For decades, we’ve been told that the “perfect” lawn is a status symbol. But the real power move? Transforming your yard into a productive, beautiful, and eco-friendly space that actually benefits you and the environment. Join the Deep Roots Project and learn how to turn your yard into a thriving, edible landscape!

Switch from Growing Grass to Growing Food

It’s time to stop grass farming and start food growing. Your yard has the potential to be so much more than a money-sucking green carpet. Let’s rethink the American yard—one delicious, homegrown meal at a time!

Welcome to the great American contradiction. We love nature, but we spray it to death. Picture the classic American Dream! A beautiful home, a happy family, kids running barefoot through a lush green yard, and a dog joyfully chasing a ball. But hold on—what’s that smell? It’s not fresh-cut grass. It’s a cocktail of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides keeping that lawn unnaturally pristine.

Meanwhile, inside the house, the same family is sitting down for an organic, locally sourced meal—because, of course, they care about eating healthy. They read labels, avoid GMOs, and shun pesticide-laden produce. But outside? Their lawn is a synthetic chemical wasteland, soaking up poisons that seep into the groundwater, harm wildlife, and ironically, require more work and money than if they just let nature do its thing.

Your Lawn is a Tiny, Pointless Farm

What do you actually get from your lawn? It’s a never-ending chore that eats up your time, drains your wallet, and gives nothing in return. Lawns are the only crop in America that require constant care but provide zero harvest. It’s like being a farmer, but instead of growing food, you grow… expensive, chemically dependent green carpet.

Meanwhile, industrial agriculture is working overtime, using the same kind of chemicals to grow our food on a massive scale, causing long-term damage to our soil, water, and climate. And guess what? The companies making money off industrial farming are the same ones selling you weed killers and fertilizers for your lawn.

So if you think about it, the “perfect” American lawn isn’t just bad for the environment—it’s a marketing trick that keeps you spending money on something completely unnecessary.

The Cost of Keeping Up With the Joneses (And Their Lawn)

We’ve been trained to believe that a flawless green yard equals success. But at what cost?

•   $30 billion—That’s how much Americans spend on lawn care every year.
•   150 hours—The average person spends more time mowing the lawn than doing almost anything else outdoors.
•   17 million gallons of gas—Spilled each year by people refueling their lawn mowers, polluting our water and air.
•   9 billion gallons of water—Used daily to keep lawns green, even in drought-prone areas.

And here’s the kicker: the chemicals we use on our lawns—pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers—end up in our drinking water, harm pollinators, and are linked to serious health problems in children and pets.

What If Your Yard Fed You Instead?

Now imagine a different kind of yard. One bursting with life—fresh herbs, juicy tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and vibrant flowers buzzing with bees and butterflies. A space where kids can pick their own snacks right off the vine and neighbors stop by, not to judge your grass, but to admire your flourishing mini-farm.

Converting even part of your yard into an organic food garden means:
•   Less time mowing
•   Less money spent on fertilizers and chemicals
•   A lower water bill
•   A healthier planet
•   Fresh, homegrown food

Sounds like a better deal than a grass farm, right?

How to Break Up With Your Lawn (Without Losing Curb Appeal) Ready to make the switch? Here are some easy ways to start:
•   Grow Food, Not Grass – Turn part of your yard into a raised bed or plant fruit trees, berries, or herbs. If you’ve got sun, you’ve got potential!
•   Go Native – Swap thirsty grass for native wildflowers and drought-resistant plants that require little maintenance and help pollinators thrive.
•   Ditch the Chemicals – Stop using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Instead, build healthy soil with compost and mulch. Your yard (and local wildlife) will thank you.
•   Shrink the Lawn, Grow a Path – Create meandering walkways with stone or mulch and let ground covers like clover replace boring grass.
•   Make Friends with the Bees – Pollinator-friendly gardens are not just beautiful, they’re essential for food production. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds will love your new yard!

A Lawn-Free Future Looks Pretty Green.

Beautify your yard with elegant cedar raised beds!

 Our Deep Roots handcrafted cedar raised beds are designed to endure outdoors while adding a touch of style to your yard. As a bonus, they are the perfect depth to hold just the right amount of our nutrient-rich compost growing medium, which comes free with each bed.

Happy Gardening!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

We provide our gardeners with the best products for success – like cedar raised beds, microbe-rich compost and microbe-rich worm castings. Check our online store. Always talk to our customer support team before placing your order online. If you need help or have a question contact us at support[at]deep-roots-project.org and 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots Online Store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter, if you want text message announcements now and then.

Donations help us provide organic kitchen gardening education to individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Thank you in advance for contributing to our community and for sharing our website and blog with friends and family.