The joys of growing your own

Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:08 am

I know this has been said so many times before, but I guess I'm a geek and STILL get excited!

I did the math this evening out of curiosity-- just by growing and harvesting my own lettuce for feeding myself (and my guinea pig) - using salads for a meal (lunch of dinner) two to three times a week- I haven't been able to pick anything else yet- my grocery bill has gone down from $80-100 a week to $50-60 a week. What a difference in my bank account and otherwise!

Not only that, but I never realized how much different something fresh grown tastes vs what I get in the grocery store! I can't wait to see how my cherry tomatoes taste.

Now, if only i can get my roommate to try some of the fresh garden greens, he refuses to even try a leaf. "I'm sure it tastes just like lettuce" as he eats a salad out of a bag! augh!

Wed Jun 23, 2010 1:35 am

LOL on the roommate, maybe you should empty out is bag lettuce and replace it with the garden stuff. Ye growing your own is the best. We do grape tomatoes and get bags full everyday when they come on. I love them and can't wait.

Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:12 am

This is my first year gardening, and the packet of mixed leaf lettuce was my first ever harvest. We ate it w/ olive oil we brought back from Greece, some diced, fresh oregano (from the local market, as ours isn't big enough to harvest yet), balsamic vinegar and good, imported feta cheese. To *die* for. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to eat salad before I can get more of my own lettuce next spring!

Tell your roomie to get over his consumerism (i.e. bagged lettuce) and get on board w/ greener living. Have him plant his own seeds and raise them....that was what did it for me. It was like parenting....only they don't talk back. :wink:

Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:37 am

You are right, nothing like eating fresh from the garden. Yes, it can make a real impact on the grocery bill. Enjoy.

Wed Jun 23, 2010 5:57 pm

shaefins wrote:... I honestly don't know if I'll be able to eat salad before I can get more of my own lettuce next spring!...

Yep, that's the only bad thing about growing your own fresh veggies... you get accustomed to everything tasting the way it is supposed to, fresh and yummy!
From then on, it can be really disappointing to eat most veggies from a store or restaurant.

Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:24 pm

My roomie would rather spend 10-15 a week on bagged salad, then going to pick the organically grown lettuce in the back! augh, what a nut!

Anyway, yeah. I'm estatic with the financial impact it's had. Even thinking about saving some seeds to start next year if I can manage it properly. I've got so many things growing, i can't wait until they're eatable!