I love to see posts like this. I run a local garden page, volunteer at a local community garden, and have a homestead and blog of my own. I love to see how it can change peoples mood and even lives. Gardening is truly my stress relief but more than that, as you pointed out, it feels so good to pick our fresh foods minutes before consuming, and even better to know that every bit of what we grow helps the soil and environment. Every small step in the right direction is a big leap. ;) This year I've hardly had to purchase produce from the market. I did have to purchase things that don't grow here like banana, coconut, etc. One thing I'll add to the benefits of gardening is that you get some sun! It stimulates the production of vitamin D which is super important for health.