Saving crop by crop
A family of five are saving over R2 000 a month since starting a veggie garden and growing their own fruit trees.
Benoni Agricultural Holdings resident Alma Lowrie said her family would not have been able to eat as much healthy food as usual after her husband, Jonathan, lost his job.
“It costs a lot because most people don’t earn that wage a week,” she said.
“It is difficult to try to sustain that good eating on a small salary.”
This compelled her to start a vegetable garden and to plant fruit trees.
The family spent anything from R700 to R800 a week on fruit and vegetables.
Two years later, they now purchase approximately R100 to R200 worth of fruit and vegetables a week.
She grows everything, from peas, beans and pumpkins to tomatoes – even walnuts.
What she does not grow, she buys.
Lowrie realised that there are a lot of vegetables that can be planted that do not require a lot of effort or space to grow.
“When you have five mouths to feed and you do not have that income, it becomes a reality and you do it,” she added.
“You don’t need fancy implements; all you need are your hands, water and good soil.”
She said people who do not live on plots can also have a successful vegetable garden.
Lowrie said you need to decide on the area in your garden you would like to utilise (ensuring there is enough sun) and how much you would like to grow.
“Start it, even if you can afford to buy vegetables in shops, because you could start a community project,” she advised.
She has given her excess produce to her gardener, friends and family.
“There is nothing like walking to your garden and grabbing a head of lettuce and making your salad with that,” said Lowrie.
According to a statistical report on the consumer price index for December 2015, released by Statistics South Africa, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased from 0,7 of a percentage point in November (4,8 per cent year-on-year) to 0,9 of a percentage point in December (5,9 per cent year-on-year).
The report said food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed 0,1 of a percentage point in December.
The index increased by 0,6 per cent month-on-month.
The items with the highest monthly rates were fruit (5,5 per cent) and vegetables (3,9 per cent).
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