Just when you thought it was safe to garden…

I’ve always had a plot of fresh veggies, even when I was little. My folks tried to get me playing in the dirt as much as possible.

Not just to toughen me up, but also to get me to eat more fresh vegetables as a kid.

There’s something about having grown it yourself that makes you more likely to eat what’s on your plate…

It’s taken a little getting used to with the move to Texas, but I’ve found that most everything I want to grow I still can. I just need to pay extra attention to what I’m doing.

The soil down here can sometimes be sandy, with all the limestone in the area. And it tends to be more alkaline, so I have to make sure the pH is right for plants like peppers, which like more acid in the dirt.

Right now’s a great time to plant things like beets and cauliflower, and greens like collards. But just as I was getting ready to do some planting, I come across this…

New research has found that exposure to compost can increase your risk of Legionnaires’ disease. Seriously?

For those of you who don’t know, Legionnaires’ is a form of pneumonia caused by a specific bacterium. This bacterium – Legionella pneumophilia – can be harmful when inhaled.

Now not everyone is at serious risk. But if you’re older, or a smoker, or you have any lung concerns already, you should definitely be on guard when working with compost or potting soil.

Of 31 adults in a study who came down with the disease, almost all of them had been gardening within 3 weeks of getting sick. And wearing a mask or gloves didn’t seem to help…

What you can do is open the bag away from your face, keep it low to the ground when moving it around, and always – always – wash your hands before getting them near your face.

Obviously, the rewards of gardening far outweigh the risks, friends. But it’s probably best not to take in a lung-full of compost dust.

Now there’s a sentence I didn’t think I’d ever have to type…

God Bless,

Jeff Reagan

Editor, Patriot Health Alliance

P.S. If the idea of working in the garden makes your knees ache, or your back stiff, Patriot Flex might just be the help you need. The feedback so far has been incredible – I’d hate for you to miss out on enjoying the things you like to do because you’re afraid you’ll “pay for it” later.

Patriot Flex can help ease the pain – even when other things haven’t worked. See the full story here.