Balance sheet 2008

[Mrs Dobby]

Last year I did an ongoing balance shett post on here, (inspired by Nick the Grief), and after a comment a few weeks ago I thought I'd open another balance sheet thread, please feel free to post what your balance sheet looks like!

I know we dont all grow just to save money, but with the current rises in food prices, its another good reason (as well as the taste, freshness, provenance, exercise, redsucing food miles, reducing landfill etc), and one that I find inspirational!

So to start it off, here's our current balance sheet for 2008

Total costs so far this growing year
Rent (for 2 full plots and a half plot) #100
Seeds # 30
Seed Spuds # 20
Compost / Grow Bags # 20
Fertilizers etc # 20
Muck # 10
Total costs #200

Total Harvests
2 batches overwintered garlic (97 bulbs) =50 pounds sterling approx
Rasps 7lb =12 pounds sterling approx
Strawbs 5lb =10 pounds sterling approx
Courgettes x 15 =8 pounds sterling
Rhubarb 20lb = 40 pounds sterling
Cucumber 3 = 2 pounds
Chillies / peppers = 3 pounds
Spuds 40lb = 20 pounds
Onions = 35 pounds
Radish = 5 pounds
Mange Tout 5lb = 10 pounds
Broad Beans 5lb = 5 pounds
Lettuce x 6 = 4 pounds
Broccolli = 5 pounds
Cabbage = 3 pounds
Caulis = 2 pounds
Carrots = 3 pounds

Total Harvest so far 2008 252 pounds sterling!

So we're showing a profit of 52 pounds already, with sill the main cropping to start for the year! Not too bad at all!

[di]

Excellent!Something I'm far to disorganised myself to do but inspirational to see someone elses figures knowing that ours are prob similar~sometimes get concerned as to how much we spend on lottie but when you see the comparisons to what you'd be paying out for the fresh veg otherwise you see it easily overcompensates,cheers!

[lottie dolly]

I have not kept any writen records,for me it would spoil things,but we do recycle things to the lottie where ever we need to,the free,er the better,you just cannot compare the taste of home grown to the shops,and then there's the exercise,happiness at achieving,watching something grow from a little seed,with supprises around every corner,and no year ever the same,other wise we would have nothing to talk about,would we,but your thread certainly makes food for thought,lol,what have i just put

[Snadger]

Who's got a new keyboard? and hasn't figured out how to get the £ sign yet then Mrs D!

[Mrs Dobby]

Lol Snadger! Not a new keytboard, but had to reinstall everything a few months ago after a major system crash, and no matter what I do I cant get the keyboard set to english uk, its defaulted to english us! Bleedin annoying, even tho the control panel, word, outlook and all other programmes are set to uk english! Grrr!!!

[zazen999]

I love your balance sheet Mrs D.

[Snadger]

Lol Snadger! Not a new keytboard, but had to reinstall everything a few months ago after a major system crash, and no matter what I do I cant get the keyboard set to english uk, its defaulted to english us! Bleedin annoying, even tho the control panel, word, outlook and all other programmes are set to uk english! Grrr!!!

I aint no tekkie Mrs D but I went into start menu----control panel----regional language options (globe icon!) and twiddled in there. Managed to get mine working ok after plugging in a new usb keyboard! Worth a try!

[armadillo]

Having spent quite a lot as I started from less than scratch, it would probably come out as loss - if I didn't add extra value for the fact the homegrown is far superior to cheap supermarket produce. I'd say you could double the value of your crops, snadger, making a 'profit' of £304!

[SarzWix]

We worked out the other day, with what we've harvested of 'Anya' potatoes we've saved £10 with one tubful! They're currently £2 for a kilo in Sainsburys

[Kristen]

"after a major system crash, and no matter what I do I cant get the keyboard set to english uk, its defaulted to english us! "

Start : Settings : Control panel : Keyboard : [Input locales]

Default input language = English (UK)

Make sure its the Default in the "Installed services" below

I don't think its the Regional Options, but just in case:

Start : Settings : Control panel : Regional options

[General] :
Your locale = "English UK"
Language settings for the system = "Western Eurpose and United States" - and make sure that is the one set to Default (otherwise press [Set default ...]

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks Snadger and Kristen, have done the Regional Options, but no change as yet, the other one doesnt seem to have that option on my Control Panel : Keyboard Options, I'm running Windows XP!

Armadillo, our costs last year were a lot higher, about 550 pounds as we had tools, greenhouse glass n lots of other things to buy, but with a harvest of about 850 pounds worth, we still showed a 'profit'! The costings for the veg I'm using are for organic fresh from the supermarkets, but I know that they could be much more expensive, I'm just being conservative in my estimates!

[Alison]

Whilst you're obviously doing well, if you factored in labour costs then it wouldn't look so healthy! Just think of the hours you spend up there and multiply that by an hourly rate...... Mind you, you could offset that against gym membership but then again, if you drive there then you need to factor in petrol to get to and from the plot - not simple!!!!!

[BarleySugar]

On the other hand, if you count 'grow your own' as a hobby, there aren't that many that make a profit. Even if you produce saleable items, you have to find some one to buy. At least with veg you eat your own and don't have to find customers

[lottie dolly]

above anything else,we most likely eat more fruit and veg,and a bigger variety than we would,if we had to pay the going rate the shops charge,and we know how it's grown.

[rustylady]

I used to keep a log of produce harvested and cost of same produce in shops. It's amazing how much your home-grown produce would cost if bought at a supermarket. But then again, if we didn't grow our own we probably wouldn't be buying asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, new potatoes etc. I love growing my own and I may start another balance sheet just for the interest of it.