• Cylusthevirus@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    48
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    6 months ago

    Why would home gardeners optimize for yield and cost effectiveness? They can’t deploy automation or economies of scale.

    You garden at home because you enjoy the flavor, freshness, and variety. Those are the perks. Miss me with those mealy, flavorless grocery store tomatoes.

    • FiniteBanjo@lemmy.todayOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      28
      arrow-down
      8
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      I came to the realization earlier today that there are an alarming number of people who theorize that they can just live off homegrown and composting. They think they can challenge big agriculture by “going off the grid” and that society would be better without subsidized industrial farming.

      That’s why they would optimize for yield and cost effectiveness. They think they can compete.

      EDIT: Also I’ve tried making tomatoes in colder climates before and they almost always succumb to disease. Huge success with zuccini and onions, though.

      • xor@infosec.pub
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        20
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        6 months ago

        man, you’re going to be really alarmed when you hear about community gardens and greenhouses…

        the idea for most people isn’t to completely replace all farming, but to reduce it, grow food instead of a lawn, have some fresh delicious non-gmo shit…
        have something to fall back on when the nuclear apocalypse happens…

        industrial farming will never be as nutritious, delicious, or satisfying as home-grown…

        p.s. working with soil has natural antidepressant properties…

      • BakerBagel@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        6 months ago

        How northern are we talking? Our tomatoes didn’t so well last year in Northern Ohio, but the summer before i was absolutely drowning in cherry tomatoes!

        • FiniteBanjo@lemmy.todayOP
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          5
          ·
          6 months ago

          47th Lat, so a fair bit further but the high winds of my region could contribute to hanging crops declines.

          • Fermion@mander.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            My parents are around 44 deg lat and their tomatoes do very well. It seems like something else must be limiting your success.