Staggared productivity is always beneficial
especially if it involves a determinate crop variety.
Some plants may catch a disease , or harbor and invasive insect
whereas a previous , or subsequent, planting may not expeirience it
That is why being a farmer /gardener is the earliest form of gambling.
That is why being a farmer /gardener is the earliest form of gambling.
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Both sets of grandparents were farmers and I know from family stories how bad it was if the weather didn’t cooperate, if crops failed for whatever reason, harvest wasn’t good, etc. There were the field crops such as corn, cotton, acres of tomatoes for the cannery, watermelons & cantaloupe for market, livestock (dairy farm, hogs for sausage, chickens for eggs & Sunday dinner, etc.) and my grandmothers’ “kitchen” gardens ... produce for eating every day and for canning to give them food for the winter. If that “kitchen” garden didn’t turn out/failed, it was a matter of survival for the family .... I remind myself of that whenever something in my garden isn’t growing well or doesn’t produce. Despite all of the above, I never thought of it as ‘gambling’ .... but you are correct in that it all was one big gamble!