Unemployed? Want to Provide? Try Micro-Farming

For two full years, I have been unemployed without benefit of government assistance. Only my wife holds a nine-to-five position, working for a university. I am aware of my responsibility as a male to provide for my family. In part, since I am sixty-two years of age, I provide by writing online for income. It does not suffice, however, and so I needed to find some way to provide by reducing costs of household operation. Here is my story. It may help you if you are in similar straits.

Unforeseen Occurrence

I was operator of a sewer plant when the standard of operation for the plant changed. I prepared for this, but two of the tests were given a tricky, subtle change. The two tests had different requirements, but when the changes were made, they weren't to two new numbers, but rather, a switching. I thought the two numbers were unchanged, and failed to make the adjustment. I was "encouraged" to resign. I received no unemployment compensation for the two years I've been out of work. I might add, that less than two years later, my employer "resigned."

Wondering What to Do

I needed some income, and decided to give online writing a chance, since I could find nothing by way of a "regular" job, despite being a degreed chemist. In this, I've had a measure of success-but not enough. Even though I will begin collecting social security, I realized it would be touch and go if I don't reduce costs somehow. It was then that I recalled an experience I had heard at a religious convention. A man I knew was in difficult financial circumstances, and decided to grow his own vegetables to reduce costs. It worked for him. It might work for me.

Not an Expert

I'm not an outdoor kind of guy. I was never into gardening. But I decided to give it a go. I realized some foods can be bought at grocery stores fairly cheaply. To grow such items would be a waste of my limited garden space and effort. I determined to grow crops that were fairly expensive, the family would eat, and that were not too difficult to deal with. I planted beets, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. I realized that, while organic gardening is a great thing, I needed to be practical, and use limited chemical fertilizers and pesticides until I develop my gardening know-how.

Every Dog Has His Day

I decided not to eat only the beets themselves, but the tops as greens. Cooked, they were delicious-better than spinach. Later I learned they are good in salads, as well. The squash overwhelmed me. In fact, I am yielding three or four squash per day as I write, in the 2nd week of August. I foresee weeks more harvesting of squash. There are still flowers being pollinated. Although I used Sevin® I did so sparingly, as "good bugs" are also destroyed by Sevin. I used it only twice at the beginning, when I saw one or two cucumber beetles. I have had no bug difficulty since those applications. Did I fail to mention I watered the beets and squash? We had a dry spell, and I could not afford to lose my vegetables. Pride begone!

What You Sow, This You Shall Also Reap

I intended to plant tomatoes, but accidentally forgot to water the seedlings and they died. I decided I would buy one beefsteak tomato plant and baby it by adding calcium to the soil, putting it deep into the ground, and fertilizing it with a fertilizer containing nitrates "nitrogen." I also planted one banana pepper, one bell pepper, one cucumber plant, and two rows of wax beans. I have swapped for some Yukon Gold potatoes with a close friend. It wasn't so much intended to be a swap as a showing of friendship, one to the other.

My Conclusions - What Will You Do?

What conclusions can I draw from my experience? I have bought less food, grown veggies that are not only healthier but tastier, with far more satisfaction than I would otherwise have done. Best of all I have saved money and have provided by the sweat of my own brow for the welfare of those I love-my family. Next year, I'm pulling out the plug. I'm going to garden on a much grander scale, even if my circumstances greatly improve.