Subject: Re: anyone saving $ by growing food? From: hedra@magma.ca (Sandra P. Hoffman) Organization: Magma Communications Ltd. Date: Wed, 15 Nov 00 14:03:06 Message-ID: <MOD$001115.26127@rec.gardens.ecosystems> References: <MOD$001115.16623@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
On 15 Nov 2000 10:25:36 -0500, "Cathy Morgan"
wrote:
> >Have been interested in organic gardening for about 30 >years, and have had successful gardens for a few years at a >time. But I'm not sure any of my vegetable gardens actually >produced more in vegetables than I could have bought with >the money I invested in organic fertilizers, organic >solutions to pest and disease problems, etc. plus seeds and >other supplies. Has anyone kept track of this and found >that they really do save significant grocery money by >growing vegetables and/or fruit? If so - what's the secret?
I use almost no inputs that I have to buy. So even though up until
last year I have paid to rent an allotment, my return has always been
good.
For fertilizer, I mostly use my own compost, with occasional purchase
in of compost. Now that I have my own place I would expect to be self
sufficient in compost within 5 years.
I have not purchased pest control of any kind in over 8 years. Hand
picking or just letting beneficials take care of things has for the
most part worked out ok. The rare occasion when I have had major
damage to one particular crop, I've had enough variety planted that I
still got a reasonable return from the garden as a whole.
I recently realized that for the most part I only need a major restock
on seed every two or three years. Even my haphazardly stored seed,
with only a few exceptions, gave me a reasonably good germination rate
on two and three year old seed this year.
I use only a few tools. Garden spade and fork, garden rake, ho mi
digger (a small plow shaped handtool), collinear hoe. Some buckets.
These all last years after the initial investment, so spread over a
lifetime of use are not significant. I anticipate investing some money
into coldframes, and compost bins over the next two years. Again the
initial cost will be fairly high, but spread over the lifetime of the
finished structures, will not be significant.
I occasional buy pots for seed starting but mostly scavenge them,
either from friends or neighbours who are throwing them out, or from
the plastics recycling bin.
My plant starting shelves up till this year have been Ikea's cheapest
knockdown shelves, with plug in shop lights on adjustable chains.
Don't know what I'm doing this year yet. I can set up a permanent seed
starting space in the basement for the first time, and have to decide
which way I want to go with it. I am also working on reducing the
amount of stuff I start from seed inside, and increasing what I start
from seed outside. I had produce off of very late garden seeded plants
this year that I never would have expected in our short season.
I don't count my time as a cost. If I were not gardening I'd be paying
for fitness courses.
sph
The voices of the cicadas
Penetrate the rocks. -- Basho