Dollars from dirt: Economy spurs home garden boom (It's official: We're now peasants!!)

Salon / The Associated Press ^ | March 15, 2009 | Gillian Flaccus

[2ndDivisionVet]

With the recession in full swing, many Americans are returning to their roots -- literally -- cultivating vegetables in their backyards to squeeze every penny out of their food budget.

Industry surveys show double-digit growth in the number of home gardeners this year and mail-order companies report such a tremendous demand that some have run out of seeds for basic vegetables such as onions, tomatoes and peppers.

"People's home grocery budget got absolutely shredded and now we've seen just this dramatic increase in the demand for our vegetable seeds.

[2ndDivisionVet]

What's next? Horse-drawn wagons and stagecoaches? Franklin stoves? Outhouses?

[mefistofelerevised]

I don’t have a problem with growing some food if you have room. It doesn’t have to be all lawn, and homegrown food always tastes better.

[Leisler]

Squirrel Stew

Ingredients:
1 squirrel, quartered
1 cup diced onion
2 large tomatoes (from your garden) or 1 can of tomatoes
Assorted fresh ,or canned veggies
Preparation:
Sprinkle seasoned salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (optional) liberally on the meat. Pour some cooking oil into a large pot (dutch oven). Sauté the meat with the onions until well browned. Drain the excess oil, add about 2 cups water, and bring to a boil. Cut up the tomatoes and add. If you use canned tomatoes add them now. Turn down the heat, and let slow cook for at least an hour. Important: older squirrels may require cooking longer than an hour. Check periodically for tenderness. If you don’t you will have a hard time chewing the meat. After the meat is tender, add the veggies, carrots, potatoes, banana pepper, what ever you like. Cook until the veggies are done. An option you can use is, cook up your favorite pasta and serve over the pasta. (eliminate the potatoes). That’s it, nice and simple ~ Good eating: John

[CajunConservative]

Honestly there is nothing wrong with people gardening. If funds are tight growing your own food is a great way to stretch the food budget. It’s also a great hobby and exercise. Maybe this will help with the obesity problem when Junior has to put down the Wii and pull weeds. ;)

[Mamzelle]

Let’s call them “Obama Gardens”

[MarkeyD]

I’m canning meat I bought on sale right now.

[The Great RJ]

More like collective farms and workers brigades to bring in the harvest...just like in the old USSR.

[mamelukesabre]

If someone could invent an automatic greenhouse, that waters, fertilizes, plants, and harvests without human labor, they’d make a gazillion dollars.

Build them like they build a double wide house. Haul the thing out on a trailer ready to go. Just add dirt and electricity.

[Hoplite]

1 squirrel, quartered

I thought the 3rd Amendment prohibited the quartering of squirrels.

[Viking2002]

As a matter of fact, I put in a garden every year. And I have an electric Franklin stove in my living room. If the flue in this house hadn't been sealed up before we bought it, I'd have put a real one in the hallway alcove.

[redhead]

The Czechs in Minnesota have a recipe for a sour-cream potato soup with squirrel meat. I didn’t have squirrel, but pheasant worked really well. Very tasty stuff.

[redhead]

"Let’s call them “Obama Gardens”

Um, no. I plan to call my OUTHOUSE "Obama."

[Lokibob]

Typical east coast liberals. Thinking that growing a garden is because you are trying to make money.

I know lots of people who have gardens because they love to do gardening work. They grow everything from flowers to tomatoes to watermelons.

One friend has successfully cultivated a whole new sunflower, one the is red instead of yellow. Why, because he wanted to.

Another friend is growing potatoes in old tires, why? for the challenge of doing it. (seeing how many pounds of potatoes can be harvested in a small ground footprint.

.....Bob

[Upstate NY Guy]

"What's next? Horse-drawn wagons and stagecoaches? Franklin stoves? Outhouses?"

Could be.
I think a lot of people are now gardening because they are worried about the future supply of food and not so much the cost. Hussein seeks to destroy capitalism and the means of production. The greater the crisis the more power he hopes to grab. We may end up with total anarchy and food shortages.
Before the end of his first, and only, term we may see scenes right out of Atlas Shrugged last chapter.

[elpadre]

backyard “victory” gardens were very poplar during WWII and, in fact, there was a great need for them as so much food was needed for the troops all over the world.

We started a victory garden on a limited scale in 2008, and plan to a little more this year.

We are in a war you know? Both a WOT and against a growing socialism. Don't hold back, get those tomatoes in the ground! It's the patriotic thing to do.IMHO

[glorgau]

A squirrel is a rat with a fuzzy tail.

[dennisw]

Grow a garden and you will meet some of your greenie friends...get chance to un-brainwash them. Or who knows maybe you’ll end up loving 0bomo too

[TYVets]

More like collective farms and workers brigades to bring in the harvest...just like in the old USSR.

I read an article somewhere that more food made it to the cities from the backyard gardens than from the Collectives. Never thought it might apply to the US.

Socialism didn't work in the USSR, it won't work in the USA.

[tbw2]

I love it!
“Honey, it’s time to fertilize the Obama ... skipping the fertilizer, doing it myself. Had plenty of beans at dinner.”