Official Poll: What is your motivation to be more self-sufficient?

[wyoDreamer]

When I worked at the Big Box Hardware store, they had their sales on seeds/starting mix/etc. One of the gals there was talking about how much her daughter wanted to garden and how she was such a special child she could get anything to grow, how nice it would be to grow their own veggies and she wished she could afford to buy all that stuff. The child's birthday was coming up in a couple of weeks so I bought some seeds, starting mix, and pots - so she could start her garden. I told my friend that she needed to wait until the child's birthday to give her the present because that was the right time to start garden seeds for our area. I told her how to look at the labels and make sure stuff was planted right, teach the child to do it right. And I told her she needed to save buckets to plant the veggies in, make sure to poke some holes in the bottom and such. 2 days later, she tells me the child planted all the seeds and had even planted seeds in all the houseplants. She didn't know what was planted where and really didn't care if anything grew. I changed jobs a week later s, so I don't know if anything came of that effort, but it really felt like a waste of my time and money.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep....that sounds familiar. Sad and makes me a little angry every time it happens and I hear it happening to others, but it's pretty much the status quo now. There's a whole generation or two that have some kind of disconnect that's hard to put your finger on.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Agreed. A bunch of clueless folks raising clueless children. And, that's what scares me. They have no desire to actually learn anything about being self sufficient. I think their motto is: Let the government take care of me.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I think it's important to keep trying. Maybe just a hint here, or a suggestion there. Some free zucchini or fresh corn. You never know when you're going to plant that seed. I've gotten several of my neighbors involved in gardening. Both of my children grow a few things every year. We all know how demanding gardens are - not everyone has the time. But, if we can help just one or two then perhaps the gardening itch will grow within them.

 

[Mini Horses]

people who want to learn. Yes, they are out there, few, but they are out there.

I try to teach but really have no one interested in learning it around here. So, mostly it's sharing things I've tried and found good to folks on forums such as this.

We all know how demanding gardens are - not everyone has the time. But, if we can help just one or two then perhaps the gardening itch will grow within them

These are all things and problems that exist. I may be the ONLY one in my neighborhood who actually grows any garden. And last year I didn't do that either. People do not have to "grow or not eat" anymore. But, the food they are eating is killing them. Waaay back, if your garden failed you had a hungry family! There were few resources beyond other family to help, then.

I want to eat better, healthy, home & naturally grown foods. That's why I do this. All this work My grandma(s) would be proud of me...even tho I use internet to find lids.

 

[flowerbug]

i think a part of it is that people see what others have done, but they don't know that much of what they are seeing is there after many years of efforts.

somehow you need to get across that you can start small and gradually figure things out. you don't have to jump in with an entire redo of their yard or a huge garden (i actually don't suggest a big garden to anyone as it is more important to learn some things first and a small garden is a good enough start).

 

[frustratedearthmother]

somehow you need to get across that you can start small and gradually figure things out. y

Totally agree!

My young neighbors see what I do and decided they would do it too. They had a huge garden one year and actually did very well with it - but it got away from them. A couple of years later they wanted to have another garden but were afraid of the outcome. We talked and I suggested that they just grow the things they love. That year they planted cucumbers, melons, zucchini and okra. Four rows - four of their favorite vegetables - and they loved it. AND - bonus - their children loved help[ing and picking their favorites too.

My own kids are not big gardeners like me....they have fulltime jobs and kiddos. But, both of my children have pots that they grow things in. My son loves all things hot. So, for his b'day 2018 I bought him a big pot, some dirt, and a couple of habanero plants. He loves it so much that he's kept those habanero plants going for almost two years. Heck - I've never done that, lol. But they baby those plants and bring this whole huge pot inside on cold nights. It's awesome!

It's a tiny little seed that they've latched on to. I have no doubt that they will branch out and grow more when the time is right for them.

 

[flowerbug]

...
It's a tiny little seed that they've latched on to. I have no doubt that they will branch out and grow more when the time is right for them.

i've always been interested in gardening, house plants, biology, etc. so it wasn't a stretch for me at all to get back to gardening, but it was a long spell in between when i went away to college and when i got back to where i could grow things again other than a few house plants.

you just have to keep your eyes open for the small chances with kids and see if they have any inclination at all. i have a few distant relatives that are more into it than the immediate family, but i have hopes and sometime perhaps there will be more direct chances. in the meantime, seed swaps, the seed library and on-line are my main things to do. the last two of those i've only started this past few years.

 

[Britesea]

My daughter lives in a tiny, second floor apartment in the heart of San Francisco, but after visiting us and enjoying picking and eating from the garden, she now has some potted plants on the (only!) windowsill- a couple of herbs, a lettuce plant and a strawberry plant. She posted a picture the other day on Facebook of her lettuce plant (it looks like a butter type)-- it almost looks like a palm tree because they've picked so many of the lower leaves to make sandwiches, and the stalk just keeps growing taller, lol. She's so proud of what she was able to grow, that now they are thinking about leaving the city for at least a place in the suburbs. Little seeds....

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Little seeds....

There ya go! I love to hear that!