Posted on 04/11/2009 3:09:19 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
HOPKINTON (WBZ) ―
The recession is making people get creative with ways to save money, and one of those ways is growing a garden this summer to save on vegetables.
Peter Mezitt has been turning the earth since he was a kid. His family owns Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton.
"What really surprises me and delights me is the number of people my age – I'm in my 40s – starting a vegetable garden for the first time," Mezitt said.
Mezitt says people's interest in gardening grew noticeably last summer as the economy careened south.
He and others think the seedlings Michelle Obama planted at the White House garden may blossom elsewhere.
"Michelle Obama with that whole victory garden thing going on, I think people are saying, if she can do it maybe I can too," said Sam Bradford with Wilson Farm.
At Wilson Farm, Bradford says seed sales have shot up.
"There have been three or four orders I've already put in on this, and some of the seed companies are already running out of stuff," Bradford said.
"You can buy plastic seed trays, which can be reused every year, seeding mix, the seeds, and off you go," said Scott Wilson of Wilson Farms. "For relatively little money -- maybe $20, you can have a full garden of tomatoes."
"(People) could save hundreds of dollars, literally hundreds of dollars, by doing it themselves."
Peter Mezitt points to a cluster of rhubarb and rows of garlic -- perennials growing in his garden.
"Gardening can be so economical, you can take some of these perennial plants up and it doesn't cost you anything but labor."
And for those without much room, Mezitt says garden box kits are selling briskly.
Ping.
Hey Diana, I’m pretty sure I never would have learned to spell Wisconsin, if it wasn’t for you.
Thanks.
Learn to save your heirloom AMERICAN seeds; then that won’t be a problem! :-)
Oddly enough, I’m in my 40’s and I’m starting a vegetable garden for the first time.
OMG oh my freaking lawd...the only reason why the Obamas are gardening to please the wacko liberal greenies. Crunch conservative greenies like myself garden because its’ fulfilling, healthy and after one season saves a ton of money.
“”Michelle Obama with that whole victory garden thing going on, I think people are saying, if she can do it maybe I can too,” said Sam Bradford with Wilson Farm.“
Yeh, that’s why people garden because of Michael O’. My local garden store has run out of seed every year for the past 5. They may not stock hundreds of each variety but sell out non-the-less.
Seed sales are up because every spring folks buy seeds. Sheesh!
Yup, it's gardening time. Last frost date here is May 5th. I usually don't set out the Rutgers tomatoes before that. I've found that early starts don't produce early tomatoes and later starts produce more.
They look fine now, potted up to 3” pots.
LOL! You’re welcome, FanFan!
After the day I had today, I can assure EVERYONE that sales of anything and everything garden-related are through the roof these days. I went in an hour early and worked an hour later than I was scheduled...and it still took some effort to get customers out of the store at the end of the day, today.
It’s been hard to keep up, and I do have some disgruntled customers because there are some items that we’ve just plain run out of already...certain onions, potatoes and strawberries to name a few. No shallots yet, and no garlic. We ran out of rhubarb today. *SHRUG* Who knew that the Socialist In Chief and his wife who gardens in SPANDEX and HEELS would put the Fear of God into otherwise complacent sheeple? LOL!
Well, Folks...our catalog has been sitting on your kitchen counter since DECEMBER ‘08, so if others beat you to the punch, you’re out of luck. See ya in the bread line! ;)
I was just going to ping them. One more.
bump
Michelle is most certainly NOT the one who will be weeding, fertilizing, cultivating and watering that stupid garden.
It’s such an insult to those of us who have been doing it for years.
Oh, and BTW, our local feed store has sold three times the number of baby chickens that ever before. Our dozen are doing quite nicely.
LOL!
Bump.
garden bump
One of the benefits will be a new appreciation for what a bargain grocery prices really are.
How do I know? Look how Mich dressed for planting a garden - never in my life have I worn street clothes to work the fields - lol
It might add a little to the trend that has been underway for several years. Last year, I looked all over for a couple of popular seed varieties and had to finally order them. Farmer's Coops and stores that carry the typical seed racks sold out of many items last year, and sales are up again this year.
I bought a gallon can of 45 packs of heirloom seeds. Has a self life of 10+ years. I’ll use them if I need to grow food for survival.
HOORA!! Exactamundo!!!!
“”Michelle Obama with that whole victory garden thing going on, I think people are saying, if she can do it maybe I can too..”
don’t think so - home gardens took off around here last year. We haven’t had a garden in 20 years, but we did in 08.
A fresh farm eggs beats those ridiculous Egglands four dollars eggs anyday!
Dubya has had a green eco-friendly ranch for years. Our former president has been a man of the soil for years. Obamarama is style over substance.
I wore old nursing scrubs and old sneakers to rake the tilled over dirt. Honest I did an eye roll when I discovered I stepped in dog poop LOL. Oh well.
Yeah, GWB has an awesome place there.. It was built by Mennonites and has geothermal and other cool stuff...
Obama will have blossom end rot.....lol!
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