Fed up with the garden

[LouNY]

There are so many "farm" stands and roadside stands from small gardeners that I can buy fresh produce in season for an almost decent price. And the taste of vine ripened tomatoes compared to hot house or picked green and shipped is so much better. A 5-10 mile drive will let me drive buy at least 20 vegetable stands.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I am a pretty hands off gardener. I prep my beds, plant starts (sometimes home grown, sometimes store bought) and let it go. I have never had a garden that was not at least worth that much effort. Some years I barely even water. This year was overall pretty good, only planted Zukes, Tomatoes, peppers and basil all have produced quite well this year. Almost time to clear out 1 bed and plant some Fall crops; spinach, lettuce, kale and Chard.

 

[Oaktree]

One thing I've noticed is that you can't buy the flavor of a fresh tomato from the garden. Grocery store tomatoes have no flavor.

I may be the only person who doesn't like tomatoes, but I could say the same thing for cukes, peppers, corn or carrots. No comparison whatsoever between fresh picked from the garden and supermarket ones that are a week old by the time you get them. I only grow the pickling cukes. So much tastier than the big ones with the thick skin you have to peel first.

Not sure what is going to happen with the Asian Jumping worm thing. They are everywhere, In big numbers. It's getting creepy.

First I've heard of them. How do you tell if you have them? If both you and Jstpssng have them, chances are they're here too since I'm midway between you guys.

Fresh vegetables from a garden do have much better flavor then any canned product. Then good home canned and lastly are the commercial canned goods.

Agreed. Commercial canned stuff has its place, especially in that it keeps for years but it's nothing like fresh.

 

[Oaktree]

There are so many "farm" stands and roadside stands from small gardeners that I can buy fresh produce in season for an almost decent price. And the taste of vine ripened tomatoes compared to hot house or picked green and shipped is so much better. A 5-10 mile drive will let me drive buy at least 20 vegetable stands.

We used to have some, but there seem to be fewer each year. Dunno if they just lose interest or aren't making enough money to make it worthwhile. A couple "farmer's markets", but they seem more oriented towards tourists with prices to match.
Then again, what passes for soil here is best suited for growing rocks.

 

[LouNY]

We used to have some, but there seem to be fewer each year. Dunno if they just lose interest or aren't making enough money to make it worthwhile. A couple "farmer's markets", but they seem more oriented towards tourists with prices to match.
Then again, what passes for soil here is best suited for growing rocks.

A lot of are's are young couples doing the going back to the land thing. There is a lot of ebb and flow on the number of stands every year. A few quit every year a couple of new ones will pop up. Then there are a couple of good sized truck farmers still working the "local" market area. I guy in particular covers quite a large area, he has stands in 4 different counties and travels out 20-25 mile radius plus he has a pick your own operation. I'll even name him goes by B J Farms he does a good job puts alot of effort into the job. Then not very far away there is Grandma Moses farm stand on the home farm of the name.

 

[bigtiller]

I planted Celebrity Tomatoes this year and it was the best year ever for them. Baseball size or bigger and not a split bottom or ugly top on any of them.

I mixed in some potting soil when I planted them, sprinkled on some straw with tack and a layer of wood chips around the straw. I watered them weekly with de-humidifier water for a month and then waited for my reward.

 

[Omega Woods]

Unfortunately, Mrs. Woods doesn't know the meaning of "moderation" when it comes to gardening. She has plant starts in the bathroom and on the back deck, various plants in various stages of life on the front porch. Seeds drying in the kitchen. Compost bin in the garage. That's before we get to the farm with two greenhouses, two separate garden plots, half dozen raised beds, tens of yards of compost in progress, bags of soil and amendments everywhere you look. Don't even get me started on the tools and equipment!

It's a chaotic and time-consuming mess but it's her chaotic and time-consuming mess and she loves it.

What I will say is that we know how to grow food if it ever really comes to that, God forbid. Hopefully, we'll never rely on our garden for real but if we have to, it'll be there for us. Until then (and hopefully forever), it'll just be a source of exercise and fresh air.

 

[shooterdon]

Two homestead type roadside stands have closed. I expect most people find the work is not worth the return.

One guy down the read has had a garden and small stand every year and he did not plant anything this year. He and his wife are in their mid 70's so I assume it got to be too much for them.

I am soon to be 73 and understand.

 

[Yander]

We are dealing with a plague of tomato horn worms this year. We kill a dozen or more every day. Just incredible.

Get yourself a cheap UV light from Harbor Freight and go out after dark. They show up better. One year I picked 50 off one day and 50 off the next day. I have never had another year like that. I've probably pulled off about 40 total this year.

 

[Yander]

I am a pretty hands off gardener. I prep my beds, plant starts (sometimes home grown, sometimes store bought) and let it go. I have never had a garden that was not at least worth that much effort. Some years I barely even water. This year was overall pretty good, only planted Zukes, Tomatoes, peppers and basil all have produced quite well this year. Almost time to clear out 1 bed and plant some Fall crops; spinach, lettuce, kale and Chard.

You sound exactly like me. I think this is why I still enjoy it. I don't take it all that serious and what it gives me I'm glad for and what it doesn't, I don't spend too much time worrying about it.

It would be different if I were trying to feed a family from it. I do try a few new things every year just to see if it will work.

I just traded 3 dozen pasture raised, spoiled @$$ hen, eggs for about 25lbs of zucchini. Problem solved. I also threw in a half bag of laying mash I had in my car. They said they have had their 4 chickens since January and still no eggs. I asked what they were feeding them and she said, we just feed them vegetables.

They seemed like nice people and I like to help nice people. I gave her half a bag of laying mash and said start feeding this to them and you will have eggs in a few days.

 

[goeduck]

Fennel and broccoli. Fennel bulbs are huge this year. Spoon in picture for reference.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

50+ mph winds almost all day, part of our corn is sideways. Some the stalks are broken off at the ground. Still the best garden year we have ever had here!

 

[masseyrider]

Corn is a buck a cob this year. Finally got some from the garden.
Red potatoes are not bad, whites are rotting. Few squash but nothing like previous years.
Embarrassed that my city friend is my tomato supplier this year. Beans to.
melons are a complete write off as are cabbages (split and rotten) peppers and too many other thing to mention.

 

[Oaktree]

Two homestead type roadside stands have closed. I expect most people find the work is not worth the return.

One guy down the read has had a garden and small stand every year and he did not plant anything this year. He and his wife are in their mid 70's so I assume it got to be too much for them.

A lot of the stands here tend to be teenagers, either to raise money for college or as part of some 4H project or else retirees. In both cases after a few years they've either moved on or are no longer up to it.
The "back to the land" 'ers for whatever reason tend to choose Vermont.

 

[Oaktree]

Corn is a buck a cob this year. Finally got some from the garden.

It's pricey here too, the flooding earlier this summer did quite a number on the crop.
Mine seems to be a bit on the tough side this year...not sure if it's the weather or a less-than-tender variety.

 

[goeduck]

I am giving away a box of tomatoes like this about every 3 days. Way too many to eat and process. Most of the people I give them to want various stages of ripeness/types/sizes.

 

[wmfamily]

I am giving away a box of tomatoes like this about every 3 days. Way too many to eat and process. Most of the people I give them to want various stages of ripeness/types/sizes.
View attachment 819274

These look great! For everyone who grows tomatoes, are you having issues with controlling stink bugs? For the past 10 years or so I can't seem to stay ahead of them and end up with little white spots where they feed. They don't affect the taste so much but make a mess trying to get decent tomatoes to can.

 

[oldballs]

My garden did fine until this 100Deg heat hit. Early on I said to myself ,,," I'm not going to water out of this". So now, it is pretty much burned up. But early on I had a great melon crop and the other stuff too. It was worth it. Would iike to start a Fall Garden but just ain't up to it anymore.

One interesting observation is that I never saw even one Tomato Horn Worm.......???? Don't know why.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[masseyrider]

I am giving away a box of tomatoes like this about every 3 days. Way too many to eat and process. Most of the people I give them to want various stages of ripeness/types/sizes.
View attachment 819274

You're just showing that to annoy me.

 

[CalG]

We had sweet corn this evening. Bought at the local farm produce outlet (Dutton's Farm Store)

really good corn , with full ears and kernels that didn't need butter or salt and pepper to enjoy

$5.50 a dozen, up from last weeks $4 per. Thinking it might have been "holiday pricing" .

Sure is good stuff!