This Year's Balance Sheet - 2010

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

I only counted the stuff I bought that year including seed. Any roll overs from the previous year will be factored in as you continue, year after year.

My main reason for doing this is to record the hopeful increase in productivity, year on year and see what gives the best yeilds for my conditions.

Good luck with it!

Dave

(Last years profit was £240- not bad from a bit of a front garden!)

[chris]

blimey. That's a good idea actually, hadn't thought of that. By the time next year comes, I guess I'll be needing more seed anyway. Thanks.

[gojiberry]

Am going to try and keep track of this years harvest as a monetary figure. Have just set up a simple spreadsheet. Already have one for expenditure which I have been keeping a track of for the last couple of years. Nearly all of last years crops are finished so will not include anything harvested from last year. So far this year we have had 800grms of rhubarb at £2.99 for 400gms,not a bad start. The fruit must give me the greatest income compared with basic veg.

Ian

[Aberdeenplotter]

There is a real danger arising from the posting of information about the value of food coming out of allotments as has been demonstrated in Birmingham where the council has quoted the NSALF figures as justification for raising plot rents by astronomical amounts. They seem to think that the benefits arise simply from having a plot and not from the investment in seeds, manures, pesticides etc and most importantly the hours of bloody hard work that goes in to producing the veg in the first place. If those employed by local authorities think it appropriate to tax a sector of the population because they have some thing from a local authority that allows them to reap some benefit, they would do well to think of levying a tax on their own salaries.

[TallGirl]

Not much danger of our plot balance giving justification for rising rents.

This is the third year we've had the plot, and it's been in negative numbers every year so far (not saying how much cos I'm embarrassed). In the first year I bought a shed, water butts, compost bins, seeds, tools... so that wasn't surprising. The second year's negative balance was much smaller despite it being a dreadful year. This year it's currently a bigger negative number, but we haven't harvested much yet except a few herbs, the last of the leeks, and some surprisingly profitable rhubarb. But the broad beans will be coming in soon, and this year we are (cross fingers) properly set for a courgette glut.

I use Google Spreadsheets so that DH and I can both "admire" and update it from work, at separate places. Each year I record whatever was bought or harvested in that calendar year, irrespective of when it was used or sown. We're comparing prices with where we would have bought the veg in town.

Blimey Mrs Dobby, I am well impressed.

[Two_Sheds]

balance sheet 2011 (approx prices)

Costs for 2011

Seeds - £4
Seed potatoes - £2 (I saved my own from last year)
Compost - £30
Allotment rent - £27
New seed trays - £10
gin - £80.91
sugar - £4.27
12 jars @ 25p - £3

Total spent = £159.12


Harvests 2011 (so far) (I've taken my prices from Tesco ordinary crops (not organic ones, not Finest)

Beetroot 3.6kg @ 90p: £3.24
Blackberries 4.7kg @ £7 : £32.90
Broad beans 3kg @ £4: £12.00
Cabbage 8 @ 59p : £4.72
Carrots 4.8kg @ 50p : £2.40
Courgettes 18.6kg @£1.80kg: £33.48
Cucumbers 15 @ 40p: £6.00
French beans 2.1kg @ £4 : £8.40
Lettuce 12 @ 50p: £6.00
Plums 3 @ 25p : 75p
Potatoes 10kg @ 75p : £7.50
Raspberries 9.5kg @ £6 : £57.60
Runners 1.35kg @ £5 : £6.75
Shelly beans 5.6kg @ £1.60 : £8.96
sloes 20lb @ £4.99lb (waitrose) : £99.80
Strawberries 2kg @ £5 : £10.00
Sweetcorn (on cob) 31 @ 50p : £15.50
Tomatoes 13.4kg @ £2.76: £36.98
Turnips 5 @ 75p : £3.75
12 litres sloe gin @ £24.80 : £297.60
17 jars of jelly @ 82p: £13.94

Total so far = £668.27
Profit : £509.15

.................................................. This is just for fun and is very approximate

[Alison]

That's a lot of gin and not much sugar! Although I do make an awful lot of jam, jellies and chutneys so get through a lot of sugar at this time of year and buy VERY cheap gin / vokda for drinks.

[Two_Sheds]

I ... buy VERY cheap gin / vokda for drinks.

I use Tesco basic gin and bought 9 bottles of it. Sugar I already had in the cupboard from last year

[Alison]

I use Tesco basic gin and bought 9 bottles of it. Sugar I already had in the cupboard from last year

Ah, let you off, the ratio didn't seem right without the stock you already had in

[Nigelsmith]

Great hobby and wish we had the plot next to you so they could help with the veg n flowers x

but as we took up beekeeping as a hobby (to help protect the honeybee that is facing problems in the uk and to increase our range of organic activities on the plots), then thats fine by us all! We arent beekeeping for profit, its a hobby not a business after all!

[Nigelsmith]

Shed £279 Greenhouse £299 veg £10 but this is my first allotment so going to cost a little to begin with I guess however there is another thing I personally would factor into the costs and thats garden mags per year and also the saving of whilst your down the allotment your not at the pub supping pints