Fewer gardens this year

[Beeman]

Driving around I see a lot of empty gardens this year. Many of the ones that plowed for a first time last year are empty, others that grew for years are also empty. Plenty of seeds available along wityh plants. Farmers co-op reduced seed potatoes now have a sign for free seed potatoes.

[peri_simmons]

Wonder why?

[upnorthlady]

Maybe in TN, but not here in MN. Everyone here has gardens, even bigger than last year. We just need some sunshine!

[where I want to]

Less fear?

[Becka]

Not around here. In fact, I've noticed that more people are planting gardens and raising rabbits, and these are folks who don't have acreage, just small lots.

[Terri]

Last year I saw new gardens, this year I have not. But, every one of last years gardens have been planted, including the ones that were new last year.

I am not seeing NEW gardens this year, but the existing gardens have been expanded.

Last year the seeds at the dollar store sold out: this year they ordered extra seeds but they did not all sell. They did sell more than last year, I think.

[ldc]

Beeman, is it because you all had a bad season last year? Were you included in the part of the country that had torrential rains last summer, that many on HT commented on? Here, many more are gardening this year, but we had a colder than usual Spring by 60 days, then it started raining after Mother's Day, and just stopped this past Thursday. A lot of my stuff has rotted or partially rotted; toms, spud plants, etc. Onions and bell peppers are doing well tho, and the roses were unusually beautiful and bountiful this spring. Normally it's too HOT!!! ldc

[lmrose]

Here in southren Nova Scotia there are only a few people who plant to sell produce and not many with house gardens.Years ago most everyone had a garden and a cow and chickens in the country. Town people had little gardens.Even though many people complain about our high price of food they don't want the work of gardening. Also if they try it one year and it doesn't succeed they give up. Our weather is dry this year and was very wet last year. We have to garden around the weather and be ready for anything! We are growing more in the hothouse where WE control the weather!

[scooter]

We rent out garden space and this year we plowed up and tilled more land. We have fourteen families and they wanted more land.

We put in our same big garden. I know there are a lot more people gardening up here, just wish the sun would come out, but it looks like rain on and off this week. We had several dry years so I hate to complain about the rain, the ground soaks it up really fast. One thing I know, the weeds are really growing, but I don't want to weed in all the muddy soil.

[fellini123]

I tend to agree with OP, I see many gardens tilled but nothing planted. Or a few tomatos and most of the garden space empty. We have a few containers going with tomatos and herbs.
Imrose the very best garden I even had was when I lived in Nova Scotia. It was just in my back yard but I was able to grow anything and everything. It was just great!!!

Alice in Virginia

[plowjockey]

We just got oru garden planted 2 weeks ago.

May many have given up waiting for two nice days without rain.

People who are working, seem to be working longer hours, so maybe they are short on spare time for a garden.

[FarmersDaughter]

I think there are less gardens planted around here this year, too. But I have a feeling that it's due to the weather. Last year was extremely rainy and gardens did not produce well. This year has been terribly rainy, so it's been hard to get things planted and keep things alive in flooded gardens. My guess is that some people that were new to gardening in the last few years might be giving up due to the weather frustrations.

I'm about to give up on some of my garden, as well! Between the heavy rain and the bindweed this year, my garden is looking terrible and I'm feeling really frustrated.

The farmers markets in our area have grown, so I think some people feel that they have the opportunity to eat fresh, local food, without having to grow it themselves, so they have reduced or eliminated their gardens. Just my opinion...

[Pelenaka]

Could be due to frugality fatigue. I have found that aquaintances who whole heartly jumped on the green/simplistic/fugal lifestyle to the point of religious fever are now suffering from this fatigue. Even though they themselves haven't pulled out of our current economic slump they are all too willing to believe the media hype that the worst is over. Add in that their typical modern day Americans.
Can't wait til their freezers run dry. I won't be answering my cell or door then.

~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/

[CaliannG]

We are a bit better off economically than last year, and that might be part of it.

Colorado did not get hit exceptionally hard by the depression like the mid-west and eastern states, but that is likely because the state is the largest producer of clean-burning coal in the country. We export a LOT.

However, last year i did see more gardens, and the small farmers expanded a lot. This year, I am seeing a lot of fallow fields that were full of cabbage, carrots, and other veggies last year.

I noticed two organic farms up for sale on my way to Brighton last week, and wondered if they had collapsed, or if the area got annexed by the city.

At any rate, the economy has slowly risen, and there is a bit less unemployment, and that tends to make people start pining for their old lifestyles. Also, the fact that the Infrastructure Stimulus package is working as planned has made a lot of folks optimistic about the economic slump ending in only a couple of years.

Me, I am going to keep on growing, harvesting and canning. Just because Obama managed to pull us out of a full economic collapse by the skin of our teeth doesn't mean that 2012 isn't going to see a spendthrift running things...and I want to be prepared for that.

[Beeman]

We had an incredible garden last year. Most rain we've ever had all summer long instead of dried up parched soil all summer like it had been. If you ever picked a great year to garden it was last year around here. Economy absolutely sucks around here, unemployment is high and even local gov'ts have cut pay hours and jobs. McDonalds has a line at the drive thru all day and night. Family members work at the eat fresh fast food restaurant and business has been increasing every month.

Our farmers market in town has never been much but it's now gone completetly.

[bugstabber]

I haven't noticed less people gardening here. Then again, I've been busy in mine...

[Timberline]

Seems about average around here. I have been seeing more chicken coops and goats, however.

[clovis]

I'm not sure.

We always shop Menard's for seeds...sometimes to purchase, and sometimes to dream shop.

In years past, some of the flower varieties sell out fast, but this year? I am amazed how quickly the beans, corn and tomatoes sold out!!!!!!

[geo in mi]

On my way back and forth I've seen more chickens waiting to cross the road....., but, in this part of Michigan you'll see lots of empty houses---can't put in a garden if you don't live there anymore.....

Menard and Meijer seed racks are 3/4 full still.......

geo

[Lyra]

Here it was another late start because of the weather. In general, there seem to be more and more people gardening every year.