What started as simply spotting an ad on Facebook has now become a full-time job for myself.

It all started last year before the entire country (USA) was placed on lockdown. Gardening runs in my blood. I come from a family that was raised with their hands in the soil. My husband and I had already discussed gardening and had plans to start our first outdoor garden, along with acquiring our first flock of chickens.

One day, I was scrolling on Facebook and saw an ad for Rise Gardens and their hydroponic system. This was when there was only the modular Family Garden. I checked out the website and saw the price and decided to talk to my husband.

Our family lives paycheck to paycheck so spending several hundred dollars is a decision we don’t make lightly.

We decided to give Rise Gardens a try with the purchase of a Double Family Garden. This system has been an investment that pays for itself--from the start of germinating seeds to harvesting herbs, vegetables, flowers, and fruit! And, it's all in my kitchen! I think my favorite thing about the system is the ability to experiment with a multitude of seeds. We’ve grown so many different types of lettuce.

And, yes, there have been bumps in the road, like all journeys (their living beings!), which is why I appreciate Rise even more. Their customer service has always tended to any issue or question I have had within a very timely manner. The Facebook community group (for current customers only) is also a great support system, as well as a great place to find or share photos, ideas, and recipes.

I am also a mom of three children, all of whom are homeschooled. Having the system has shown my children firsthand how a plant is grown and cared for. A year later, we now have added another level to our Family Garden and also now have one of the countertop gardens, the Personal Rise Garden.

Having these systems have brought me peace during the most stressful year we can imagine, along with the comfort of knowing where my produce comes from.

It truly is an investment that continues to pay dividends in our life.