[Richard Kimball]

The garden in the picture on this thread is beautiful, but that's probably 3 or 4K worth of landscaping and $20 worth of lettuce. No big deal, but it reminds me of my college and their "land management program." Let me spend 4 million of taxpayer money to acquire the land, another couple of million to build out buildings and run water lines, operate with five or six full time employees that are paid out of general operating funds, and still run the place at a half million deficit a year and I'll manage the heck out of that land. I like the idea of raising vegetables, and my dad used to raise enough on a half acre to supply the whole neighborhood, but if you add up the costs of raising yourself, you usually spend more money. That being said, home grown tomatoes are so much better than what's in the stores, as are most other home grown products.

A lot of Freeps have got it down and it's worth while, but your first season growing, the price is surprising.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL! You got that right! There is definitely a learning curve to gardening, just as there is with any other skill.

[caseinpoint]

Quite true. My dad has a green thumb and his backyard garden is great, a six-foot strip all around the perimeter of a large backyard, which is bounded by a six-foot solid cinderblock wall. He grows carrots, raspberries, tomatoes, corn, peas, etc. We could convert our backyard but at this point I get better deals from the local farmers and at the farmer’s market which sells from April through November. They taste great also, especially the tomatoes. I just question whether one can sell the idea of yard gardens with the promise of less hassle than grass. The veggies are worth it but it is generally quite a hassle.