Growing your own food

[Sofisintown]

Deer will totally destroy a garden in 1 night.
Rabbits stretch it out over a full season.
Mice and birds will nibble a little at each fruit.
Insects can destroy a crop from the inside.

Defensive measures protecting your crop take a lot of time and effort and expense - at least in rural Minnesota.

I do have some squirrels and raccoons that come by and grab a tomato and half eat it, but there are soooo many that it's enough for everyone.
I read somewhere that they eat them for the water content on dry days, so I leave out a water pan, and it seems that they leave the tomatoes alone. Mostly.

 

[Dingfelder]

Microgreens can do that for you. They are tremendous nutrition.

 

[jacqueg]

Terrible advice please disregard  Mites etc etc easily passed on by household plants and by anyone growing or transporting same.

Not giving advice, just recounting my personal experiences.

I assume that California ag inspectors know their jobs and would make me toss my houseplants if they were a danger. I did have one ask me once what they were planted in, and when I answered commercial potting soil, I got the nod.

Again, YMMV.

 

[Dingfelder]

Nah, they are cops on a sleep job, not experts.  

A gardener of any experience can tell you different.  Seriously, any experience at all.

I'm a certified master gardener.  I know, big deal.  But I did do the work and study and talk to and take the lectures of many people much more knowledgeable than I.  Knowledge is a real thing.  I'm just passing along what I was lucky enough to have passed along to me, for way less cost than it was worth, from likely way smarter and insanely way more experienced, well-read, scientific, and thoughtful folks than I am. YMMV.

 

[nature lover]

I don’t grow my own food anymore but I do grow my own penicillin on a hunk of cheese that fell behind the refrigerator.

 

[desert_sailing]

Nah, they are cops on a sleep job, not experts.  

Having been an Ag inspector for Wa. State for 12 years.. I may not be an "expert" but I reckon I am pretty darn close...and no..it is not a "sleep job" we typically lift several thousands of pounds a day working in variable and extreme weather conditions!

Ag inspectors are the thin green line in securing our nations food supply and keeping it safe from harmful pests. We also hold the industry accountable and ensure that YOU as consumer are getting what you pay for. A "sleeping" inspector could result in massive crop loss and devastate entire communities by allowing harmful pests to be shipped. A "sleeping" inspector would also result in your 5 pound bag of potatoes actually being 4 pounds of garbage.

There are quarantine zones all over the country regarding the transport of fruits and veggies and live plants. However it is rare at least in Wa. that any private vehicles are inspected..however if it is discovered that a private person brought infested ag products into a quarantine zone they couldbe in serious trouble with a hefty fine.

Our gov. just made such a mistake. He brought infested apples from an orchard on the west side over to the east side of the state violating the quarantine.
https://thecounter.org/washington-g...olates-apple-quarantine-spreads-maggots-fire/

The general public has absolutely no idea of the efforts that go into the raising of their foods... and clearly neither does our city slicker governor.

 

[vanbrat]

I have about 2000 pounds of apples to pick. Does that count? I tried to grow other veggies but the #$%& critters got them before they even sprouted. We pick about 200 pounds of pears and a 40 or so pounds of blackberries. I'm still working on the donuts, but I think the squirrels got the seeds.