard was a patchwork of tomatoes, basil, and squash. She’d send me out barefoot to pick what we’d eat that night. Those flavors—earthy, sun-warmed, imperfect—felt like home. Now, decades later, I’ve started my own little garden in our North American suburb, hoping to revive that tradition. But when I serve up my homegrown harvest, my wife and mother-in-law seem skeptical, almost nostalgic for the uniform, waxy produce from the grocery store. Is it the unfamiliar shapes? The stronger scents? Or maybe it’s just habit—modern convenience over old-fashioned effort. Sometimes I wonder if we’ve lost touch with the land, or if I’m just chasing memories that don’t fit today’s tastes. My tomatoes, a little lopsided but bursting with flavor, sit untouched while the store-bought ones disappear. It stings, honestly. I know our climate can be tough—late frosts, unpredictable rain—but isn’t that part of the story? Shouldn’t we celebrate the resilience of local gardens, even if the results aren’t picture-perfect? Or is there a deeper divide here, between generations and values: the comfort of tradition versus the ease of modern life? I’d love to hear if anyone else feels this tug-of-war at their own table. #gardeningdebate #homegrownvsstorebought #familytraditions #Gardening