More people planting vegetables, herbs to save money

The Birt family eats a lot of vegetables. And the vegetarian family of six from Whitesboro spends a good chunk of their grocery bill on produce.

To combat rising food costs, the Birts last year decided to grow a vegetables garden, and the family is continuing its garden this year. With everything planted, they are waiting to see what it will yield.

“We have tomatoes, peppers, beets, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini and lots of herbs, like parsley and basil,” Lori Birt said. “Hopefully, it will cut our grocery bill some.”

Growing fruit and vegetables at home has increased over the last few years for many reasons, including the poor economy, increased food prices, a desire to buy local and eat healthier.

Vegetables gardening has increased almost 15 percent nationwide, from 27 million households in 2008 to 31 million in 2011, said Bruce Butterfield, research director for the National Gardening Association in Burlington, Vt. Local numbers were not available.

The trend is expected to continue this summer as many local garden centers are seeing sales increase.

It’s a sign of the times, said David Kiner, executive director of the Business and Economics Department at Utica College.

“There’s no question that having your own garden slashes your food bill,” he said. “You also eat healthier.”

In fact, spending about $70 per year to plant and care for a garden of vegetables will save an average household around $600 per year normally spent on produce at the grocery store, according to a National Garden Association survey

Going organic

Over the last decade, there has been a movement to grow organic, support local growers and eat healthier, Kiner said. This summer, people are taking that to the next level.

Gas prices are a main factor in rising food costs as it becomes more expensive to transport products from the field to the store.

Costs continue to rise and, unfortunately, most people are seeing their paychecks stay the same, Kiner said.

“Things are very difficult for people,” he said. “I think everyone over the last four to five years keeps thinking it’s going to get better, and it doesn’t. People are looking for any way possible to save money.”

Nationally, Home Depot has seen seed packet, vegetables and herb sales increase to double digits each year for the past five years, said Jen King, company senior public relations manager.

The store in Utica also has seen an increase in sales of fruit trees, raised gardens and composts on top of seed and plant sales, Manager Lance Buckingham said.

“It’s been trending up for the last two years,” he said.

Lowe’s in Utica also has seen an increase, said Roger Roberts, the store’s live nursery specialist. Sales have been up for the past few years, but this year they’re higher, he said.

“The big push is herbs this year,” he said.

Herbs can be expensive at the grocery store and not as fresh, Butterfield said. As people start to grow and prepare their own produce, they are looking for the whole package and are growing their own herbs.

The number of households with herb gardens rose from 14 million in 2008 to 18 million in 2011, Butterfield said.

Getting more for your green

Steve Adamkowski, owner of Freedom Farm Market in Vernon and president of the Mohawk Valley Growers Association, said he’s seen quite a lot of business this year.

“More people are out and the sales are ahead of last year,” he said. “I’m looking at being up about 20 to 25 percent from this time last year.”

Saving money is not the only reason people are starting gardens.

People are staying home instead of going on trips due to increased cost of living and gas prices, Adamkowski said. Gardening provides them a pastime that’s healthy and easy on the wallet.

It’s also great therapy and a positive outlet, Kiner said.

For the Birts, gardening has become family bonding time.

“It’s nice to grow your own vegetables. It’s nice to have the kids see where their food comes from,” Lori Birt said. “It’s more convenient to go to the backyard and pick something.”

Grow your own fruit and vegetables with Bill & Sheila

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