Jim Perkins grows fruit and vegetables on the spare land of his duplex. Jim Perkins
Some people are growing their own fruit and vegetables in order to cut their food costs.
Insider spoke to three people who were trying to reduce their reliance on supermarkets by growing their own produce.
'It was a no-brainer to start growing food'
Steven DeGracia from Manhattan in New York City is a self-taught herbalist who has been growing his own food for almost a year.
He said it was a no-brainer to start growing food after enjoying growing plants. I wanted to avoid relying on supermarkets because their produce isn't very fresh.
A variety of fruits and vegetables have been grown by Jim Perkins. Jim Perkins is a friend of mine.
The initial start up was a bit costly but he has since saved money. It only takes an hour to set up his 2.5 square foot grow area. The cost of electricity for him is just $4 a month.
He said that all the vitamins and minerals cost him about 70 dollars but will last two years. It's not possible to use a dry nutrients base and use it alone.
'The kids will always go for the apples and cucumber'
Andrew James from Lancaster in northern England started producing food during lockdown and documenting his progress on YouTube. After two months he got an allotment, or plot of land in a community garden, five minutes walk away from his home where he cultivates courgettes, aubergines, and peppers. The goal was to also reduce his reliance on supermarkets and save money so he started growing things his family could eat. "There's a treat cupboard as well, but the kids will always go for the apples and cucumber."
Steven was able to set up an area to grow food. The man is Steven DeGracia.
James, 37, saves about £40 ($48.70) a week by growing his own food. He still buys some produce in the winter but is able to eat most of the produce grown in spring and summer.The chef can grow 10 kilograms of potatoes and up to 3 kilograms of tomatoes and they last his family for about two months. He spends an hour after work maintaining the allotment, which James says has helped his mental health. It costs £37 ($45) a year for the allotment plot and water. "It's basically the same amount of a week's worth of fruit and vegetables for a year's growth."
Andrew James grows food for his family and saves a lot of money. A man named Andrew James.
'A homegrown tomato is a little slice of heaven'
Jim Perkins from Los Angeles was inspired to make his urban lifestyle more sustainable after seeing the film "An Inconvenient Truth". The 64-year-old has been growing produce most of his life but more consistently in recent years. Perkins used to shop at Ralph's, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. For him, making the switch was about embracing "permaculture".
He likes the taste of a tomato, it's so juicy and delicious. Tomatoes in the store taste like paper.
Perkins said his tomatoes are ready to eat. Jim Perkins is a friend of mine.
It can take a long time to eat the fruit of your labor. Perkins said it was an ongoing commitment of time. It took me less than an hour to sow the seeds. Tomatoes can be picked in about 10 to 12 weeks. Plants produce a yield within 90 to 100 days of being planted.
He grows heirloom tomatoes, green beans, Japanese squash, lettuce, cucumbers and watermelon.
