Why Do You Garden - Page 3

PA_Julia · February 1, 2015

I love to grow tomatoes for weight competition. I am competitive by nature and that combined with my love of growing tomatoes equals obsession.

I'm also extremely interested and very much in love with Heirloom tomatoes and really love to sink my teeth into a good story about each one's history and how they came about to be offered today.

FarmerShawn · February 2, 2015

I teach high school in the off season, and my garden gives me unwinding time, without sass and back talk, and without drama. At least, not the teenage kind. Love my students, but I also love seeing direct results for my labors, something teaching sadly lacks.

crazyoldgooseman · February 2, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapout

I garden so I dont kill people.

I gotta go with this one

pretty much sums it up.

ABlindHog · February 2, 2015

I plant a garden every spring knowing full well that conditions here are not conducive to success.
It is an annual example of the triumph of hope over experience.

ChristinaJo · February 2, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapout

I garden so I dont kill people.

I can soooo relate!

Blueaussi · February 2, 2015

I garden because I am.

When I am queen of the world and have minions and toadies and flunkies galore, I will still garden. I cannot imagine living without at least a container or two of rich earth to dig with my fingers. Why, when I'm queen, I might even make dirty fingernails fashionable!

Lindalana · February 2, 2015

mmm, my grandparents gardened because they had to feed family
my parents gardened because they had to supplement and feed family
I veggie garden because I prefer taste of home grown food to any store bought one. I grow perennial garden because I believe green manicured grass is stupid and because it is my decorating room where I can change things all the time.
My kids are gardening because they believe home grown and home cooked food is the norm.

Worth1 · February 3, 2015

I just had one of the most horrific meals at work I have ever had.
Everything was way salty and processed.
I had to throw it out and settled for an ice cream drumstick for supper.

Darn that stuff was nasty.

Growing and cooking at home keeps us healthy.

Worth

PaulF · February 3, 2015

I garden for all those wonderful philosophical and esoteric reasons listed, but I also really love to watch visitors to my gardens drool. Like many egoists I love being complimented.

This must be a therapy session thread where we say things we have never said before and admit things recessed deep in the inner self. Thanks, I feel better now.

Tapout · February 3, 2015

Gardening calms me. Sometimes I feel I have better conversations with my tomatoes then I do with people.

~ PS It also keeps me from killing people.

TressJ · February 3, 2015

Everything in my life is about someone else or something else, gardening for me is about what I want to do in my life. It’s my hobby, my passion, my obsession, and it tastes good.

shatbox · February 4, 2015

My girlfriend's brother was battling cancer and I wanted to provide him with the best, even if it meant growing it. It was a small space, but it provided peace, quiet, beautiful sunsets, and memories. She and I cared for him, but after he passed it took a while for me to work at it again but I'm getting there. Nature is patient with me. Sunny SoCal doesn't see the dramatic passing of the seasons but there is nothing like feeling the sun and breeze; just being, watching life.

Noreaster · February 4, 2015

Nice thread.

My childhood took place in New York City, in a working class home, lots of siblings and financially humble. Despite a small yard, Mom always put effort
in to grow tomatoes. (And 6-8 corn stalks). Will never forget the smiles on her face once she picked the red hybrids and placed them on the kitchen table each summer.

Likely identical to her thoughts way back then, finding ripe ones to pick absolutely overwhelms me. Honestly, I see the garden yields as a miracle from
heaven. And thank Mommy up there each day for her enlightenment.

Dr. Carol helped along the way, as my Mother enjoyed her Heirloom Tomato
book the same year I brought over several pounds that I'd grown. She began using my seeds growing her own heirlooms, and never looked back at hybrids again. Her absolute favorite was Coustralee, and I grow several plants of it each year in her memory. (and because it's incredibly delicious).

Growing veggies in the garden. Better than just a hobby.

Rairdog · February 4, 2015

Gardening fit in with the Master Plan. I had spent 20 years on the road and living in motels with not much to show for it. Things had to change. I was stressed and health was going downhill from depending on processed foods. A freezer full of venison and veggies cut out a lot of expenses, gave me a enjoyment and made the family more healthy. Then the challenges came which are fulfilling my needs and not the mans.

clkeiper · February 4, 2015

I garden because I can and I can because I garden... but I sell a lot of vegetables and small fruit at farmers markets. It is my contribution to the household without having to be tied down to an employer and dependent on them for a paycheck. I grow mine out in the front 2 acres.

February 1, 2015	#31
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	I love to grow tomatoes for weight competition. I am competitive by nature and that combined with my love of growing tomatoes equals obsession. I'm also extremely interested and very much in love with Heirloom tomatoes and really love to sink my teeth into a good story about each one's history and how they came about to be offered today. __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013

February 2, 2015	#32
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	I teach high school in the off season, and my garden gives me unwinding time, without sass and back talk, and without drama. At least, not the teenage kind. Love my students, but I also love seeing direct results for my labors, something teaching sadly lacks. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

February 3, 2015	#39
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	I garden for all those wonderful philosophical and esoteric reasons listed, but I also really love to watch visitors to my gardens drool. Like many egoists I love being complimented. This must be a therapy session thread where we say things we have never said before and admit things recessed deep in the inner self. Thanks, I feel better now. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

February 3, 2015	#40
Tapout Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 355	Gardening calms me. Sometimes I feel I have better conversations with my tomatoes then I do with people. ~ PS It also keeps me from killing people. Last edited by Tapout; February 3, 2015 at 10:41 PM.

February 4, 2015	#45
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I garden because I can and I can because I garden... but I sell a lot of vegetables and small fruit at farmers markets. It is my contribution to the household without having to be tied down to an employer and dependent on them for a paycheck. I grow mine out in the front 2 acres. __________________ carolyn k

February 2, 2015	#34
ABlindHog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: The Texas Hill Country Posts: 149	I plant a garden every spring knowing full well that conditions here are not conducive to success. It is an annual example of the triumph of hope over experience.

February 2, 2015	#36
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	I garden because I am. When I am queen of the world and have minions and toadies and flunkies galore, I will still garden. I cannot imagine living without at least a container or two of rich earth to dig with my fingers. Why, when I'm queen, I might even make dirty fingernails fashionable!

February 2, 2015	#37
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	mmm, my grandparents gardened because they had to feed family my parents gardened because they had to supplement and feed family I veggie garden because I prefer taste of home grown food to any store bought one. I grow perennial garden because I believe green manicured grass is stupid and because it is my decorating room where I can change things all the time. My kids are gardening because they believe home grown and home cooked food is the norm.

February 3, 2015	#38
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I just had one of the most horrific meals at work I have ever had. Everything was way salty and processed. I had to throw it out and settled for an ice cream drumstick for supper. Darn that stuff was nasty. Growing and cooking at home keeps us healthy. Worth

February 3, 2015	#41
TressJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Utah Posts: 51	Everything in my life is about someone else or something else, gardening for me is about what I want to do in my life. It’s my hobby, my passion, my obsession, and it tastes good.

February 4, 2015	#42
shatbox Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Los Angeles County, CA Posts: 258	My girlfriend's brother was battling cancer and I wanted to provide him with the best, even if it meant growing it. It was a small space, but it provided peace, quiet, beautiful sunsets, and memories. She and I cared for him, but after he passed it took a while for me to work at it again but I'm getting there. Nature is patient with me. Sunny SoCal doesn't see the dramatic passing of the seasons but there is nothing like feeling the sun and breeze; just being, watching life.

February 4, 2015	#43
Noreaster Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northeast Posts: 260	Nice thread. My childhood took place in New York City, in a working class home, lots of siblings and financially humble. Despite a small yard, Mom always put effort in to grow tomatoes. (And 6-8 corn stalks). Will never forget the smiles on her face once she picked the red hybrids and placed them on the kitchen table each summer. Likely identical to her thoughts way back then, finding ripe ones to pick absolutely overwhelms me. Honestly, I see the garden yields as a miracle from heaven. And thank Mommy up there each day for her enlightenment. Dr. Carol helped along the way, as my Mother enjoyed her Heirloom Tomato book the same year I brought over several pounds that I'd grown. She began using my seeds growing her own heirlooms, and never looked back at hybrids again. Her absolute favorite was Coustralee, and I grow several plants of it each year in her memory. (and because it's incredibly delicious). Growing veggies in the garden. Better than just a hobby.

February 4, 2015	#44
Rairdog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Noblesville, IN Posts: 112	Gardening fit in with the Master Plan. I had spent 20 years on the road and living in motels with not much to show for it. Things had to change. I was stressed and health was going downhill from depending on processed foods. A freezer full of venison and veggies cut out a lot of expenses, gave me a enjoyment and made the family more healthy. Then the challenges came which are fulfilling my needs and not the mans.