Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Kristin posted a great article about the food budget. Times are definitely tough for many of us, and it seems that the grocery budget is one place that gets cut quickly. I agree with Kristin that while cutting back on food expenses may be a necessity, we should still be sure to buy the best quality we can and not resort to unhealthy foods just because they cost less. In the long run, it is much better to pay a bit more for wholesome nutrition now than to pay for it with illness or doctor's visits later.
Growing as much of your own food as possible is great for the budget and for your health! There is nothing like the taste or nutrition of a home-grown fruit or veggie; and the exercise you get from working in the garden is a great health benefit, as well.
Some say that it isn't cheaper to grow your own food, with the cost of water, fertilizer, not to mention the seeds or plants. I admit, you can spend as much as you are willing to on gardening, there are endless varieties and always something new out there. I tend to collect plants much the way some people collect other things, so I know it can get expensive.
But, you can grow a lot of food without spending much at all. Often you can get seeds for less than $1.00 a packet. I've seen them 10/$1.00 at the Tractor Supply Company here. They might not be the exact variety you wanted, and your choices may be more limited; but if you are on a very tight budget, you could still grow 10 different vegetables for only $1.00 in seed cost! Often other gardeners are more than happy to share seeds or extra seedlings with you, if you only ask. Gardeners are usually very generous and friendly people and love to share their favorite hobby with others 
.
Watering can be done very frugally by catching rainwater and using that to water the garden. Also, only water the plants, don't waste water by just turning on the sprinkler and watering the whole garden. You will not only be using more water than necessary, you will be helping those pesky weed seeds germinate! Mel Bartholomew suggests 1 inch of water per week in his book The Square Foot Garden. In very hot areas, it might take a bit more during the heat of summer, but for the most part, 1 inch per week should be sufficient. Most plants are hardier than you might think. I had tomato plants that I didn't water much at all last year; and though they didn't produce during the hot, hot Summer; when Fall came around and the temperatures cooled off a bit, they started growing again and I got a decent harvest, without watering more than once or twice all Summer!
If you make your own compost, you can use that to fertilize the soil, which is essentially free! If your soil is healthy and well prepared, you won't need a lot of extra fertilizers anyway. There are many inexpensive and natural ways to improve the soil and fertilize the garden without spending money on chemical fertilizers.
A good book to help plan the garden and get the most from your garden spot is How To Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons .
You can grow at least a few things in containers if you don't have room anywhere else. There are many varieties that do great in pots and it is so nice to pluck a fresh tomato and some lettuce from your own Kitchen or Patio Garden! A book that I've read time and time again is Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces by Pat Lanza . You will be amazed at what you can grow in very little space!
So, in these tough economic times, let's get growing! I used to love to watch The Victory Garden on PBS, even as a child 
. I don't watch tv these days; but I think it is time that we see Victory Gardens growing in every neighborhood!
Blessings,
