Says it all . . .

[bower]

Fresh eating tomatoes of any kind here are about $5 a pound. So even a modest yield of 4 lb per plant would make it worth $15?? per plant after material costs... This reckoning in no way counts the months of labor involved, including the extra time I spend just grooming and chatting with my beloved pets. Which is fine.
The value reckoning completely falls apart though when you take $20 worth of fresh eating tomatoes and turn it into $5 worth of sauce. So what REALLY fails to make economic sense is growing more tomatoes than you can eat fresh!

[Ricky Shaw]

A huge time investment when you're a nutjob about it, but it's cheaper than golf or bass fishing.

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by throwaway

Start seeds in March, shouldn't frost until October, that even prevents me from blowing money on other hobbies 8 months of the year. Those savings should be added to the return on tomato.

This is unbeatable

Gardening is way cheaper and safer than many other endeavors and hobbies. Benji jumps, mountain climbing etc etc... but those have their passionate followers as well who do not care about material costs nor their safety.
I think tomatoes are still among the sanest passions one can have!

[oakley]

Originally Posted by bower

Fresh eating tomatoes of any kind here are about $5 a pound. So even a modest yield of 4 lb per plant would make it worth $15?? per plant after material costs... This reckoning in no way counts the months of labor involved, including the extra time I spend just grooming and chatting with my beloved pets. Which is fine.
The value reckoning completely falls apart though when you take $20 worth of fresh eating tomatoes and turn it into $5 worth of sauce. So what REALLY fails to make economic sense is growing more tomatoes than you can eat fresh!

I bought 3 lbs of tomatoes, three clam-shell packs on sale in NYC for 5 dollars, grown
in Canada in a
greenhouse, then drove them three days to Canada.
(not very good)...NY, where I'm growing a hundred lbs of tomatoes, for my neighbors.

[Nan_PA_6b]

Originally Posted by Spartanburg123

While I love eating them, and am obsessed with caring for them, my biggest joy comes from giving them- no charge, just passing them out and thinking that perhaps a family may be enjoying them that very evening at a dinner table- and perhaps that person will have the inspiration to grow their own the next year.

I like to give them away and think about them being enjoyed.

I also like having something healthy to obsess over.

Nan

[Spartanburg123]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

I like to give them away and think about them being enjoyed.

I also like having something healthy to obsess over.

Nan

THAT is the only reason I grow them! And, I like the scientific complexity of gene mixing and expression....

[salix]

Bower, I have often bemoaned the amount of time and tomatoes used to produce sauce and thinking it is not cost effective, but console myself with the knowledge that it is organic, will taste great and does not contain any insect parts or rodent hairs...

And in the winter, I LOVE shopping in my cold room!

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by salix

that it is organic, will taste great and does not contain any insect parts or rodent hairs...

Yikes!! A good point!

[MadCow333]

Originally Posted by Spike2

This was sent to me through e-mail . . .

Save $2.17? Must be someone who buys one dinky prepotted patio tomato and pays $20 plus tax for it at the garden center. Lol

[Nan_PA_6b]

Is this hobby supposed to be saving me money?
Cost of seeds.
Cost of potting medium.
Cost of fertilizers.
Cost of deer fence.
Cost of antifungals, DE, bleach, and other plant "meds."
Cost of canning jars.

----but----

The taste of homemade = priceless

Nan

[dmforcier]

Also the value of the exercise. Everyone needs a reason to get off their butt.
And, up to a point, the value of the mental health.
And the value of having something to talk about on TV™.

Yah. I'd say there's a positive balance in the account.

[rhoder551]

Buzzkill....

[encore]

i'd do it at any cost to get out of the house away from the mother-in-law! lol (and i golf and fish too!) lol

[Hoosier]

Counting seeds, fertilizer, sprays, and supports, I am probably well over 100 bucks a year on just tomatoes. Farmers market has them for 3 dollars a pound this year so I think I might still be ahead of the game. I still would do it even if it was 100 dollars or more in the hole every year just for the enjoyment. If you think about it is still about the cheapest as far as entertainment expense.

[bower]

Originally Posted by salix

Bower, I have often bemoaned the amount of time and tomatoes used to produce sauce and thinking it is not cost effective, but console myself with the knowledge that it is organic, will taste great and does not contain any insect parts or rodent hairs...

And in the winter, I LOVE shopping in my cold room!

Yeah, I do really enjoy the things we make with frozen tomatoes. And using them instead of canned tomatoes. And even having my own sauce. (And I think I will now need a big deep meditation or something to get rid of "rodent hair" as a food contaminant idear... ho ew )
Oddly my mother can't eat canned tomatoes whatever the preservative is in it, they disagree with her big time. So having freezer tomatoes for mom to enjoy is truly... priceless.
Seriously though, the tomatoes are pets for me, I love interacting with them. Lots of people feed a dog or cat and don't expect any puppies or kittens - or being fed - in return. But tomatoes are themselves all about their fruit, they like me oohing and ahing and worrying about their wee ones... and appreciating what they make, and saving their seeds. It's a deal, maters!