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It's always been more of a hobby than owt else but I'm sure I am not the only one to think this after the disastrous year it's been (well for me anyway). I've lost all my Toms to blight, the Sweetcorn have had all their silks eaten, the Courgettes were none existent. The spuds were a dead loss. When I think how much this stuff costs in the shops, I seriously wonder if it's worth all the hard work. I'm gonna sit down with pen & paper & work out if it is actually worth it. A lot of folk go on about taste but personally I don't get it, a carrot tastes like a carrot whether it is GYO or bought, likewise with a lot of other veggies. I hope I am not on my own in thinking this way. Would love to hear your thoughts.
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Last edited by Bigmallly; 30-08-2015, 10:21 PM.sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
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It's worth it.
There's always something that could have gone better though.
Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
While better men than we go out and start their working lives
At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling -
Obviously it is worthwhile - if not for any other reason than you would not have had cause to be on this 'ere forum and met us gorgeous peeps.
And we can't 'judge' if it is worthwhile for you to GYO unless you list your successes as well as your failures.
But even if your year has been cr@p, by definition, a hobby is not something that gives you an 'income' - so even if you've slaved over tender seedlings which end up coming to nothing, that's the way of it - this year at least.
It's not dissimilar to me spending time and cost of ingredients in making a cake which is - er - not so good; or me spending time and cost of fabric in making a quilt which looked great 'in my head' but is not gracing even the cat's bed anytime soon..........Comment
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It depends on your yardstick.
If I tot up in terms only monetary...then no, yields this year fall below pennies spent.
If I weigh up my optimism 0n March vs disappointment now...I reckon the optimism wins by a hair.
Happiness then...well that ones easy! I've been happy buying seeds, sowing seeds, planning where to sow seeds, seeing seedlings emerge.. I've felt happy feeling sun on my back, happy to see rain on a dry plot, happy to come across a fat toad. I've had happy chats with lottie neighbours, roared with laughter at times. I've been happy to share what little did grow, happy to receive what grew well for my friends, happy to come on here and chat to you all about it.
If it doesn't seem worth it to you, you might be counting the wrong thing.....maybe time to change your yardstick?Comment
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Brill year for me.
I was just saying to my neighbours how good a growing year it was. A fresh carrot is to die for,shop bought could be the same variety but have been stored for God knows how long.
Finance and taste are only part of the equation, and I've got a feeling you are acting as devils advocate big fella?
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)
Diversify & prosper
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Absolutely brill replies so far!
As well as trying to be as self sufficient as possible, this growing lark for us is a joint hobby which means we spend time together enjoying, discussing, admiring,sympathising , helping, planning, buying,sweating,aching, cussing, preserving ( and many ,many more - ingings ) together, or separately with the same goal in mind.
Team work ....all leading to eating
And don't forget the fitness aspect to it...all hobbies cost money .
I can't think of a nicer, healthier hobby
Oh...and when costing, I think you need to do it over a period of years to get an average
Last edited by Nicos; 31-08-2015, 06:14 AM."Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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I would echo all the previous comments and sentiments. ITS WORTH IT. Next year will always be better.Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poetComment
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...and, I just wanted to share this aspect with you.....
"The study for Gardeners World magazine discovered that people with green fingers are healthier and happier."
Gardening can help beat depression, study says - BBC News"Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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I have had a good year with spuds and my beans are really picking up now.
I think you need to think of it as do the benefits out weigh the cost. I have spent quite a bit down the allotment and in the raised beds at home. But my benefit has been getting out and getting the kids out and involved with growing things. A lot of children now don't understand where our food comes from at all.
I think your wrong when it comes to taste. You can tell the difference between home grown and shop bought.
You can't beat the fitness and social aspect either. It can be therapeutic and relaxing. You can either dig or sit there and watch the world go by.sigpicComment
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You will always get different opinions and those opinions will differ from year to year.
If I got the same result everytime I would probably get bored and I believe there is a distinct difference in taste but then I am what you could describe as a romantic when it comes to GYO. Of course some years it costs more than the the return but I dont GYO to save money, the physical and emotional benefits are of far greater importance to me.
So to answer your question BM, I do it for the love of gardening
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"Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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From a monetary view, no it's not worth it. From the pleasure and satisfaction derived, it's well worth it. Ok, there are disappointments along the way, but that is to be expected. Your own grown produce will always be better than shop bought (at least in your head). It's a bit like apple scrumping as a young 'un. A scrumped apple will always taste better than a shop bought one, even if it's as sour as George Osborne's face.Comment
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Is it worth it? You can argue (with yourself or other people) about the effort vs reward aspects, the health benefits, the taste of home grow veg, the crushing disappointments and so on, but to me there really is only one proper test.
How do you feel when you CAN'T do it?
Its raining today. I spent a lot of Saturday and most of Sunday in my garden and my friend's garden, weeding, removing old plants, harvesting and planning. I know I will be pacing about like a caged lion today, even though there is nothing that really needs doing out there.
You bet its worth it!A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard NimoyComment
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Its one of my hobbies and if I can eat something out of my garden every day even if its just a bit of lettuce on my sandwich its a bonus.
Location....East Midlands.Comment
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Last week my husband was wondering if it was worth it and having a good moan as usual. It didn't take much to convince him it was..........a bunch of grapes fresh off the vine, a plate full of Pimientos de Padron, some fresh sweetcorn and a salad made with all our own veg.
When we went to the supermarket I then dragged him down the veg aisle. The state of the dried up sweetcorn and the price of the "nice" tomatoes shocked him.
It is an established fact that he doesn't appear down at the allotment in Spring until after I have planted the potatoes and the weather is warming. He tends to hibernate in Winter and if we didn't have the allotment I am sure he would seize up completely and barely leave home. It was his Physiotherapist who originally encouraged him to get an allotment and his mobility has improved greatly since then so for him the hard work is worth it.
Just don't ask what I think when I an planting potatoes in the freezing cold in April!Comment
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