After the recent economic crash in America, more and more people are starting home gardens. Home agriculture economics are a throwback to the old days when people didn’t have the conveniences of super markets full of endless food products. Therefore, there has been a significant increase in the interest of home gardening.
If you visit any garden center, they’ll tell you they’ve seen a spike in sales where vegetables and the supplies to grow them are concerned. People are trying to be self sustaining. The recent economic scare really hit home for most people in the country. As people lost their jobs and had to make the shrinking dollar last, food economics pointed to personal agriculture.
Not only were gardens on the rise, but more and more people were setting up urban chicken coops. The agricultural economics of chickens was three fold. The birds provided eggs for the owners, but they also gave people a revenue stream. Finally, the chicken waste can be converted to fertilizer if properly composted. Chickens also serve as natural pest control in gardens and yards as they eat the bugs that eat the plants.
Another factor that helped boost the economics of gardening was the desire for organic food. Many people believe that they’ll have better control over what they consume if they grow it themselves. The organic agriculture industry is definitely growing, but the products are considerably higher. Home gardens were the answer to high costs.
Finally, home agriculture is its own business. Along with the sale of eggs, successful gardeners sell their vegetables too. Farmers’ markets are popping up everywhere. They serve the economy as hubs for small business, as well as shopping alternatives for consumers. The produce is fresher and usually cheaper. Where no one is getting rich in the home agriculture economy, they’re certainly learning how to sustain.