Grow to use, or use to grow?

[1Bee]

I find myself wondering if we grow stuff because we want to eat it, or grow stuff because we love to grow it, and then have to find ways of using it.... (chilli thread, I'm looking at you ;-) )

I know I do both: I LOVE growing squashes, but wouldn't be bereft if I didn't have any to eat. Leeks, on the other hand, I use in cooking all year round and get grumpy if I have to buy them.

I don't grow potatoes for the return, if I'm honest, but because I love growing potato plants. But if my sprouts didn't crop I'd cry...

[ESBkevin]

Way back 4 years ago we only took on half a plot to see if we liked it (thats a lie, we knew we liked it). Later when the other applicant declined her half it was offered to us. So we took it on the pretence of it being clean, open and available. Meanwhile we double dug the first half to get rid of bind weed.
The intention was to use part B for large swaths of regularly eaten vegitables like Peas and potatos. In practice it has become the no dig half and has a bit of everything anyway. All the infrastructure is in the A part should we ever revert to a smaller plot as our age overtakes us.
I We like to grow what we eat, but find ourselves trying things we hadn't before. Kale, Celeriac, etc. Having settled into a decent growing routine I would say that most effort is in things we like to eat, but some is pure satisfaction given that certain groceries are very reasonably priced in the shops so the return on your time is poor. But thats not the point, our produce is fully organic and has no fuel miles (although gathering compostables burns a bit of oil)!
Also the time from picking to plate ensures the sweetest taste the likes of which the supermarkets can only dream of.
There is a certain satisfaction in lifting your own potatos and discovering how wonderful the earth smells, hard to put a price on that.

[Small pumpkin]

(chilli thread, I'm looking at you ;-) )

What ?
To be fair I do have 2 freezers full of chillies and I still had 2/3 of the tunnel to do a final harvest from. They will all get used or sold before next years crop is ready (I hope ).

Pumpkins & squash is both love growing and eating.

I think lemon grass is the only thing I grow because I like growing it. Don't actually use much of it. Everything else is like growing and eating.

[Bren In Pots]

Mines a hobby, its fascinating to grow something from seed that produces enough to eat for most days, plus freezers full of fruit/veg to last the winter. Then there's jars of chutneys and jams for my cupboards and prezzies. Thinking about it, its more of a lifestyle than a hobby now.

[Miss Mousetrousers]

There are some things I've grown that were more effort than they were worth, such as ordinary peas, sprouts and swedes, and we find our local supermarket uses locally-produced veg that are far better. We have had good success with beetroot, sugar snap peas, French beans, onions, leeks and potatoes, and have a lovely variety of strawberries that has a much superior taste than any shop-bought ones. There is something about going out to harvest them and, as said, digging a root of potatoes up and finding some more underneath is great!

[goosander]

I like sowing seeds and see what comes up. A lot of the food that we grow can be had in Aldi's and the taste has greatly improved.
So what I just like pottering about in a warm dry greenhouse instead of being out in the wind and the rain.

[bikermike]

any courgette after about number 5 becomes a bit of a duty...

My wife makes sarcastic comments once the beetroot mounts up...

[veggiechicken]

I like to try to grow any seeds that come my way and I don't lose sleep if they fail. There's always something to pick and eat and, more importantly, to keep me busy outdoors playing in the mud.
Basically, I grow for fun. The fun bit at the moment is picking drying bean pods and guessing what colour the beans are inside. Most of the labels were lost months ago and it really doesn't matter what they were. I'll either eat them, swap them (if I know), save them for next year or play with them, sorting them into colours.
Its the simple things.

[Penellype]

I've got to the point where I refuse to buy anything that I can grow myself. I agree that it becomes more of a lifestyle, and I'm lucky that my gardening fits in well with my job. I told my Mum a few weeks ago that I had a lull in the lettuces because some had bolted in the hot weather, and was genuinely surprised when she said "there are such things as shops, you know". I simply would never think of buying lettuce from a shop!

The challenge is having enough to eat through the tricky parts of the year (mainly April to July, and winter if the ground is frozen solid), but since I got the allotment I've also had problems with having too much of things, made worse by the fact that I will not throw away edible food that I have grown. The tomatoes are therefore giving me headaches, as I am still picking more each day than I can eat or process. Anyone who comes near me is likely to be offered a bagful.

[Greenleaves]

I grow rhubarb but cant stand the stuff....but it wouldnt be an allotment without it

[kitty12345]

For a mix of both, for the pleasure and enjoyment I get. Some things are definitely cheaper and easier to buy but I love my brassicas, courgettes, garlic, strawberries and beans. Even in a glut I'm happy! I then build up skills turning gluts into preserves, or freezing them.
Things I use to grow are beetroots (never know how to cook them as I never had them when young), broad beans give me indigestion but I like that they are the first things to crop in the year.
Some things I grow for fun are the ones which I historically haven't grown well like corn or something that I want to try like soft fruit.

[Penellype]

Things I use to grow are beetroots (never know how to cook them as I never had them when young)

Until recently beetroot simply meant something unpleasantly pickled in vinegar, and I avoided eating it and didn't grow it. Then, quite by chance, I went out for a meal and ordered scampi and chips with salad, which came with slices of fresh beetroot. I tasted it and was amazed that I liked it. However, I knew it had a reputation for taking ages to cook.

Having searched the internet for ideas I discovered that it can be cooked in the microwave. I cut mine into pieces a couple of inches across and cook 4 pieces at a time covered in water in an uncovered 1 pint glass pudding dish for 3-4 minutes. Its cooked when a knife goes in easily. You can either peel it before or after cooking. I eat it hot as a veg or slightly warm with salad, or cut it into thinner slices when cooked and fry them to make beetroot chips. You can also apparently roast them in the oven, but as I live on my own I don't usually do roasts.

I like the yellow variety Boldor, which I think has more flavour than Boltardy.

[kitty12345]

Until recently beetroot simply meant something unpleasantly pickled in vinegar, and I avoided eating it and didn't grow it. Then, quite by chance, I went out for a meal and ordered scampi and chips with salad, which came with slices of fresh beetroot. I tasted it and was amazed that I liked it. However, I knew it had a reputation for taking ages to cook.

Having searched the internet for ideas I discovered that it can be cooked in the microwave. I cut mine into pieces a couple of inches across and cook 4 pieces at a time covered in water in an uncovered 1 pint glass pudding dish for 3-4 minutes. Its cooked when a knife goes in easily. You can either peel it before or after cooking. I eat it hot as a veg or slightly warm with salad, or cut it into thinner slices when cooked and fry them to make beetroot chips. You can also apparently roast them in the oven, but as I live on my own I don't usually do roasts.

I like the yellow variety Boldor, which I think has more flavour than Boltardy.

Thanks penellype! I am going to try cutting them finely and frying them or in the oven with other veg. Don't have a microwave tho...

Time to get the beetroot out from the allotment

[Mark_Riga]

I cook beetroot unpeeled in a pressure cooker, about 20min when young - up to about 40min. now. My daughter wraps in foil and does in oven, again unpeeled but not sure of the timing. After cooking they peel easily.

I generally grow to eat and grow flowers for pleasure. This year have far too many squash and tomatoes, not enough onions and carrots.

[bramble]

I grow to eat and for the love of growing.
I can't imagine not bring able to grow things.
My garden is far too small for me to be self sufficient but I use everything in the garden.
Tomatoes because there is no shop bought ones that would compare. Likewise the potatoes.
Strawberries and Raspberries for deserts.
Gooseberries, plums and blackberries for jams and jellies.
Chillis for stir fries and to pickle of course.
Garlic and onions because I like to grow them.
A few cobs of corn for the sheer delight of eating them fresh from the plant.
Salads and herbs for just going out the back door and picking them fresh.
Flowers for the colour and perfume.
I could go on and on....life in the garden is a huge part of who I am.