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  • From: "Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>
  • To: "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] cost of groceries
  • Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2007 23:30:54 -0700

I try to hold grocery/sundry costs to $300 a week, here in California. I
buy wholesale, from farmers' markets, and from my food coop. I do tend to
buy organic, but here the price difference is tiny. Family size is 2 to 5,
depending on who's here.
I certainly have saved money when I've had a large garden. I pushed the
limits of gardening in some ways, growing sweeteners (aj concentrate, by the
freeze/thaw method was most efficient), grains (corn and millet win for
yield per square foot), soy dairy, etc. All costs considered, gardening was
hands down less expensive, although very time consuming come harvest. We
put up enough produce to last through the year. That garden was zone 7 (I'm
in 9 now), so the garden had something edible and fresh every month.
These days better produce is available, and you can find ripe peaches and
interesting apples. Our coop gets very fresh, tree ripe, local produce that
is as good is what anyone can grow; but still, the prices here, at any
store, are a bit dear. There are steep discount groceries, but the produce
is far from buyers' first choice.
But I suppose I'd garden even if it cost more. It makes me a happy person -
which is not otherwise in my general nature....

~ Stephen

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mark & Helen
Angermayer
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 7:01 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] NNGA membership declines

Good point Stephen. I guess it does depend on where you're at. Out here
not having a car is pretty much unthinkable, most people have two (or more).
We spend about $300 per month on groceries, feeding a family of four. It
just seems a historical anomaly to spend more on housing, transportation (in
some cases), and entertainment, than on the basics of food production.

One of the reasons I started gardening/fruit growing was I thought I could
do it cheaper than buying it. I'm not so sure anymore. I'm sure a lot of
people will disagree, but as to being able to get good quality food from the
store, it probably depends on the time of year. We got some store bought
peaches the other day that were as good as the few I grew last year. I've
also had store bought apples better than anything I've eaten off the tree.
I still garden for the love of gardening.

Mark
Kansas






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