Years ago, I reluctantly planted a vegetable garden. I wasn’t especially compelled to dig around in the dirt, but my then-first grader desperately wanted to grow veggies. So I did what all good mothers do, I initiated a bonding, life-enriching experience with my child. Of course, I got stuck doing it all by myself once the kid lost interest (which was about two hours into the project).

So there I am planting lettuce, green beans, pumpkins, onions. And strangely, I began feeling proud about those...