Annette Pelliccio and Emily Houman's dreams are in the dirt.
"It's bringing us back to nature" says Pelliccio, founder of "The Happy Gardener".
Instead of going back to work after having kids, the former teacher and stay-at-home mom turned their passions into paychecks.
"I was just looking for some way to contribute to the family" says Houman, Distributer of "The Happy Gardener".
"When I started thinking what could I do instead of going back to a conventional job, I really started wondering how I could incorporate gardening into that" says Pelliccio.
With $3,000, Annette started an organic gardening supply company in her Virginia garage. It blossomed into a more than one million dollar consulting business with 1,000 distributors across North America.
"As a single mom with two kids, I've been able to do it still being home with them" answers Pelliccio when asked about why she started the company.
Her first organic garening tip: put down the weed spray and pick up a newspaper.
"Lay it (the newspaper) down and then cover it with your dirt. Weeds need sunlight and moisture to grow and the newspaper will act as a barrier, and then it will biodegrade naturally." advises Pelliccio.
Do animals and bugs like your veggies as much as you do? Instead of pesticides try companion plants: onions, herbs or flowers that scare off pests with their strong scents.
Pelliccio says you can plant a hedge of marigolds with your crops, marigolds serve as a good deterrent for deer and rabbits.
Wondering how to protect your tomatoes? Plant some basil with them, the basil will deter the worms from getting on your tomatoes.
To keep moisture in, most use peat moss or mulch, an earth friendly alternative is coconut fiber.
Finally, roll out the welcome mat for feathered friends. When birds make a home in the garden they can be your cheapest and lowest maintenance pest control solution.
California leads the U.S. in most certified organic cropland. Wisconsin, North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana round out the top five.
