Friday, May 8, 2009

Gardens as tuition

Gardening is not going to save Americans from the ravages of the recession. It might help a bit, give some folks some relaxation and some veggies, but it isn't going to haul us out of the recession.

This message was brought to you by a couple of twits in Safeways yesterday. Apparently twit A had put in an "huge" garden (almost 10 x 12) and was explaining to twit B how soon the aforementioned garden would "cut her grocery bill in half".

What a garden is going to do for most folks is begin the process of paying "sweat tuition" on becoming less attached to the corporate teat. It will teach you which plants grow well in your area, what amount of weeding needs to be done, soil conditions will be addressed, etc., etc, etc.

Unless you have a huge garden and excellent skills, or are John Jeavons you are not going to harvest much over 200 pounds or so out of the average garden. Most of us aren't that good of gardeners. But what you are doing is learning how your plants grow and how to deal with them. That is best done by starting small and working up.

So, get thee back to school in your yard. Learn what grows and what doesn't. If you have been gardening for a bit, see it you can increase the size and efficiency of your plots.

And pray that you have a while before the process becomes truly necessary.

5 comments:

'DD' said...

If that photo is what I think it is, you could not only cut your grocery bill in half, you could pay your rent, buy a car, and make $150K a year tax free in a 10' x 20' space.

If that's not cannabis sativa, then I agree!

Degringolade said...

OOOOHHHH Shit

Bigg oops there

Mayberry said...

Ha haaaaa!!!! That's funny right there, I don't care who ya are!

'DD' said...

You make me laugh--and that WOULD be a good way to deal with the recession, barring a DEA raid.

If you have inclination, rip my current post to shreds please, I'm trying to tighten up my thinking and refine my position.

Thanks!

Stephanie in AR said...

Now I know that it was perfectly legal FIBER hemp, but even they have troubles with the enforcement guys so be careful. There's quite a market for hemp products - lotions, conditioners, shampoo & if it is organic - well there's $$ to be made. Very self-sufficent home industry. ;)