Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[txdon]

I spent $1 on dill seed and got 50 larva. I don't know anywhere where I can buy them at 2 cents each. Most people will give them away.

 

[farmgirl19]

Dill and basil come back each year, here. The Sage, Tarragon, and Rosemary are everygreen, so get to use them all year long. Great for adding fresh flavor to things you're cooking in the "off" season.

 

[Western]

Farmgirl, I agree on the "better taste" ,but I think it would be a close call on value. I know I have grown lots of okra, to have it fail for one reason or the other so end up buying some anyway:laughing: Some years get more than I can use too!

Then there is man hrs, fertilizer, water. It all has a price. For me it's the enjoyment I get from it. The real value to me is preserving/canning which we intend to get into more. If the economy "tanks", then them squash will be worth a fortune:thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

I know I have grown lots of okra, to have it fail for one reason or the other so end up buying some anyway Some years get more than I can use too!

I didn't know there was any way to make okra fail, except severe lack of water.:laughing: Okra was my best money crop when I was about 12 years old. We had a windmill and well that you couldn't pump dry even if you wanted to, so no shortage of water. I had two looonnng rows of okra that sloped very, very slightly downhill from near the windmill, so I could lay a garden hose at the end of the rows and it would eventually run all the way to the other end. I still remember cutting the okra every other day and I'd take it to town to sell to the grocery stores. Early in the year, they'd pay me 35 cents a pound for it and by late summer it would be down to where I'd only get 5 cents a pound. Of course you could buy a Coke, big candy bar, and lots of other things for a nickel in 1952.

 

[NativeSon]

I can grow yellow crook neck squash, zucchini, okra and tomatoes all cheaper than buying. Tomatoes might be a bit of a break even this year, due to the late freeze and having to replant.

Farmgirl, I too got caught with the late freeze. So I learned my lesson and will replant after Easter. I just got in a hurry with all the warm weather.

Charlie

 

[jinman]

Ah, those Super Fantastic VFN
Sweet, low acid, make fantastic juice, salsa, and good to eat breakfast, lunch, and supper.

This is a first for me to grow the Super Fantastic. This year I decided to go with Texas A&M's advice for tomatoes in my zone. All my varieties are recommended.

I can grow yellow crook neck squash, zucchini, okra and tomatoes all cheaper than buying. Tomatoes might be a bit of a break even this year, due to the late freeze and having to replant.

Jim, what can we grow cheaper than we can buy?, not counting specialty fruits and veggies.

Dennis, when I consider all my time and effort plus equipment costs for all gardening tasks, there is no such thing as break-even or even coming close to supermarket prices. However, corn, cantaloupe, and watermelon are three things that are so ridiculously low priced when they are in season that I just cannot be bothered to fool with them myself. This year I am planting ****** melons because they typically run almost $4 each at the fruit stand. I can't even find them in Walmart. By mid-June, Walmart will have loads of melons and cantaloupes from East Texas that are as good as I could grow. The cantaloupes will be less than $1 each and the watermelons around $3.50 each. Corn will be $0.10 to $0.15 per ear. The combination of extremely cheap and delicious tasting is what determines my grow or buy decision.

As Farmgirl19 noted, I can grow okra so well that I keep all I can and still give away almost half of my crop. Fresh okra sells for around $3 a pound at the beginning of the season and doesn't drop much below $2.50 mid-season. With my okra, I can pick and choose what size I want to harvest and get the pods at prime quality. With tomatoes, I figure any money spent on those red tasteless orbs they call tomatoes in the stores is wasted. No matter if they gave them away, I think I'd still grow my own delicious tomatoes.:licking: As long as I can keep the bugs out of my squash and zucs, I have bumper crops. I also have the ability to pick the fruit at exactly the size I know will be most flavorful and tender. Onions. . .well I love green onions with chopped tops in salads and fully developed onions also. I don't have to refrigerate my green onions. I just go pull a few before dinner and build my tasty salad.

I could go on and on, but I'll never beat the price of supermarket veggies; however, the quality and taste of my garden production is unbeatable. Sadly, many of our children today don't know the taste of good veggies. They only know the gas ripened tastelessness of pretty produce with no flavor and fast food with manufactured flavors overloaded with salt and designed to make our children addicted.

 

[Lou66]

, but I'll never beat the price of supermarket veggies; however, the quality and taste of my garden production is unbeatable. Sadly, many of our children today don't know the taste of good veggies. They only know the gas ripened tastelessness of pretty produce with no flavor and fast food with manufactured flavors overloaded with salt and designed to make our children addicted.[/QUOTE]

couldn't agree more Jim.. Lou

 

[jinman]

I didn't know there was any way to make okra fail, except severe lack of water.:laughing: Okra was my best money crop when I was about 12 years old.

Bird, did you notice that Sam's changed the brand of our 'favorite' pickled okra? I bought a new jug, but still have some of the previous brand in my refrigerator. I cooked up a big pot of beans yesterday, so I may have to have some pickled okra with a bowl of beans for lunch. YUM!!!

 

[Western]

Hard to beat pickled okra:thumbsup: I could eat them with almost any meal, same for dinner onions too!

Jim, I agree 100% that garden grown taste better, dont know if it's a "fact", or if the hard work helps:laughing: I know the only time I like packaged turkey (slices) in a sandwich is when I'm camping, but then everything taste better when in the woods for some reason??

I grow a garden for the satisfaction, I enjoy seeing the hard work pay off. My wife only eats Corn, potatoes and steak, so I will grow ALLOT of corn, some potatoes but no "steak"......Steak doesnt play well with other veggies in the garden!!:shocked:

 

[Bird]

Bird, did you notice that Sam's changed the brand of our 'favorite' pickled okra? I bought a new jug, but still have some of the previous brand in my refrigerator. I cooked up a big pot of beans yesterday, so I may have to have some pickled okra with a bowl of beans for lunch. YUM!!!

Yep, I recently finished a jar of the new brand. I think it was just as good as the previous brand. A daughter also gave me a jar of the Talk of Texas brand. I don't think she knew how much cheaper pickled okra is at Sam's Club. Anyway, I'll probably be buying another big jar at Sam's Club very soon.

Incidentally, this morning we were in the Walmart next door to the Sam's Club in Denton and noticed the first fresh corn on the cob for this year. Right now it's 50 cents an ear.