Why you should grow your own food

Why you should grow your own food.

One of the reasons for growing vegetables and/or is that food prices are rising dramatically; in fact in 2010 we have already seen some significant price rises and food shortages. Here in S.E.Queensland I have seen the price of onions rise from $20 per 20 kilogram bag to $80. Partly this is the result of a very wet season, which can be explained by climate change extremes which aren’t going to settle down any time soon. Organically grown carrots were unobtainable in this region for nearly six months. We are now being paid wholesale prices of $9 per kilogram for organically grown beans. Last year we received just $5. This is an 80% increase in just 12 months. What other investments have risen that fast?
The world population is already 6.5 billion and is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050. There is a finite amount of land and water and already many people are dying of starvation and more have little water; the situation can only get worse.
All agriculture depends on oil but conventional agriculture depends to a massive extent on huge quantities of oil and gas for transport, harvesting, cultivation, fertilizers and herbicides and pesticides. As oil reserves decline, prices of oil will rise further and faster. If you need to be persuaded that Peak Oil is a reality, there is one set of statistics that is totally convincing. In the 1960’s the world consumed 4 billion barrels of oil per year and the average rate of discovery annually, was around 30 billion barrels. Now, we consume 30 billion barrels of oil per year and the discovery rate is approaching 4 billion barrels of crude per year. Oil reserves are diminishing but developing countries like China & India are using more and more oil and gas and most westernized countries are still addicted to oil. This guarantees that the oil price will rise and that there will soon be shortages of oil & gas. Food prices will rise even more steeply than they have already as this happens. As oil prices rise farmers have no choice but to start switching to organic farming methods that use less oil. Many do not know how to do this and the degradation of soil that has occurred with chemical farming practices will make it impossible to do within a short time frame.

I believe everyone should grow some of their own food: because
*this activity connects you to nature
*makes you healthier through working outdoors with fresh air, sunshine & exercise
*contributes greatly to making a life worth living
* you can make a living growing in a small space
For more information go to http://www.growinghealthyorganicfood.com/ .

What you need to know to make big money planting vegetables.
What if climate change, peak oil and escalating world population cause increasing food shortages and escalating food prices? Growing your own food reduces the risks for you and your family & friends. Planting vegetables now is increasingly important. Selling surplus food is a reliable way to make money. We provide a step by step plan to maximize your income from growing.

The key factors that affect profitability when planting vegetables, fruit, herbs, nuts and berries are:
1.Your choice of crops is fundamental to your financial success.
2.The market demand for the crops you select and your ability to reach that market.
3. Marketing crops is just as important as in any business and choosing the right marketing strategy is crucial.
4. You need to be able to grow the crops.
5. Your climate and growing season make a big difference.
6. Costs e.g. mulch, fertilizers, watering, composting, transport, electricity, packing….. In most countries however the biggest cost is labour. Here the less developed countries like India, China and Africa have a big cost advantage.

Actual examples of planting vegetables to make money.

Some crops are hugely more profitable than others e.g. most fruit trees have only one crop every 12 months—but not all of them! Planting vegetables can be amazingly rewarding e.g. we pick rhubarb from the one plant every 5 or 6 weeks giving us 8 crops a year from each plant! There are other vegetables we pick even more times a year. Temperature has a major impact on growth—too hot or too cold stops growth dead in its tracks for most plants. So if you are in an area that gets extreme hot temperatures (over 30 degrees C) you can improve production by planting vegetables in a shadehouse in the summer. Depending on the size of the area you grow in this can be a small homemade device with cloth draped over wood or plastic poles or a large walk in shadehouse with sprinklers. If you live in cold climates that get frosts or snow, then you can improve productivity and lengthen your growing season by planting vegetables in a greenhouse in the winter. Another recommendation is to choose crops with the shortest time from planting to maturity because time and cashflow are major factors in profitability. So how about these:

Radish 6 to 7 weeks from planting to maturity

Buttonsquash 7 weeks

Zucchini 7 to 8 weeks

Silver beet 8 weeks

Broccoli 9 to 10 weeks

Carrots 10 to 11 weeks
The exact time will vary slightly with different varieties and the weather. Clearly with a short growing period like these crops above, you can be planting vegetables several times a year. This demonstrates vividly why good information in planting vegetables makes a huge difference to the results you achieve. Planting vegetables to make money needs to be addressed as a business; as we have seen there are many factors affecting your success. We can show you the way based on years of practical experience.
For more information go to http://www.growinghealthyorganicfood.com/