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| Small part of the farm...and one of our goats |
When I was working 40+ hours a week in corporate America, the last thing I wanted to do was to go to Home Depot and get my herb garden started. I love cooking with fresh herbs but when you're tired, it's just easier to con yourself out of something that will help you save in the long run in order to give yourself some rest in the short run. That little voice inside kept telling me what I already knew: I wanted an herb garden, I want one really badly.
Well, times have definitely changed and now that I have the space to do my herb garden, that little voice has gotten quieter but won't be completely done until I have about half an acre of herbs (I think they call that payback)
Here are the top 5 'reasons' you're using to con yourself out of starting your own herb/vegetable/fruit garden (in no particular order)
1. I don't have the time
OK, just as you plan to feed the dog, cat, your spouse, children, you can also plan to feed your plant. For the most part they require less care, food, water(rainwater is ideal), sunlight, and you don't need to discuss how was their day. Just like you would check your pet for fleas and ticks, you do need to check for insects who like nothing more than to feast on your hard work but again, that's part of the planning. It doesn't have to be a full-fledged farm; it can just be a small section or a pot. The point is don't overwhelm yourself with a massive project. Just start with a pack of seeds and go from there.
2. I don't have the space
There are places, such as New York where the apartments are the ridiculously small. The living room, dining room and kitchen is one room. And you could also have a roommate. In those cases I have heard about people using the rooftops to start their own gardens. There may be fees involved but it's worth checking out because you could set up a relationship with your neighbors about buying some of their items and vice versa (there's nothing that says you can't make a little extra money here) If that's not available, you may room for just a little windowsill herb garden. If you have the luxury of having a larger space, you definitely have room to play with. Basically, it's doable. Just remember, it's not that you don't have the space; it's what you make of the space you have.
3. What if I don't do it right? I have a brown thumb
I have had plants that have died mysteriously because I didn't water them and let the soil dry out. Yes, that was me. Now, you may be asking, what business do I have running an 10+ acre agribusiness where I not only grow my own food but sell to the public? In short: Purpose. I left the rat race I had become accustomed to for a variety of reasons I won't go into here. One of those reasons was that I really agreed with the mantra they are advocating here in Jamaica that says "Grow what you eat." I have been in supermarkets in Miami and have seen the prices steadily go up but the food just tasted less and less...nutritious. I know what it's like to have mass produced produce/meats...etc and I remember as a child in Jamaica where that chicken I had with Sunday dinner came from. I remembered chomping on native fruits here fresh from the tree...you could say I was spoiled in that way. So as an adult redesigning my life, I wanted to go back to that because not only was it healthier but food prices are on the rise and I want to be on the producing end this time around. So with those and other realizations, I found a purpose.
Now, I'm not saying you make such a radical change as I did but if you are able to get behind the idea of knowing where your food comes from, providing nutritious fruits/veggies/meats for yourself, your family, or keeping yourself healthy and fit, then you won't worry about not doing it right. You're clear of where you want to go; it now about scaling the learning curve to get there
4. It's too expensive
OK, let's take a look at this with a scenario and some numbers. Say you love Oregano and want your own oregano garden. So here's what's up: You research (cost: free), you find a pack of oregano seeds at the supermarket (cost $1.50/seed pack), you go to your local garden store to get some soil ($10 for a big bag which you will not be using all at once), some plant food ($12 which you will not be using at once) and a medium size pot ($5, this cost will come again), So far, your start up is less than $30. You do your first planting using maybe 20% of your soil and less than 10% of your fertilizer in the next 4-6 weeks. So this first oregano planting cost you $1.50 + $2 + $1.20+$5. That's about $10 for the next 5 weeks. While you wait and grow, you need to buy your oregano. You get the clam-shell oregano that cost about $3 every week and a half. So at the end of 5 weeks, you've spent $9 on store bought oregano. So you have a nice bush or oregano which you want to keep so you wind up buying only 1 clam-shell every two weeks. You basically saved about $3. You use that to buy 2 more oregano seed packs, and you get two more pots. So now at the end of another 5 weeks, your first oregano bush is growing nicely, your other two are getting there and you can't remember the last time you bought supermarket oregano. Bottom line is, that $1.50 was used to grow your food item that will feed you and your family for a lot longer than the clam-shell you used to buy. What other investment can give you such longevity for $1.50?
Then there's my favorite:
5.Sounds like too much work; it's easier to just buy it
Let me know if you still feel the same when you're paying 30% more for the same amount of items in the next couple of months.
I am not psychic; I'm just well aware of what I don't know. In this case, I don't know how people are going to make it if they don't make a change. Nothing radical, just a small change that will help ease things. Here's your opportunity: stay the same or make a move?
So, what'll it be?
