Part 1: why/faqs?
This is the first in a series of posts about how to start your own vegetable patch in your front, back, or side yard. Technical details come later but I encourage you to think through the “why” first. If committed, it’s not terribly difficult to learn all the techniques, but before jumping in ask yourself why you want to devote the time and energy.
Why Grow?
You are going to come up with your own reasons, but for me I started because I wanted to do something for the environment and I love new challenges. Here are some FAQs I’ve received on the topic of turning your yard into a farm:
Will I save money growing my own vegetables?
I don’t know. There are so many factors involved in answering this question. I am sure that if I bought vegetables from the cheapest source possible I am not saving any money; potatoes at .99 cents a pound is really tough to beat. This question is also complicated by my startup costs (building all the beds/soil etc.) versus the continuing costs (seeds/buying compost/irrigation/miscellaneous expenses). The more years I use the garden the more cost savings I will see because much of the money is spent up front. So at this point (7 years in) I suspect I am saving quite a bit of money for the quality of produce I grow.
How many pounds of produce do you grow a year?
I have never weighed anything because it seems too onerous and it is a false measure. If I were in a “growing the most pounds of produce competition” I would probably plant zucchini and let them get huge. But that is a false measure because I don’t want hundreds of pounds of zucchini. Also compare 30 pounds of potatoes to 30 pounds of spinach… that’s a big difference in volume.
O.k., so then how much do you produce?
Hard question too, but think of this way: all of the vegetables that my wife and I eat come from the garden except that we have to buy onions, garlic, dried beans, and some potatoes and sweet potatoes. That is, we eat a serving of veggies with at least 3 meals a day (and then snack on carrots, radishes, and turnips between meals). We also put lots of cabbage in dinners (think chicken noodle soup) and spinach in smoothies (mostly for the kids). The bulk of our calories still come from rice, meat, dried beans, and eggs.
Do you think its environmentally friendly?
I think so. Small scale farmers use lots of plastic, and I don’t like how much of it I have to use. I use it to make greenhouses, the row cover is plastic, and I have to use it as a cover crop. It lasts a few seasons but then I have to throw it away (so its not single use but you do have to replace it). I just haven’t found good alternatives yet. On the other hand, it’s 50 feet from my yard to my plate so I suspect that I save lots in fossil fuel costs. And I buy zero food containers (no plastic clam shells etc.) and have to eat with the seasons (no cucumbers for me in the winter).
Where I think this process helps the most is by giving you an appreciation for how hard it is to grow high-quality produce without any chemicals. I have a much greater appreciation for the farmers at farmer’s markets. So when I see carrots that are double the cost at a farm stand compared to a grocery store I don’t think twice. I know I’m getting a much better product while supporting that local small-scale farmer.
Will you do a consultation for me?
If I have time I would love to! If you live in my neighborhood just send me a note via the contact form and we can chat.