Is growing your own food cheaper than buying it?

Sure is! Growing your own food is cost effective, fresher and you don’t even need a large plot to grow a lot. For example, one acre of land can produce as much as 42,000 pounds of strawberries, 25,400 pounds of potatoes, or 11,000 pounds of iceberg lettuce!¹ Another example of just how cost effective growing your own garden is, is one pound of organic tomatoes from Whole Foods costs as of July 2022 $5.99, but a package of organic, heirloom tomato seeds can yield multiple tomato plants over time, costs $3.99.¹ To put it into perspective: one tomato plant may equal 10 to 30 lbs of tomatoes.2 Each plant can grow multiple times leaving you with an abundance of food you can share with your neighbors, family or friends. :D

Buying all of the supplies you need to get started [such as seeds, soil & other items to help your garden grow] may be a bit more expensive upfront, but in the end you will have everything you need to grow a healthy, abundant garden that will produce bountiful harvests again and again.

You can always start small or buy vegetables that cost less, then opt to expand your garden and/or buy more expensive seeds like asparagus and strawberries when you choose. Either way, you can be so abundant with your fruits and veggies that you will be able to feed yourself, share your harvests, and save money!

You can also save your seeds which is a HUGE deal when it comes to saving money. It may seem like a hassle, but in the end it’s totally worth it! Learn more about saving seeds here!

Since so many of us are busy or traveling, we can’t always tend to a garden like we’d like to. In this case, it’s especially nice & convenient to have an indoor garden year round!

Hamama is the perfect introduction to indoor gardening as it’s fool-proof, low-maintenance, and yields super healthy, delicious and versatile microgreens! You might be thinking, “What about the cost?”

• $19 per month gets you organic + non-GMO 3 Seed Quilts delivered to your door.
• Each quilt will harvest about 3.5 ounces of greens.
• Thus, each shipment will give you about 10-11 ounces of the freshest microgreens for $19.
• If you equate that to dollars per pound it would be less than $30/lb of microgreens.
• Your homegrown microgreens will be fresher and have less overall waste, as well as a much smaller carbon footprint.
• You will have a plethora of varieties to choose from and new flavors popping up all year round.
• You can adjust how much you’d like to grow at one time depending on your consumption rate.
• You can buy in bulk to get even more savings! [For example, if you buy a year’s worth of greens, each Seed Quilt only costs about $4, which is half the cost of most store-bought offerings!

• More common microgreens might be sold at around $32/lb at a grocery store or farmer’s market. 
• That translates into $8 for each 4-ounce tray you grow. 
• You may not always be able to find organic or very fresh greens, or the varieties you’d like. 
• Not typically available year-round.  

The best way to store them is in a cool, dark place like your pantry! Mainly, just watch out for prolonged exposure to heat & humidity while storing, as that may slightly lessen the seed’s viability. If you are planning on storing your Seed Quilts for more than 6 months, we recommend you consider storing them in your refrigerator!

 While you are gardening for the summer and also have your Hamama microgreens growing, you can plant any of the extra seeds you have left over to add to it! This is a great way to add in extra veggies to your abundant garden! Check out our blog on Micro-Gardening for more tips!

Consider your garden a therapeutic, beautiful hobby that will give you the abundance of delicious veggies and fruit you deserve. It’s a great way to save, a great way to make the most of your yard or your indoor space and a great way to share with those around you!

Grow with Hamama today!

Sources:

1. 4hlnet. (2019, September 4). How much can one acre of land produce? 4. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://4hlnet.extension.org/how-much-can-one-acre-of-land-produce/#:~:text=As%20examples%20of%20potential%20production,11%2C000%20pounds%20of%20iceberg%20lettuce. 
2. How much can one acre of land produce? 4. (2019, September 4). Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0312/the-true-cost-of-growing-a-garden.aspx#:~:text=Growing%20your%20own%20food%20is,saving%20to%20the%20grocery%20budget. 
3. Stephens, John. “Total Gardener.” – Total Gardener, 19 Apr. 2022, https://totalgardener.com/microgreens-price-list/.