Ever thought of giving up on this lark?

[Sharon]

Just wondered whether anyone out there has got to the point (and then hopefully beyond) where you wonder whether it's all worth it?

Not suicidal, you understand, but we're having a bad summer in the garden and thinking, well, maybe getting an organic fruit & veg box instead would be a better idea.

I know it's been bad for lots of folk this year with flooding, so we've really not got that much to complain about. Oh go on then, I will: water running through the garden from December to July courtesy of a mains leak next door made the back garden virtually unusable apart from beans; tomato blight; someone neglected to water 15 large cherry tomato plants whilst we were at BGG & I've just had to compost them; mildew in the greenhouse; redcurrant and blackcurrants didn't bother much (I thought they liked water?); even the rhubarb died. Actually, that last bit is so pathetic it's made me laugh.

I know it's great when you get those first broad beans, pick salad leaves, make jam, and so on, but sometimes it seems like a lot of effort for not much return.

Of course, we'll never stop reusing and recycling, making and mending and all the other aspects of a selfsufficientish life, so maybe it's just the garden.

Anybody else have these dark days?

[the.fee.fairy]

I do.

I am particularly useless at growing vegetables, i have decided!
I have some sweetcorn growing, and i had 7 broad bean pods. Some of the tomatoes have come down with blight. Out of 24 squash plants, i've got 3 left - one of which has inch long butternuts on - they should be nearly full size by now.

So, i give up too! I'll still scatter seed and hope for the best, but i'm getting in a veg box regularly too. At least we won't starve that way...

I love the idea of being self sufficient, but the practice has been disastrous so far!! I've grown seedlings by the hundred, only to watch them being eaten by slugs!

However, i remain upbeat - my potatoes taste a hundred times better than any others!

I think its not so much wanting to give up, just a realisation that i can't succeed at everything. I can make my own bread, biscuits and cakes, i can cook from scratch, i can follow a dressmaking pattern, i can make wine. But, i can't grow vegetables! Won't stop me trying though!

[Sharon]

You're right. Can't be good at everything! Mind you, sounds like you are very good at lots of things! I suppose I've been thinking very traditionally, that veg growing is at the very centre of this way of life. I should remember that a lot of folk would really love to have a garden and we're lucky to have this one. It's a balancing act and I'm sure I'll perk up.

[Millymollymandy]

Just wondered whether anyone out there has got to the point (and then hopefully beyond) where you wonder whether it's all worth it?


Anybody else have these dark days?

Yes!!! You are not alone! But I haven't had any total disasters yet - usually one good thing (crop) will counteract a bad one. The last two summers were really hard work for us with the lack of rain so although this year seems to be worse for the wrong kind of bugs/wind/pollination/you name it we haven't had to bust a gut (yet) watering......

[the.fee.fairy]

I don't know about very good, i can do things!!

I think its important to remember that not everyone can do everything. there's a bloke who has an allotment here at work, and he grows fantastic veg, but he hasn't got a clue how to make bread, so i swap him a loaf of bread for some veg and it works really well.

Bartering is always a good thing to do.

I think also, that its important to remember that practice makes perfect, and that you'll never succeed first try. I'm on my 2nd year of growing and haven't succeeded in growing any suibstantial amount yet. Next year might be a different matter - i'm going to sow wildly next year, wothout looking at the dates on the packet! I might have more success that way.

As long as you're happyand healthy, life is a success, no matter what you fail at!

[Tigerhair]

This year I can completely empathise with you - so far I have had a few vases of sweet peas and about 7 finger-sized courgettes! That's it. ALL the extra effort I put in this year has gone to nothing!

Also, my lovely son is taking so much of my time now, not that I begrudge him it, but I thought it might get easier as he gets older, but he wants to share so much (which IS great) but his weeding isn't the most accurate............

How do you find out about boxed schemes?

[the.fee.fairy]

I get River Nene - i think they're part fo the Riverford Group.

There is a website in the links somewhere that i tried, but the scheme it pointed me to was useless, so ask about.

I found our veg box supplier through a friend at work whose neighbours have deliveries from them - he was telling me how nice the veg looked, so i had to give it a go!!

[Stonehead]

Just smile and remember, there's always someone worse off than you!!! Us, for example...

Although this year has been merely quite bad whereas last year was insufferably appalling!

In all seriousness, though, no, I don't tend to have "doom and gloom" thoughts about what I'm doing or trying to do despite everything. I'm probably too pig-headed, stubborn and tunnel-visioned to do so.

Besides, I'm too big a fan of Monty Python - always look on the bright side of life.

I'm probably not helping much but really, all I can suggest, is to focus on the enjoyable bits, plough on through the hard bits, see the humour in everything and spit in the devil's eye when he pops up in front of you.

[Thomzo]

Hi
This year has been particularly bad. To top it all now I'm only getting 2 eggs a day from the chooks so thinking about what I do with them . Keep smiling though, there is always next year, it's bound to be much better.

Zoe

[Tigerhair]

Thanks for the stuff on the veggie boxes.

I think we all need to stay positive. Maybe two eggs ain't a lot, but do you NEED more? The weather has affected us, it's probably affected the poor chooks.

Perhaps I've not had enough time with the garden but I've had some fab times with my silly son.

And, I guess, people who can afford to have a computer can afford some veggies from the market or something and... well... at least we CAN source food when we want to.

[Sharon]

Hi folks

Thanks for replying and sharing some of the lows & for being encouraging. It is important to keep going and to try and remain upbeat, which I generally am. We've been growing stuff for 9 years now and have had good and bad years. I'm sure tenacity and enthusiasm will return. We're already planning ahead, so that's good.

Spirits have been somewhat restored this evening by a delicious broad bean dip. If only the wine was ready!

I hope things will improve for everyone.

[Shirley]

I think a lot of us will be in the same boat this year - lots of failed crops... and YES... my rhubarb died too

Fell by the wayside today though - not that we can afford it... but I've been in so much pain recently and not able to cook and garden as I might like to.... so we went to M&S and spoilt ourselves with a few bits and pieces... first time in a good few years and as I'm incapacitated at the moment I don't feel too bad. Will be another few years before we visit again mind you.

We are starting to get eggs again from the chooks - I think we've got one broody but the others are laying. Omelettes aplenty.

[Annpan]

Hey everone, don't get so down...

Is 'ish really an all or nothing kind of a place? I cerainly don't think so. Few of us are in the position where it is a matter of growing your own or not eating. I am really enjoying my lettuces and cabbages - which are the only things that I have produced so far.

You win some, you loose some, you learn a lesson and you don't make the same mistakes again (there are always plenty new ones to choose from)

Who knows we might have an elongated growing season and get some produce later than we expected. Chickens will start laying again, rhubarb will return next season and next year we will all be complaining of something else

[Shirley]

Is 'ish really an all or nothing kind of a place? I

You are Right !! Ish.... we do our best

[red]

I'm probably not helping much but really, all I can suggest, is to focus on the enjoyable bits, plough on through the hard bits, see the humour in everything and spit in the devil's eye when he pops up in front of you.

This is so how we feel. its been a difficult year in the garden, and its our first in our 'dream house' too - and we just laugh it off

take the greenhouse.. we bust a gut getting planning permision (we live in a national park), building foundations on a slope, and getting a second hand greenhouse without instructions or all of the parts together in time for this years tomato season.. and what happens? blight wipes it all out - I have about 5 cherry tomatoes and 4 jars of green tom chutney to celebrate... (and we do celebrate it cos my chutney aint bad) - but on the plus side - my calabrese was great. I suspect with different weather I would have tomatoes and no calabrese. you win some you lose some, and its all an experience.

I think the key is to laugh at the disasters.. celebrate the successes, concentrate on what you are good at, and keep dabbling in the areas you have yet to develop .