Gardening with an Elephant

Gardening with an Elephant  a new book by Randall O'Beary  takes a close look at different gardening systems,  gadgets, and the many challenges faced by even the most determined food plot growers.   Using the experiences of Blu Bears Garden, a 43,000 square foot "market garden" in northwest Ohio,  Randall chronicle's his step by step approach to grow as much produce for food banks and meal programs with the smallest of budgets and the greatest desire to help as many families in need as possible. 

   Quality fresh produce has become so expensive, that many people on limited budgets have been forced to almost completely illuminate it from their diets.  And, rural and small town America is vastly under served by the large "name brand" food bank systems.  In light of the recent multi-billion dollar slash in food assistance programs by the newly passed farm bill, the plight of many will soon be realized.  Unfortunately, the elderly, disabled, and underpaid working families will suffer the most.  The challenge is to perfect a growing program that can be easily duplicated.  Whether  your goal is to grow a few plants to  improve the diet of your own family, or grow extra food to share with others, Gardening with a Elephant tries to help you accomplish this without breaking your back or your bank account. 

  Hopefully the book will be available electronically in the near future.   I do plan on posting chapters as time allows, on this web site.  But, if you go to OLDER POSTS, you will see much of the foundation of the book from a stuffed bears point of view.  Its' really much like eating an elephant...one bite at a time.  And, if you can't fit it in your trunk, you really don't need to buy it!

Your Pal Blu Bear

Gardening with an Elephant

Circle filled with peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, & compost

So much for square foot gardening!  The bears have perfected a different raised bed system that doesn't use a raised bed.  It also doesn't require a rototiller, a tractor, or anything else that wont fit in the trunk of a car.   There is one MAJOR DRAW BACK... if you want to grow row crops such as peas, corn, radishes or carrots, you will need a rototiller, and possibly a seeding machine.   When you look at the costs for such equipment vs. the $$ value of the crops you produce, the pay back is hard to justify.   Just try to imagine how many pounds of produce you would have to grow to make such an investment a smart choice.  However,  if many different gardens shared the equipment, then it could pay off, instead of spending most of its time gathering dust.  Locally, just to rent a tiller for a day is $75.00!!!  And, a row seeder isn't available.  But, veggies such as tomatoes, peppers,  and squash are grown on plants that produce many pounds of food from one fixed root.  Just look at the huge variety of plants available at any garden center.  Now, if you grew the same high value plants from seed, you have the best return on your money and effort.   This garden can be as big as your heart desires.  But, you will need a shovel, a hoe, and a lot of determination. 

And, unlike every expensive system that we've tried, looked at, or reviewed, it doesn't need much in the way of money to make it grow.   Just think of gardening like this:  "HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT???"   One bite at a time.