Do you grow things purposely for the neighbors?

[ninnymary]

Once the garden is producing, I usually give a small bag of "goodies" once a week to the owner of the gym and 2 of the trainers there. I take a program that has a high extra monthly fee which I can't afford. The owner lets me take it at no charge. I've been there several years and prior to taking this program, I had already started taking him things/veggies. I only take group classes from the 2 trainers but I'm always picking their brains for advise. One of them loves sungolds so I plant them just for her. I've also planted raspberries and blueberries for them and us because I know they also love berries. These people motivate and encourage me so much and I'm healthier because of them so I love giving them organic homegrown veggies. Their faces "glow" when I give them stuff!

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

I grow more than I need to give to those that don't. But I grow nothing that I don't like/eat unless someone else in my family asks for it. I grew some arugula my wife had to have last year. One taste and she never touched it again and the chickens wouldn't even touch it.

 

[hoodat]

I did that with roquette. No one wanted it and even my rabbits didn't like it. It makes a good green manure crop though.

 

[digitS']

Just to make sure everyone else knows: roquette and arugula are the same vegetable.



Well, I don't know what the chickens think about it but I don't care for it at all. It is related to radish but, I'd really rather eat radish greens in my salad . . . not that I want to eat raw radish greens .

Steve

 

[Southern Gardener]

I always share with my mom and dad of course. Dad comes over and checks on the corn and tomatoes eagerly awaiting the first ripe tomato. I also share with my sisters and my co-workers.

 

[hoodat]

Just to make sure everyone else knows: roquette and arugula are the same vegetable.



Well, I don't know what the chickens think about it but I don't care for it at all. It is related to radish but, I'd really rather eat radish greens in my salad . . . not that I want to eat raw radish greens .

Steve

I didn't know that. The roquette type has a mild mustard flavor with a musky overtone (that's the part I didn't like) whereas the ones you buy at the store under the name arugula are more bitter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The ones at the store are not as fresh. Is this a difference? Though I would not be too surprised to find there are different varieties of this stuff, whatever we call it.

My personal thoughts on "rocket" mirror the guys. I have not seen any women weighing in on the flavor? I find it too strong to be enjoyable, but my wife really wants some. So when I prepare the salad, I pick and prepare a really small amount of this stuff and mix it in. She's happy and I don't notice it so much when it is thinned out like that.

Another thing I'm not crazy about it is that it takes over a bed of mesclun. It grows faster and bigger than anything else in there. Even if I preferred it, I'd really have to thin it out to keep it from taking over. Just one or two plants makes plenty for us.

My chickens will eat it, but they generally eat other things first when they have a choice. I think they also prefer radish greens.

 

[seedcorn]

I'm sure soil makes a huge difference as on my sand, it was bitter and very peppery. Luckily it only took up a very small space. Food network is always talking about it like it's great. I really think some of those people have no idea what "good food" is sometimes.

 

[skeeter9]

I share whatever I can with neighbors, friends, and the Life Skills classes at the high school where I work. Those students especially like the farm-fresh eggs and get grumpy when my girls aren't laying enough! This year is so weird that it's hard to predict how the garden will do, but I'm hoping to plant more and share more. Like others, I usually have plenty of herbs - basil, rosemary, and thyme - growing, so my neighbors can come and harvest whatever they want.

 

[April Manier]

I did that with roquette. No one wanted it and even my rabbits didn't like it. It makes a good green manure crop though.

Oh no! I love roquette!

We have soo much I am constantly begging friends to get the surplus. Neighbors are farmers and they grow more than we do.

Our surplus goes to a local community and the food banks.