I don't think I've ever posted in the gardening forum. I grew up next door to my great grandmother who had a huge garden. My grandfather had about 200 acres of pecan trees. I have to say that picking okra, shelling peas, snapping beans and picking up pecans about ruined me from ever wanting to have any kind of garden. My neighbor now is 92 and used to live in the house I own now. He planted 2 big fig trees that are now mine, and he has some blueberry bushes that I pick from every year, but I mostly just give those away.

My question to you guys is... why do you garden?

Is it to save money? Is there lot of money to be saved? Is it because you enjoy it? Is it just something you've always done? With the price of groceries I'm really thinking of planting one next year. But not sure about savings vs work load.

Definitely not to save money, haha. I’m not good enough for that. I just enjoy growing stuff. We eat and put up and give away as much as we keep if the Lord blesses us. We typically don’t buy tomatoes, corn, squash, zucchini, okra, potatoes, peppers and a few other misc things. A lot of enjoyment and some good eating as well.

Pwyse, what does God tell Adam after he ate the fruit of knowledge? Now we have men that dont till the ground, women who wont bare children, men who think they can, seems like the whole human race has gotten away from some pretty simple instructions.

The answer to your question is its a way of life. I enjoy growing things. I enjoy watching things grow. I enjoy providing for others.

I grow lots of great food. Way more flavorful then anything you’ll ever get in a store. Main thing is I know what has happened to this food from seed to table. No idea what stuff from a store has been through. Also it keeps me busy and I’ve always loved growing things.

I wish God would have had Adam start with no till farming instead. Would have saved me a lot of headache on food plots lol.

So you have found a way to do what you enjoy and make money from it? Yall sell the food off of your farm?

I enjoy just growing stuff. Fresh vegetables is just a bonus.

Yessir. We sell it, we eat it, we give it away. Animals get some of it

If most people knew what they were getting in a grocery store, they wouldn't eat it! There's just something about providing for yourself, and not relying on others for the basic things you need to live, like food!

Pwyse - I have a similar story. Grew up being “forced” to work in grandparents gardens and parents garden, which I hated. I swore I would never have a garden. A couple of years ago something changed and I decided to go the raised bed route.

I would say it is not a big money saver, but for me it is very relaxing and the vegetables are MUCH MUCH better than what we can buy AND I know where they come from. We choose a variety of things that we eat and can store.

Running a small garden this year for the first time in a long time and it's been pretty enjoyable.

If I can get a little fresh corn and tomatoes, I'm like Marsh and a batch of french fries, anything else is lagniappe.

Yep

That's awesome brother. Good for you. Living the dream as you put it in your post in the other forum.

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'm old enough now that I've forgotten all the trauma that Maw Maw's garden caused. I might grow some stuff next year lol

we have a manageable large raised bed directly behind our house - the location keeps most animals away since they don’t like our dogs & know they’re around ... the convenience of opening the back door & snagging fresh veggies is awesome ... we grow to supply the main veggies we either need or are getting low on - we can a lot of stuff so we have a lot of cellared supply ...

fresh veggies just taste better - and it’s really not a tom of work so long as you plan/map out the size of your garden & stay on top of it ... we sowed collards last fall & they made all winter so we’ve got a ton in our freezer we can pull from at any time ...

Like some one said it’s a way of life that I’ve always done . It’s the one thing I look forward to every year . I have a big garden and grow lots of food . I can and lot freeze alot . Give to neighbors, friends a coworkers . An to my chickens what get to big to use . Have a small 12x16 greenhouse that I built for less than $300 . Start most my stuff in it back in feb . Have Heater and fan on thermostat. Almost every meal I eat has some food from my garden from squash, pickle, taters, onions maters an so on. It’s not very costly but reward is great . Maybe $200 a yr for seed, fertilizer, potting soil an diesel for tractor . . I can get 25 mater plants out of seed packet that cost $2.49 . I grow over 300 maters in greenhouse a give to at least 10 different family’s . Every day this week an going forward I’m picking some t from garden when home from work . Takes lot of my time but I love every minute of it . No telling at thousands I’ve saved on food cost over the years . Have 3 freezers an storm cellar getting full. I grow muscadines an trying grow grapes . Got bunch Arkansas black apple trees . Got 3 Alberta peach trees growing . If it can grow in my area I try to grow it . Some I have no luck . Other s I do really good . Trail an error an depending on weather . Next yr gonna try irrigation system . That’s gonna cost but worth it . I love growing garden more than hunting .

Grow what you and your family like to eat, give some away to neighbors, friends, family - make it fun for yourself. It's almost become an obsession to me - especially the growing from seed.

Steak and shrimp lol.

Yeah I like that idea. I'll start small because I know me. I'll dive in and bite off more than I can chew. I would like to get some of those sweet heat pickles going

Starting small is a good idea. I was surprised at how much you can get out of a small garden.

You are right about that. I sure wish i could do small. Im just not cut out for it. I bet a fella could grow enough vegetables in a 50'x50' spot to feed his family all year if he really took good care of it and used every bit of it.

I'm thinking about doing just a few small elevated beds. I don't have a tractor or a ton of room on my property.

It's not too late. You can get some tomato's ad squash in before the frost.

I also was made to work a garden when I was a kid. I hated it but, it taught me hard work and responsibility. So that's why I do it today with my kids. Sure they don't like it and have an attitude but maybe it'll help them learn something they don't realize is being taught. Also the older I get the more I like to see something grow and sunrises. I love watching the sunrise and piddle in the garden for a min before my busy work day starts.

I also swore when i was growing up if i could get away from a farm, i would never be back. I just bought my second piece of property to farm last year. I bought an extra acre when we bought where were living now because it looked like a good garden spot. Qe also rent two orchards. I really dont know how this happened but it seems to be who i am now. Turns out im the same guy my daddy was and his daddy.

I never liked it growing up but really enjoy it now. I wish I would've listened and asked why they were doing what they were doing.

Picked some more cucumbers and squash today at lunch. I've learned that 2 cucumber plants are 1 too many for my family. I've got them running out my ears.

My wife and I were sitting on the back porch Saturday morning looking down at our garden. We started talking about what a blessing it had been this year to give away all that we did ... the garden is starting to wind down, but we've had the opportunity to give away so many jars of homemade salsa, tomatoes, squash, zucchinis, jalapenos and peas. We watched our grandchildren and nieces and nephews pick peaches, pears, blueberries and blackberries. Each time I walk down there to work (I call it work, mostly it's an escape for me) I don't think about what I am going to get out of my garden, but what we will be able to give ... thats why we do it.

Bless you bud !

Well that will bring a tear to your eye. Thanks for your input friend.

I grew up working a garden and I grow one currently

Once you start it's hard to stop

Nothing beats the taste and satisfaction of growing and eating and giving away food

Once you get set up and all your supplies and equipment, the rest is almost free. Just labor and it keeps you fit.

I harvested 130 watermelon in my tiny yard. Tons of cucumbers and tomatoes and 6 gallon of black berries

I grew up in Grand Bay AL and picked watermelons every summer from age 12-18. We used to pick 2 tractor trailer loads a day. 15-18 lb average. 1800 melons a load. I was turn row man and the stacker last 2 years. I touched every watermelon that came out of the field at least twice, usually 3 times. I definitely won't grow any watermelons. I don't even eat it anymore.

But I'm glad yall do. Keep those young boys working hard. 🤣

I am 30….every member of my family old enough to hoe has a garden….we have always grown large gardens. When it comes in…we eat what we want..and can eveything else….we can beans, stew maters, juice…freeze corn, cream corn…we can spend very little money and yield enough put up vegetables to last a couple years…we are just now finishing off beans and corn from 2020. I have 2 gardens..one about a half acre and another about a quarter acre..ours is playin out..im still gettin maters, canteloupes, and watermelons. I planted indian corn and pumpkins for the fall and they are gonna finish around the end of this month..hopefully..i also have indian indigo blue corn and giant pumpkins…soo…maybe i can show yall a picture of a big pumpkin🤠