I was working in the garden this afternoon when a couple stopped in front of our house. They were taking a walk and the garden in front of our house had caught their attention. I chatted with them for a few minutes and gave them a tour of the garden. I was aked if I used any bug sprays and I responded that we did not use any chemical or biological weapons.
The WSJ reported recently that "Some small companies seeking an extra benefit for their employees are turning to their backyard for inspiration: a vegetable garden. After laying off an employee, cutting hours and discontinuing raises, Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, owner of Twisted Limb Paperworks LLC in Bloomington, Ind., invested $600 last fall to create a 1,500-square-foot garden outside the recycled paper-products company's office. Now, her four employees can take home their pick of 10 herbs and 22 vegetables." The garden really is a nice benefit, saving them on their food bills," said Ms. Woodhouse-Keese, who estimates the garden has meted out $2,400 in produce this season, from tomatoes to potatoes. Employer-sponsored gardens can be a cheap and easy way to boost workers' morale, relate better to certain customers and expand a company's health and wellness program. It is unclear how many businesses have them, although the National Gardening Association projects a 19% increase in food gardening this year, as the recession motivates households to trim grocery lists. For a small employer, a garden can encourage camaraderie among co-workers and become "a valuable asset the organization is offering," said Paul Teslak, a professor of organizational behavior and human resource management at the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business. It requires relatively few resources, can help in recruiting and differentiate a small business from its competitors, he said.
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