How Kitchen Gardens in the Balkans Inspire Europe’s Self-Sufficient Future
In many parts of the world, the concept of a kitchen garden has largely become a thing of the past. Kitchen gardens have gradually been replaced by manicured lawns, playgrounds and reliance on supermarkets for food. In the Balkans, however, the tradition of kitchen gardens is still alive and kicking, providing inspiration for Europe in its new geopolitical reality.
The Garden at Its Best
The typical kitchen garden in the Balkans consists of a variety of relatively simple but nutritious crops that grow very well in this particular climate, such as pumpkin, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, beans, courgettes and peppers. This is often combined with some fruit trees or a small orchard with plums, figs, apples, pears or walnuts. Together, this provides enough harvest to eat fresh fruit and vegetables from your own garden in summer and autumn, meanwhile storing or fermenting enough for the winter months.
A Cultural Tradition Rooted in History
Maintaining a kitchen garden is deeply rooted in the history and culture of the region. In many Balkan households, the garden is not just a hobby, but a vital part of daily life. Many garden early in the morning, before it gets too hot. A culture of self-sufficiency is deeply rooted in the Balkan lifestyle. For centuries, families in this region depended on their gardens for fresh produce. This knowledge was passed down from generation to generation. Unlike many western countries, where urbanisation and industrialisation have driven people away from agriculture, the lifestyle in the Balkans has remained closely linked to home, garden and land.
Kitchen gardens offer protection against rising food prices and market shortages
The Kitchen Garden as a Hedge Against Inflation
The political and economic instability that has plagued parts of the Balkans over the past century has also played a role in keeping the vegetable growing tradition alive. From communist repression and the aftermath of the Balkan wars to the economic challenges in post-communist countries, many families in the region have turned to their gardens as a form of security and resilience. Kitchen gardens offer protection against rising food prices and market shortages — problems facing both the Balkans and other European countries today. The garden is not only a source of food, but also a hedge against financial, geopolitical and climatic uncertainty and a good way to reduce dependence on external food sources and the fluctuations of global markets.
With the average family in Europe spending 22% of their food budget on fruit and vegetables, growing your own food can bring significant savings
Build Bigger Gardens — But Don’t Pave Them
This insight makes the kitchen garden a renewed element in urban development. Gardens must once again become part of our kitchens and our cooking culture. But also of our building culture. Nowadays, new-build houses come with small gardens. They may be big enough to grow some raspberries, basil and cherry tomatoes, but not to provide a family with fresh fruit and vegetables all summer. With the average family in Europe spending 22% of their food budget on fruit and vegetables, growing your own food can bring significant savings.
