How Much Does a Garden Grow: 2014

At long last, the final tally for 2014!

The immediate past year was not as robust as far as savings as was 2013, but the distribution of vegetables and fruits that we brought in was much more even, making for a better harvest overall.  After all, I could always stack the deck by just growing a yard-full of expensive butternut squash, but if we don't eat them, it's not a fair representation of our growing abilities.

In 2014, we grew:

• Lemons: 7 oz/$1.74
• Herbs (dried): 2.5 oz/7.08
• Carrots: 59 oz/3.54
• Tomatoes: 1138 oz/$330.52
• Butternut squash: 267 oz/53.40
• Beans: 142 oz/$29.95
• Peppers: 31.5 oz/$5.99
• Basil (fresh): 20 oz/$20.00
• Cucumbers: 625 oz/$100.00
• Zucchini: 255 oz/ $53.55
• Blueberries: 8 oz/$2.32
• Peas: 24 oz./$4.56
• Potatoes: 100 oz/$8.00
• Greens: $22.5 oz/$19.80

Total harvest:  160.5313 pounds

Total value of harvest: $628.57

Total expenditures: $286.13

Net: $342.44

I'm pretty satisfied with everything on here, except I could have used more tomatoes.  I can always use more tomatoes.

It's funny, but I feel like we really saved more than $342 off our food bill for the year.  I think about all those lovely summertime meals we took out in the sunroom that centered around our own veggies.  We reduce our meat consumption during the summer, and we aren't as tempted to eat out on a busy night because there is nothing more efficient than going out into the yard with a basket and coming in with dinner.  I once estimated that a garden like ours offered at least $1,000 in meal-replacement value, and I feel like that's probably still the case.

In any event, it is nearly time for seed-starting once again.  The cycle continues.