Gardening A Hobby?

[Garry2009]

Hi All:

There has been discussion (including my own) throughout these forums about how gardening is fun, rewarding, sometimes-productive when we do it right, and a great hobby nonehteless. Well gosh. Yesterday I listened to a talk-radio show with two female gardening specialists from the University-of-something-or-other. One of the women said that gardening is rapidly becoming more than just a hobby. The host asked, "Based on what criteria do you say that?" The woman replied that she is in touch with just about every seed company almost daily, and every single one of them are running full-out around the clock just to keep up with demand for seeds, and predicted that they would probably run out of supply before planting seasons are complete.

So...is there a message in all of that?

Garry

[pepper4]

For some I do believe it is for fun or a hobby but for others it is a form of survival. With prices the way they are, with success it is cheeper to grow your own. Also you never know what you're getting in the supermarkets anymore. You're always hearing about recalls for something another. In time it may just become a way of life for many.

[THespos]

The local news ran a story a couple weeks ago about how they think people are starting vegetable gardens in order to save money on produce. IIRC, the story said something about saving a few thousand dollars a year for an average family - that struck me as hyperbole.

I did hear the bit about seed companies trying desperately to keep up with demand. Can't remember where, though.

[The Helpful Gardener]

The rush of "What's wrong with my seeds?" posts will be hard to keep up with too...

HG

[rainbowgardener]

Obviously it depends on how you define "hobby" (is an obsession a hobby? ) but if you seriously want to feed a family entirely or mostly from your land, you aren't gardening any more, you are subsistence farming. And growing your own food (which I adore to do and which has many, many benefits) is only "cheaper" if your labor is not valued in. If you were to value your labor even at migrant worker wages, I doubt you would find your homegrown food cheaper than store bought. People should understand going into it, that growing their own food is a commitment which is going to cost something in money, especially getting started and needing to get tools, etc and a ton in time, energy, labor, a certain amount of heartbreak, etc. Because it's cheaper isn't really a motivation that's likely to get people through all that.

[BrianSkilton]

It could be a mixture for whoever is doing it. It could be a hobby, it could be for fun and it could also be for survival. For me personally I garden because I love to cook. I love having fresh home grown ingredients, not only is it fun but you save money at the same time. Plus you don't have to go to the grocery store that often . For me things have to be fresh, and I have to know where they came from. So markets are another good thing, especially if they sell meat and you know the farmer.

[The Helpful Gardener]

There is likely to be a rush of folks who think it sounds great, but then they will find that it does take some effort and learning, and the same committment one makes to a pet (who's watching the garden this summer vacation?) and we will see the tsunami fall away. But there will be a crowd bitten by the same bug as most of us regulars, and I welcome them here with open arms...

Howdy!

HG

[GardenLisa]

Then there's people like me. Yes, gardening saves money on produce. Gardening is a fun "hobby".
For me, it's also therapeutic. I am never so calm and centered as when I'm in my garden. It's the only time my brain slows down.

[2cents]

Lisa has it about right, I can't speed think in the garden, although I do get lost in my thoughts there.
I like garden shops and going to the feed mill, supply store, local garden centers. These are my kind of people, all talking about how to get something done right. Talking about seeds, dirt and poop. Very little wrong thinking B.S.. Our local garden store owners either know what they are talking about or they just say to a customer, "I am not sure". They will also tell you, if they don't have it check with Ol' Joe over at the feed mill(Ol' Joe's mill burned down this winter and they are not rebuilding ). Not many salesman will tell it to you straight or refer you to their competitors. Those folks just want to help you, that is how they build repoir and a loyal customer base.

The wife heard two news stories recently. One said gardening cost more than you get out of it. The other claimed you get returns between 10 times and 100 times the cost of the garden supplies. I didn't hear either one.
Several times, I would keep a running total of all the costs(30-100 bucks/year not counting my time or gas). Since it is part hobby, I don't think those are necessary expenses to count. Then as we used the produce, I would keep a running tab of the savings and the date which we broke even. The last time we broke even June 9th or 10th if I remember correct. My goal was to push that date forward, by spending less and producing more early(I believe it increased the entire amount saved).

I say the more the merrier. More good ol' folks to talk to at the feed store.

[Kalli007]

As far as cost, this is my 1st year doing a veg - so obviously my costs are going to be more this year than the rest. I was having some concrete pads removed, so I decided instead of just throwing down more grass to do a garden. I got some organic veg mix soil delivered - 4 yards, plus seeds, garden tools, organic fertilizer etc......cost prob $300-400 but these are one time costs. The tools will last, I am starting a compost pile, and seed cost is minimal. So while this year I may not be saving a large amount of $$$ it is definitely a worthwhile investment for years to come.

[tin gizel]

I'm gardening this year for several reasons.

1. - to teach myself how to do it, should the need to know how to ever arise.
2. - to offset the cost of buying produce.
3. - to control the quality of the food I'm eating.
4. - to keep me outside rather than inside eating.
5. - because so far, it has been fun.

I'm trying to do this as frugally as possible. Not going out and buying everything, but finding people that have stuff for free....building stuff on my own, etc....

[cynthia_h]

Some similar points (and questions) have been raised recently on the "Why Do You Garden?" thread at

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12855

Just last night, DH and I ate some more of our "Hobby" with pasta. I purchased asparagus, but we added shelling peas, snow peas, kale, red chard, spinach, and white chard to make a variation on Pasta Primavera.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[The Helpful Gardener]

To be realistic, good gardening, the kind that brings in crops with values exceeding expenditure, is a learned skill. You are not going to fall into this and come up roses; oh, there is beginners luck, but if you are banking on it, Nature has wonderfully poignant lessons in humility in store for you...

I offer a book I read with relish a while back as a cautionary tale to those who are going to save the grocery budget this summer...

[url]https://www.64dollartomato.com/inside.cfm?page=reviews&p=jw[/url]

Morals of the story? Do your homework...if this was easy, everyone would be doing it...and Nature is a Mother; she knows more than you...

HG

[elevenplants]

Garry, I just found a garden blog that reminded me of this thread. The tag line is 'Gardening isn't a hobby, it's an obsession'! Lol. Now, THAT'S what I'm talking about!

[url]https://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/[/url]

Rebecca

[Midnight Gardener]

In a nutshell the explosion in vegetable gardening is being caused by the economy and the fact that the first lady planted a veggy garden on the white house lawn.