Paradigm shift

photo from wikimedia commons

I have had to make a paradigm shift about gardening. In purely economic terms, I'm producing cucumbers at a loss. The cheapskate in me argues that gardening is a poor use of resources and time. 




Certainly, A packet of bean seeds pays for itself many times over by the end of the harvest. However, when I add to my production costs by spending $20.00 on wire fencing to create tomato cages, or buy $20.00 worth of stakes to hold up the burgeoning plants my cost per unit goes up, and my "profit" goes down. 


That's why the COO, CEO, and CFO of Glover Gardens declared a paradigm shift at the last board meeting. Our vision statement no longer states that we are  saving money, but that the garden is not-for-profit endeavor--a hobby. And we all know that hobbies cost money. My twenty quarts of frozen tomatoes are still cheaper than green fees, scrapbooking paraphernalia, or cruises.  

 The mental gymnastics mean I don't have to factor in the capital expenses  for building the $125.00 raised bed, (labor included) in my bottom line. I don't have to justify the expense with complicated depreciation formulas to reduce the cost per pound of chard.

http://accountingexplained.com/

Expenses are warranted as part of the price tag to stay physically fit, expand the sense of well-being, and enjoy the fresh flavor of a beet only hours after harvest.

It's like cost-benefit analysis, joy being an intangible but huge benefit. 


(All errors in using economic terms are entirely my own. It's creative license.)