There are many reasons why you may decide to grow your own food. You may be looking for a fun new hobby... or something to do with your kids... or something that will encourage a healthier lifestyle (enter, stress relief and more greens on your plate!) or maybe as a way to save money. If your reason for growing food is the last one, saving money, then this little snippet is for you!
So, can you save money by growing your own food?
The short answer is yes.
And the long answer, is, well, the following... hee hee.
Growing food at home is an investment. There is time, materials, sweat, muscle power, and determination that must be invested to yield results. Growing food at home is an investment that increases in value over time. That's to say, the longer you do it, the more "net profit" you will receive. Growing food at home, has a high up-front "cost" which could be financial (most likely the case if you're starting from scratch) or it could be knowledge (it's all trial and error), and it will always be time. Ya know the phrase, the best things in life take time? Like with wine... and cheese... and homegrown veg.
That said, if you're willing to make the investment, and stick with it, then over time, yes, you can save money. But, I hate to break it to you, unless you are farming super intentionally, you will still find yourself making your weekly grocery trip to pick up produce essentials.
Here's a little story (with math!) from my growing space.
Yesterday, for lunch, I made three scrambled eggs with kale. My lunch cost me "nothing" as I was able to use the eggs from my chickens and kale that I grew myself. Of course, there were initial and on-going inputs needed to produce these two ingredients at home (see breakdown below) but I did not have to purchase eggs or a bunch of kale to make my lunch. Which, was really nice. And over time, the more I'm able to harvest from my chickens and my (seasonal) kale patch, the more my investment will pay off. Below is some rough math to show my cost of inputs and my return on the investment.
Backyard Kale Patch Initial Costs:
3' x 6' x 1.5' raised bed filled with premium soil: $400 - $450
Irrigation supplies (for single raised bed): $50
Recurring Costs:
12 kale seedlings per year: $20
2 bags of plant food per year: $16
Returns:
2 bunches of kale / week (February - May, and September - November)
Average cost of Certified Organic kale: $5 / bunch
Weekly Returns: $10
Annual Returns: $320
Backyard Chickens
Initial Costs:
Coop building supplies (lumber, roofing, solar powered door, bird netting, fencing, feeders, waterers): $300
7 Chicks: $40
Recurring Costs:
Chicken Food: $40 / every month
Apple Cider Vinegar: $10 / 3 months
Chicken Treats: $20 / 3 months
Returns:
3 - 4 dozen eggs / week. February - October
Average cost per pasture raised dozen eggs: $7
Weekly Returns: $21 - $28
Annual Returns: $189 - $252
So, according to this math, in year two, I should net a profit on both my backyard kale and chickens. Right? Sure thing! As long as the weather doesn't get in the way, the chickens don't get stressed or hurt, the bugs on the kale are manageable, my sunlight is as great as I think it is, my irrigation doesn't fail, ya know, the typical things that come up when you're growing your own food... it happens. And when it happens, that's when you truly can appreciate your local farmer, and all they do.
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