tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post3292654195706032264..comments2024-01-25T16:21:50.456+11:00Comments on Chookie's Back Yard: How Economical is a Vegetable Garden?Chookiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230973711859964063noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-39899608940494668962014-07-05T05:43:36.951+10:002014-07-05T05:43:36.951+10:00This site is good because they give us a new thing...This site is good because they give us a new thing and new ideas and new topic how good all of they are we should appreciate them because of these good thing.<br />I know something information, to know you can click here<br /><a href="http://brisbanebuildersandrenovators.com.au/" rel="nofollow">Renovations brisbane</a><br /><a href="http://brisbanebuildersandrenovators.com.au/" rel="nofollow">Builders brisbane</a>services773https://www.blogger.com/profile/03101985151229900513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-45457258173839793482009-09-25T23:05:01.162+10:002009-09-25T23:05:01.162+10:00But Scarecrow, you are so organised. I'm just...But Scarecrow, you are so organised. I'm just in awe as I'd never remember to weigh things before I started eating them!<br />Thank you for mentioning the workout aspect, Yolanda and Scarecrow -- I forgot that. Perhaps because mine is practically no-dig?<br />Greenfumb, yes, food miles are a serious consideration in Australia.<br />Anna, if you get the birds to put the fertiliser in the right spot you don't have to remember anything. Perhaps your worm farm could be moved closer to the vegies too?<br />Amanda, LOL at 'pets that repay us their food costs'!<br />Bren, I'm glad the Brandywines are so tasty as it's the first time I've grown them. And I didn't even know I'd been tweeted!<br />GJNairn, I think harvests improve as your soil improves. I didn't include startup costs either, did I? Or the cost of my chook dome.<br />Cadi's Mum, wow -- three months without buying vegetables? Now I have something to aim at!<br />Darren, you're right -- knocking gardening on economic grounds is probably done by people who just want to knock gardening because they don't want to do it. It is important to look at motives.<br />Onesimus, I think some of your troubles are due to poor soil and you just need some tincture of time. And check the pH -- you might need lime. I am sure fruit fly appear in Genesis 3...<br />Anonymous food pantry poster, that is such a great idea. Long may it prosper.<br />Kris, you are obviously one of those gardening fanatics. As Edna Walling said, let's hope they never find a cure!Chookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07230973711859964063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-29454835328794528192009-09-22T22:41:42.963+10:002009-09-22T22:41:42.963+10:00I agree with Darren - the actual nickle and dime c...I agree with Darren - the actual nickle and dime cost of gardening - for food or ornament - is beside the point. And those of us who do it know that gardening is a pleasurable process full of rewards and benefits regardless of financial gain (or loss).kris at Blithewoldhttp://www.blithewold.org/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-87107421898617737482009-09-22T10:49:22.997+10:002009-09-22T10:49:22.997+10:00Once you are past the economics of gardening, you ...Once you are past the economics of gardening, you may want to visit www.AmpleHarvest.org - a site that helps diminish hunger by enabling backyard gardeners to share their crops with neighborhood food pantries. <br /><br />The site is free both for the food pantries and the gardeners using it.<br /><br />Over 900 food pantries nationwide are already on it and more are signing up daily.<br /><br />It includes preferred delivery times, driving instructions to the pantry as well as (in many cases) information about store bought items also needed by the pantry (for after the growing season).<br /><br />If your community has a food pantry, make sure they register on www.AmpleHarvest.org.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-18871033276728572082009-09-21T14:31:05.143+10:002009-09-21T14:31:05.143+10:00I’ve been trying to get a viable veggie garden run...I’ve been trying to get a viable veggie garden running for three years now. I’m not sure how economical it’s been so far. At times the costs seem to exceed any potential financial benefits. I always seem to be buying something: concrete blocks for borders, bales of straw for mulch, manure, blood and bone, dolomite lime and so on…and then there’s the seed or seedlings.<br /><br />We’ve had a few successes, such as zucchini, butternut pumpkin, corn and beans. But we’ve also had a lot of failures – our brassicas never do well. Our tomatoes were attacked by fruit fly. Potatoes have been poor. Carrots were hardly worth the effort…<br /><br />The main benefit of my veggie garden so far has been the satisfaction of eating food we have grown ourselves. Maybe when I have a better idea of what I’m doing the financial side of gardening may improve. And with practice I might be more successful with those veggies that have given me problems to date.<br /><br />TimOnesimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-27478653160546664102009-09-21T13:12:10.628+10:002009-09-21T13:12:10.628+10:00I don't get the people who knock gardening bas...I don't get the people who knock gardening based upon the cost/benefit. Not everything comes down to dollars and cents.<br /><br />They'll sit there with a $10 takeaway meal in front of them and question the economic sense in you growing your own vegies. If you apply the same logic to their choice of lunch and suggest they have a vegemite sandwich instead if money is that important, they look at you like you have two heads!<br /><br />At the end of the day, the people who question the economics of vegie gardening aren't concerned about economics at all.Darren (Green Change)http://www.green-change.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-3408242163690311572009-09-21T12:50:42.346+10:002009-09-21T12:50:42.346+10:00Love this post. I feel exactly the same way - it&...Love this post. I feel exactly the same way - it's not just the financial benefit, although I think I would break even, if not be better off. It is the complete lifestyle benefit. No gym fees and those food miles. And there's the benefit of always having something on hand for dinner - even if its just a salad of baby leaves because it's only been in a week. I didn't go to the fruit & veg shop at all for 3 months last summer, and am looking forward to doing the same this year.Cadi's Mumnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-51067250718757866322009-09-21T07:07:44.533+10:002009-09-21T07:07:44.533+10:00Nicely put!
I found the bulk of my costs were in ...Nicely put!<br /><br />I found the bulk of my costs were in getting the whole machine cranking... setting up garden beds, chicken run, improving the soil. Like any business, the garden runs in the red for a few years before you can hope to turn a profit. My biggest ongoing cost is expansion and continual improvement of the process.<br /><br />I'm certain that purely in quantitative terms, I'm lucky to break even (in fact, one of my goals is <i>just</i> to break even). The hardest thing to put a price on is the freshness, taste and piece of mind (I <i>like</i> knowing my food isn't loaded with a cocktail of chemical). I think this is far outweighs any cost (its absolutely <i>priceless</i>), and its one of the key reasons I'm out there getting dirty.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12616865707956909837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-9144918953694280992009-09-21T00:29:40.074+10:002009-09-21T00:29:40.074+10:00Followed you over from Twitter. LOve your postings...Followed you over from Twitter. LOve your postings. I would have to say I don't really think about what I can save when I grow my veggies. I can't think of any other way to eat in the summer then to grow my own due to the taste factor. NOTHING like a fresh Brandywine and some basil from the garden. LOVE IT!<br /><br />Can't wait to see what you blog next. Please stop by my garden sometime!Bren Haashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17373890474848211301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-62260474299742638492009-09-20T21:38:10.682+10:002009-09-20T21:38:10.682+10:00I agree- when you see the produce as your hobby, i...I agree- when you see the produce as your hobby, its one with financial benefits as opposed to most other hobbies.<br />that's how I think of the chooks - pets that repay us for their feed costs.Amandahttp://corymbia.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-33378476914966686992009-09-20T20:15:25.116+10:002009-09-20T20:15:25.116+10:00Very pertinent as I seem to spend abit on seeds an...Very pertinent as I seem to spend abit on seeds and hay etc...and a good reminder to use the chicken poo and worm wee more often instead of buying dynamic lifter.<br />thanks for post, AnnaAnnaThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17867549526129717651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-35987088152655627492009-09-20T18:51:26.222+10:002009-09-20T18:51:26.222+10:00Yes great post. I sometimes worry about how much I...Yes great post. I sometimes worry about how much I spend on my garden and my chooks but like you it is my hobby, my exercise, my relaxation etc.<br /><br />I haven't weighed or counted much in the past but this year I will just out of interest. My guess is that a decent tomato harvest and the eggs we get will cover all the costs. All the herbs, beans, potatoes and other things will just be the icing on the cake.<br /><br />And as Yolanda pointed out if our veges are coming from our back yard the food miles are almost zero. Just the one trip a year to the garden centre for cow manure.greenfumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157970942128503098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-59993480811809790272009-09-20T18:26:22.072+10:002009-09-20T18:26:22.072+10:00Great post, Chookie! IMO money is saved by growing...Great post, Chookie! IMO money is saved by growing your own fruit, veg, herbs and flowers and it's a great hobby and you get free work outs, tasty and healthy food and it's fun.<br /><br />My potager is in my back garden so no transportation costs either which is good for my wallet and the environment. ;-)Yolanda Elizabet Heuzenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02506031220151023088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476190367076399004.post-20419466363235698412009-09-20T16:58:36.807+10:002009-09-20T16:58:36.807+10:00Ha Chookie I see you did mention that I weigh my p...Ha Chookie I see you did mention that I weigh my produce but it isn't for a monetary reasons, it's just out of curiosity really. I could never afford to buy so many organic vegetables and fruit.<br /><br />The main reason for that is we would have to travel over 500kms (to Adelaide and back) each time we needed to buy anything as we can't buy organic anything around here!<br /><br />I think you also have to factor in the health benefits of the food we grow <i>as well as the exercise we get gardening.</i>Scarecrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13163390487517340872noreply@blogger.com