One great reason to grow and eat your own fruits and vegetables is the price, especially in this economy. Grocery stores can be so expensive that it makes it hard to eat healthy, and growing your own produce is an affordable alternative. You can even purchase starter plants that have already produced vegetables and fruit. You will still save money and reap the rewards of your own tasty and fresh homegrown recipes. Don't forget about freshness; the produce in the grocery stores is picked when it is under ripe to extend its life on the shelf. If you have never tried a tomato that has been ripened on the vine, your taste buds are in for a big surprise. Here are a few recipes that call for ingredients from your own garden.

On the website gardenintips.org/recipes.shtml, you can find Gramma Nancy's Strawberry Tarragon Jam recipe. You will need 4 cups of granulated sugar, 5 cups crushed strawberries, and 1/2 cup finely chopped tarragon leaves. Combine sugar and strawberries in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add tarragaon leaves, and let simmer, stirring often until mixture is thick. Skim off the foam. This yields 3 one pint jars.

For a vegetable dish, go to www.gardenersnet.com/recipes, where you can try Stewed Okra and Tomatoes. You will need 1 small onion, chopped, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 cups okra, sliced or lightly chopped, 4-5 tomatoes, peeled and diced or a 16 ounce can, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Brown the chopped onions in vegetable oil. Add remaining ingredients, and cook until the okra is tender and the mixture thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Stir often and then serve hot.