Are any of you readers thinking more about growing your own vegetables given the rising global food prices or are just thinking that you want to do it just because? I'd be interested to know how many people are that visit this forum.
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Vegetables
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Yeah for sure... I am going to dig up a heap more dirt this weekend with my daughter and start getting ready to plant food, we have a bit of land out the front, large enough to build a large house on and have a mega garden around it...
So it should be enough room to grow everything and best of all it gets sun all day, the sun comes perfectly across it on the side...
We have free water, free of treatment, its a "bore" but more of a underground pure spring, crystal clear...
I am also planning to build a house on that bit of land (attached to my mothers house), running entierly on renewable energy.. but thats a while away.
Now is the time, start growing your own food free from chemical crap, pruifying your water and creating renewable energy systems...
Us first worlders have had it good for 2 long, we need to now change the world by peacefully rejecting carbon soicety and money greed soicety.
So it should be enough room to grow everything and best of all it gets sun all day, the sun comes perfectly across it on the side...
We have free water, free of treatment, its a "bore" but more of a underground pure spring, crystal clear...
I am also planning to build a house on that bit of land (attached to my mothers house), running entierly on renewable energy.. but thats a while away.
Now is the time, start growing your own food free from chemical crap, pruifying your water and creating renewable energy systems...
Us first worlders have had it good for 2 long, we need to now change the world by peacefully rejecting carbon soicety and money greed soicety.
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Too much time and hassle IMO. I work 40+ hours a week. I have a home and family to maintain. I just do not have time. Maybe if I was retired, or had nothing better to do. I'd rather go to a farmer's market or something like that and just buy fresh produce off people in the community.
You need to question the institution of currency
And as far as stfuradio's question: Yes. This summer I'm moving onto family land and will grow 90% of my own food
Cool, I'd too like to grow a big chunk of food, but I don't think 90% is possible in the first year. We might get a greenhouse to put somewhere... then we could grow some things during the winter.
Also in the next two years we might get a few chickens for fresh eggs. Imagine how much money you could save every year if you only had to buy milk, and meats and maybe other things like cereal (unless you had a big field of wheat).
Yeah, it'll take a while for the crops to come to fruition (literally). Chickens are great for eggs, just get a few hens and you have breakfast every morning. You can get meat by raising rabbits and hunting deer, hog, squirrel etc. If you cut out heavily processed foods like I have, then there's no need for wheat/cereal, etc.
It seems so ridiculous how straightforward it is to be able to feed yourself and your family at very, very little cost while all these soccer moms are spending $200+ a week at Publix so their spoiled brats can have their Frosted Flakes.
I started 36 different plants of vegetables yesterday. 4 Broccoli, 8 Cauliflower (they're a one harvest vegetable unlike Broccoli), 4 pak choi plants, 8 peppers, 4 romaine lettuce plants, and 4 celery plants. I think I missed a few, but that's pretty much what I started yesterday. I also am going to start another batch of vegetables the week after next which will most likely include 8 tomatoes, and some other things I can start at the end of the month.
I'm really excited and can't wait to see some of the vegetables come up... especially when I start to grow some Melons and pumpkins in April/May/June.
I'm really excited and can't wait to see some of the vegetables come up... especially when I start to grow some Melons and pumpkins in April/May/June.
You eliminate even that cost when you grow food yourself, save seed, compost for fertilizer, employ intelligent and responsible crop rotation, etc ...
I can't grow food myself. I live in an apartment building with no balcony. Some people can't do it. And growing food yourself isn't as cheap as you think.
Many of those local farmers are suffering, and you say don't help them? That's a contradiction. Often those who are in those farmer markets sell organic products, and are the last of small farmers when big conglomerates take over. Their products are also superior in quality because these local farmers know what they are doing... while the average person typically doesn't. Tell me, would you eat vegetables and fruit you grow in a city as compared to rural areas? Most people don't live in rural areas. I'll pass on eating produce that I would grow here... maybe because in cities water and soil quality is significantly less.
So what you say, would really only be best for those who live in rural and MAYBE suburban areas. Not those urban dwellers.
Discussions were good up until that point. Don't start arguing each other and swearing etc. over Vegetables.
Ben, he said he can't do it in an apartment which is true.
Gcarini, farmers aren't making money just because it's cheap. Farmers in the Okanagan (A place in around central BC) who farm mostly things like peaches, apricots, grapes and Apples... are only making about 12 cents/lb for their Apples. That's not even enough money to produce them, so you are wrong that prices are cheap just because there is no middle man. You buying prices at the farmers market just because they're cheap is not helping farmers because they're not making the money they need.
Another fallacy you have Gcarini, is that Organic always means no pesticides being used on it. It's true in the past, but it seems that there has been a lax in rules lately as to what to consider organic.
The last thing I want to talk about is that you think it's too expensive to grow your own food. If you're growing your own food, even if it's just one portion of it... let's use Carrots as an example. 850 seeds costs $3 USD or less. All you have to do is dig in your soil and plant them. You can use your own compost (food scraps and not meat) to improve the soil as the first harvests likely won't be the best. Seeds are cheap, way cheaper than buying them at the store and you can grow a lot of your vegetable needs with a bit of work and using things like grass clippings etc as mulch.
Ben, he said he can't do it in an apartment which is true.
Gcarini, farmers aren't making money just because it's cheap. Farmers in the Okanagan (A place in around central BC) who farm mostly things like peaches, apricots, grapes and Apples... are only making about 12 cents/lb for their Apples. That's not even enough money to produce them, so you are wrong that prices are cheap just because there is no middle man. You buying prices at the farmers market just because they're cheap is not helping farmers because they're not making the money they need.
Another fallacy you have Gcarini, is that Organic always means no pesticides being used on it. It's true in the past, but it seems that there has been a lax in rules lately as to what to consider organic.
The last thing I want to talk about is that you think it's too expensive to grow your own food. If you're growing your own food, even if it's just one portion of it... let's use Carrots as an example. 850 seeds costs $3 USD or less. All you have to do is dig in your soil and plant them. You can use your own compost (food scraps and not meat) to improve the soil as the first harvests likely won't be the best. Seeds are cheap, way cheaper than buying them at the store and you can grow a lot of your vegetable needs with a bit of work and using things like grass clippings etc as mulch.
I understand that. Well maybe soon I'll have a balcony, but I have my qualms about growing vegetables or fruit with the air quality of Los Angeles.
I didn't say farmers are making money. I know for a fact it's a very difficult profession to be in. Some of my relatives are farmers. No. The reason why the costs at the farmers market is lower because there is no middle man. It's direct from them. In addition, there is less charged because supermarkets usually add on their own amount for transportation, refrigeration (if any), and employees at the supermarket. I'm not wrong on that account.
And as far as I'm concerned, the state of California have very tough standards on what organic means. And these products are mentioned as pesticide free. That's what I also check.
I don't agree with you on your idea on the cost of growing food. There are other factors that must be taken into account... including time, energy, and water. If you're in a state with lesser water supplies, it can become quite expensive. In the end, it really isn't that cheap[ if you think about it. But I'm not claiming it is more than buying fruit in the store. I'm just saying it probably isn't cheaper then buying them at your local farmers market.
I didn't say farmers are making money. I know for a fact it's a very difficult profession to be in. Some of my relatives are farmers. No. The reason why the costs at the farmers market is lower because there is no middle man. It's direct from them. In addition, there is less charged because supermarkets usually add on their own amount for transportation, refrigeration (if any), and employees at the supermarket. I'm not wrong on that account.
And as far as I'm concerned, the state of California have very tough standards on what organic means. And these products are mentioned as pesticide free. That's what I also check.
I don't agree with you on your idea on the cost of growing food. There are other factors that must be taken into account... including time, energy, and water. If you're in a state with lesser water supplies, it can become quite expensive. In the end, it really isn't that cheap[ if you think about it. But I'm not claiming it is more than buying fruit in the store. I'm just saying it probably isn't cheaper then buying them at your local farmers market.
It costs more in terms of work, but the reward is much higher than just buying it.
"No. The reason why the costs at the farmers market is lower because there is no middle man. It's direct from them. "
I guess I agree with that.
"and water." I live in a rainforest, I have an abundance of water. My area receives the most rainfall out of all of Canada as far as I know... also I'm on a well and not city water with a pump that has a filter.
"No. The reason why the costs at the farmers market is lower because there is no middle man. It's direct from them. "
I guess I agree with that.
"and water." I live in a rainforest, I have an abundance of water. My area receives the most rainfall out of all of Canada as far as I know... also I'm on a well and not city water with a pump that has a filter.
That's a matter of personal opinion. I don't feel a higher reward for growing plants because I factor in the time and energy lost that could have been spent elsewhere.
True. Hence why I would probably do it if I had a balcony or maybe a yard.
I know it's rewarding. I've done it before.
My area has a severe lack of rainfall... even with this more then unusual rain season we've been having (it isn't enough). I think most LA water comes from the Colorado river and up from northern California. Maybe I'll consider lower water plants.
I have a heat pad now for my seedlings, and I've had a shop light for a week... but just had it replaced today since it kept cutting out every 20 minutes or so. So I have only had them under lights as much as I could while I was home. They've been making good progress though
I might get a 50 foot cloche so I can start things outside early and keep things maybe into early December.
I might get a 50 foot cloche so I can start things outside early and keep things maybe into early December.
This is true, but what does that have to do with me and vegetables? :lol:
