Balance sheet 2008

[Lizzy]

What a good idea, wish I had started earlier. I have put 20 lb broad beans in the freezer, which I am quite pleased with, will keep a record from now on.

Liz

[Tori]

Keeping a record seems a good idea - not starting this year though as I have spent a fortune on setting up bottom of the garden as an allotment! . . . .tools, seed, raised beds, compost, compost bin etc etc. Not much in return yet either (in comparison to you lot!!) - but I am a beginner!

However we have had lots of lettuce, peppers and potatoes, with lots more on the way!

[sewer rat]

Here are some figures for the calendar month of July - for veg sold as opposed to harvested- i.e does not count what I take home or give to family etc.
Cabbages - 139
Charlotte potatoes - 217kg
Lady Christl potatoes - 71kg
Red Duke of York potatoes - 31kg
Cucumbers - 261
Lettuce - 107
Peas - 19kg
Broad Beans -37kg
Courgettes - 50kg
Chard 42 heads - each head approx 250g
Spinach - 15kg
French Beans - 8kg
Shallots - 4kg
Rocket - 60 x 100g bags
Beetroot - 2kg
Radish - 5kg
Calabrese - 3kg

Only when I compared the above to last July did I realise how far I have progressed since I started the business. And August and September, my busiest months, are just starting - bring it on !! I LOVE MY JOB

[Mrs Dobby]

Whew SR! Thats some harvest!!! If you ever want to set up around here, then give us a shut, would love to leave the rat race and get growing for a living!!

Thought I'd update this as we're starting the main harvesting period!

Total costs so far this growing year
Rent (for 2 full plots and a half plot) �100
Seeds �30
Seed Spuds �20
Compost / Grow Bags �20
Fertilizers etc �20
Muck �10
Total costs �200


Total Harvests
2 batches overwintered garlic (97 bulbs) =�50
Rasps 22lb =�196 (�8.40 a lb at Tescos!)
Strawbs 10lb =�50 (�5 a lb at Tescos!)
Courgettes x 90 =�45
Rhubarb 21lb = �42
Cucumber 16 = �10
Chillies / peppers = �6
Spuds 90lb = �60 (�0.50 -0.80lb at Tescos)
Onions = �60
Radish =�8
Mange Tout 20lb = �50 (�2.50lb at Tesco)
Broad Beans 13lb = �26 (�2lb at Tesco)
Lettuce x 8 = �5
Broccolli = �15
Cabbage = �14
Caulis = �8
Carrots = �11
Tomatoes 22lb = �25 (�1.22lb at Tescos)
Peas = �10
Runner Beans 15lb = � 30
French Beans = �10
Mushrooms = �1
Apples = �8
Total Harvest so far 2008 = �740 - a profit now of �540

[Kayt]

This is a really interesting thread and have started my own sheet as of now. Since having my lottie though I seem to look for freebies so much more. Freecycle is great fun and today the guy that does some landscaping work for the building company I work for asked if I wanted any old paving slabs which I do. I now have 30 of them at work just need to get them to the lottie. Looks like a few extra cups of tea and the odd doughnut for the boss and I shall be able to borrow the truck.

[nick the grief]

Well done Mrs D. I just checked the post that kicked it all off (on me blog ... must post on there again Lol) and you are about on target with what it said in the 1940's book !

[Mrs Dobby]

Cool beans! Thanks for that Nick, interesting to see that we're on target!!

Nice to see you back online BTW, hope all is well with you and yours?

[Eyren]

Great thread! I know we've been operating at a serious loss so far, what with having to buy all the tools and not getting great crops owing to being beginners, but it will be interesting to see what next year brings. I'm going to start right now, recording the cost of what I'm buying to grow next year...

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Eyren!

Lol! We all operate at a loss when setting up, and if you factor in labour, then probably we'd never break even, but as its a hobby, then I dont bother with a labour cost! You'll be surprised how little the costs are for next year, once you've got all the tools n stuff it basically comes down to cost of seeds, seed spuds, sets, fertilizer and muck, plus any rent!

As for being novices, we all were once (I still feel like a novice after 2 years on the plot! lol!), so dont worry bout it, what it means is you can try doing things your own way without any fear of failure!

[Hans Mum]

hi suzanne, if you factored your labour in as gym membership you'd be quids in (�40/50quid a month each?) & its more fun than running on a tread mill in front of a tv

[Kayt]

The fun value is priceless. Even getting the large boxes from the back of Halfords on Friday night had me in giggles. I hope they don't have CCTV there! I did have permission from the manager to help myself but didn't realise how big the boxes were!!

[Eyren]

hi suzanne, if you factored your labour in as gym membership you'd be quids in (�40/50quid a month each?) & its more fun than running on a tread mill in front of a tv

Exactly - I had an exercise machine a while back and only used it a few times as it was both exhausting and deadly dull. Digging can get boring after a few hours, but at least I have something other than sweat and aching muscles to show for it

(Technically I'm not saving a lot of money by exercising at the allotment, as we have a ridiculously cheap subsidised gym at work - but getting sweaty in my lunch break doesn't appeal either!)

[Becca]

I'm not even saving that money as I'm still a member of that subsidising gym..: I just don't go.. but it's so cheap I'm kept paying in case I 'might' (was quite keen a few years back till i injured my knee, then every time I tried going back I hurt something else.. ) keep meaning to cancel it as far more fun to run or ride a bike outside or work up a sweat on the plot problem is, eating all the food I bring home seems to cancel out a fair amount of the digging calories.. :P

[nick the grief]

Exactly - I had an exercise machine a while back and only used it a few times as it was both exhausting and deadly dull. Digging can get boring after a few hours, but at least I have something other than sweat and aching muscles to show for it

(Technically I'm not saving a lot of money by exercising at the allotment, as we have a ridiculously cheap subsidised gym at work - but getting sweaty in my lunch break doesn't appeal either!)

your doing it wrong. I used to go to the gym the same night as a cracking bit of stuff and always used the rowing M/c directly behind her when she was on the treadmill .... guaranteed to make me burst into a sweat

[Mrs Dobby]

So, a few more weeks of growing and harvesting, and the balance sheet now looks like this..........

Total costs so far this growing year
Rent (for 2 full plots and a half plot) �100
Seeds �30Seed Spuds �20
Compost / Grow Bags �20
Fertilizers etc �20
Muck �10
Lopper (tool from wilkos) �13
Total costs �213

Total Harvests
2 batches overwintered garlic (97 bulbs) =�50
Rasps 25lb =�206 (�8.40 a lb at Tescos!)
Strawbs 12lb =�60 (�5 a lb at Tescos!)
Courgettes x 150 =�75
Rhubarb 21lb = �42
Cucumber 40 = �20
Chillies / peppers = �10
Spuds 90lb = �60 (�0.50 -0.80lb at Tescos)
Onions = �75
Radish =�8
Mange Tout 20lb = �50 (�2.50lb at Tesco)
Broad Beans 15lb = �30 (�2lb at Tesco)
Lettuce x 8 = �5
Broccolli = �20
Cabbage = �20
Caulis = �10
Carrots = �15
Tomatoes 65lb = �80 (�1.22lb at Tescos)
Peas = �20
Runner Beans 20lb = � 40
French Beans = �15
Mushrooms = �3
Apples = �8
Aubergines = �2
Total Harvest so far 2008 = �924 - a profit now of �711!!

With more toms, more cukes, more courgettes, more brassicas, the grapes, winter brassicas, leeks, apples, pears, autumn rasps, late strawbs, blackberries, peppers, chillies, runner beans, swedes, turnips, carrots, jerusalem fartichokes, pumpkins, squashes, sweetcorn, celery and herbs still remaining to harvest, I have a feeling we may well have an overall harvest equivalent of a lot more yet!

Hope your harvests have been as good!