On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 23:12:07 +0000 (UTC), Dan L
wrote:

Brooklyn1 Gravesend1 wrote:
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

And I also find that things tend to even out over time. If I have a good
year with one veg and a not so good year with another, it doesn't really
matter. If I'd decided to plant only a few of any one vegetable or even
only one or two varieties of vegetables, I would have missed out because the
conditions for whatever didn't do well coul dhave had an impact on my only a
few veg/varieties.

So essentially you are concurring, home vegetable gardening is a
hobby, you're mostly in it for the personal enjoyment of growing
stuff, and you get to eat some too. Sure home grown tomatoes taste
better than the typical store bought but mostly they all come in at
once within a relatively short period as do all crops, one can eat
only so much. Unless one goes into crops on a large enough scale to
supply several families there is no way that supermarket prices can be
beat... and even with a little truck farm crops can fail and often do
and for a number of reasons outside ones control, and then there's the
cost of supplies, tools, and powered equipment and those get used up
and fail too. Who do you think supports the plant nurseries and
gardening product aisles at the big box stores, home gardeners is who.
Believe it or not folks tend to home veggie gardens for exactly the
same reason folks tend to lawns, personal satisfaction is all... even
though one can't eat that grass neither holds sway over the other,
both are hobbies. No hobby is profitable monetarilly, as soon as it
is it's called a business. I do gardening too, I'm motivated by
enjoyment, not saving money... no way can one save money from any kind
of home gardening.

The term "Hobby" could be used for some. Is doing laundry a hobby also by
your definition? After all why buy a washing machine and dryer when I can
take my dirty clothes to the cleaners. How about one of your other favorite
subjects "Cooking" is that a hobby when one can go the restaurants three
times a week? I am sure there are cost advantages of eating out all the
time.

I often think of a hobby that only provides a pleasure incentive. Gardening
does pay ones self with goods that helps one survive physically. Bird
watching, Amateur Radio and Chess provides pleasure only. like Chess and
Gardening i Win and Lose at times. Does working for yourself just a hobby.
I built my own home, Me and two nephews did everything except the concrete
work and drywall. Is building your own home a hobby? I am not being paid by
anyone. So by your definition of Hobby, does working for yourself count?
Gardening and food preservation in my book is being self reliant, not a
hobby.

You don't make any sense, you are simply attempting to defend the
indefensible... home veggie gardening is a hobby like all others,
primarilly gives pleasure but saves not a mot on ones grocery bill.
I've had a veggie garden every year for more than 60 years and never
saved a penny on food... canning and freezing costs more than buying
at the stupidmarket. NO hobby saves money and a home veggie garden is
definitely a hobby, one of the more costly hobbies when time, effort,
and losses to nature are factored in. I've been involved in several
hobbies, I've raised tropical fish for many years, collected stamps,
and coins and I've collected fountain pens most of my life and still,
at least I can occasionally sell fountain pens at a profit, I've never
sold a tomato at a profit. I garden strictly for enjoyment... no one
saves money with home vegetable gardening, it's 100% an expense...
actually more than 100%, a lot more... anyone who believes they are
saving money is fantacising. I recently spent over $300 on mole/vole
protection products, I'd have to sell a ton of tomatoes to maybe break
even. Just from reading here of people bitching about their watering
bills alone proves that gardening is not monetarilly profitable, never
mind all the other myriad cost aspects folks here constantly whine
about paying for.