We've been CSA members for a few years for veg/fruit and eggs. I haven't always enjoyed the extra time of washing them and finding recipes based on what we get each week and was considering stopping this year. However, I just signed up for 2022 given rising inflation/food shortage possibilities.

I love the idea of a garden in theory, but I don't have a green thumb and the time and costs to keep it actually producing are significant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Roma tomatoes and green beans. Growing potatoes is great too, but can't use same garden as tomatoes.

This would be news to every gardener ever. Just put some space between.

+1. My potato row is right beside my tomato row.

The biggest bang for the buck I have experienced are with potatoes, lettuce, zucchini and summer squash and tomatoes.

But I freeze a lot. It’s a labor of love.

We live in the city and for a few years, I had a container garden on my back porch. I spent a lot getting it started that first year, but after that it was cheap. I also didn't know what I was doing so I had a lot of things die that first year. The things were easy to grow were onions, scallions, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. I think I got the most bang for my buck on the herbs though.

Anonymous wrote:Roma tomatoes and green beans. Growing potatoes is great too, but can't use same garden as tomatoes.

This would be news to every gardener ever. Just put some space between.

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad that people realize that growing "Victory gardens" in 2022 is not the way to save money on food. As someone else said, there is an argument that chickens could be a good idea, but that's only if we had a major egg shortgage.

One thing that is a good replacement for store-bought food is fish. After initial investment of some gear, you can catch fish far cheaper than the market prices unless you are buying fish sticks or something.

Where in this area would you catch fish though? The bodies of water here are mostly polluted, except a few stocked lakes.

Anonymous wrote:I probably spend more on my home garden than I would spend buying the same veggies. Maybe if you don't need to spend anything on garden infrastructure (beds, watering, fencing, etc), soil conditioners or fertilizer, pest control.... But then yield goes down accordingly.

Maybe raise chickens? Eggs are a great source of protein. You'll still need fencing, housing and feed, but with those basics a good flock can be fairly self-sustaining.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a relative that has opted out of the capitalist economy so grows a lot of her own food. She does tomatos, squash, mushrooms, carrots, greens. Probably some other stuff but I think you get good bang for your buck on all those especially if you’re patient and start from seeds. This is a question you need to ask people in hippie communes….they are good at this stuff. She also has chickens. She barters excess for things she doesn’t have, like orchard fruit.

I have bad news for her - she hasn't opted out of the capitalist economy. She's just replaced one capitalist economy with another.

Excuse me but bartering is not a form of capitalism. I’m sure this woman is participating in other forms of the capitalist economy, but you seem to be suggesting that by trading with someone else, that she is engaging in capitalism. That is not capitalism.

You’ll need to invest a lot to get started. We did a lot of veggie gardening when the kids were young.

Deer and rabbit fencing
Raised beds or wood if you are making them
High quality soil and compost
Good hose
Support for some veggies
Rototiller for turning over soil
Weed protectors

If you are doing seeds inside you needed to start now, you need large grow lamps and a table

What did really well,,

1. zucchini and pumpkins first two years and then squash bug infestations destroyed them
2. Cucumbers , yes we made pickles but that takes jars, vinegar, seasoning etc
3. Tomatoes but very variable on weather, tomatoes stop growing when it’s hotter than 85 degrees
4. Basil, oregano, rosemary
5. Radishes, beets

What never went well
1. Peppers, always thin for bell peppers, jalapeños weren’t very hot
2. Cilantro always bolted too hot
3. Carrots, always tiny

I'm glad that people realize that growing "Victory gardens" in 2022 is not the way to save money on food. As someone else said, there is an argument that chickens could be a good idea, but that's only if we had a major egg shortgage.

One thing that is a good replacement for store-bought food is fish. After initial investment of some gear, you can catch fish far cheaper than the market prices unless you are buying fish sticks or something.