I'm really curious if anyone out there manages to live off their homegrown produce during the summer months. How large is your garden? Are there any fruits or veggies you still prefer to buy instead of growing? On average, how long do you think you could go without purchasing any fresh produce?
5 Answers
It's definitely my goal to get there someday, but I’m not even close yet. It’s something I’m working toward though!
Yep, it takes time and lots of effort to get sustainable!
I’m making progress. If you plant three kale or chard plants per person, it's definitely achievable! People often underestimate how possible this is. Back during the world wars, a huge portion of American produce was from home gardens. We even have enough to eat multiple meals a day from our own backyard produce, plus fresh fruit from our trees! My in-laws even raise chickens and cattle and can get all their meals from their land, though they still like to shop and try new things too.
That sounds like such a dream! I have chickens too, and there's nothing like fresh eggs in the morning. I'm aiming to go an entire month next summer without buying any produce at all, so it’s great to hear it’s possible!
I've tried growing lettuce for a couple of months, but honestly, I had enough for just one small sandwich! It's tough to rely solely on homegrown food.
Haha, sounds about right! You grow what you can, right?
I can't say I've grown enough to skip grocery shopping completely, but I do keep fresh herbs on hand, and I love having peppers around.
I haven't reached that point yet, and honestly, I think we'd need a much bigger space for it to be possible. However, I do manage to grow a decent amount of tomatoes and peppers each year. They are great for summer meals!

I totally feel you on that one! It's a journey for sure!