Agustin Podesta

I don’t think you’re overthinking it. Soil is one of those things that’s easy to take for granted until you realize it has a history. I’d rather spend extra time understanding what’s in it than spend years growing food in something questionable. At the same time, I try not to let perfection stop me from gardening. Raised beds with clean soil seem like a reasonable middle ground while learning more about the site.

I would probably focus less on maximizing calories and more on building the habit of growing something every day. A few tomatoes, herbs, greens and beans can change how people think about food. Once you harvest your first meal, it’s hard not to want to expand the garden the following year.

I think it depends more on lifestyle than calories. If someone snacks on fresh fruit every day, makes jam, dries slices for winter and shares extras with neighbors, the number climbs quickly. On the other hand, if fruit is just an occasional dessert, a surprisingly small orchard could be enough. I’d also rather have a wider variety than ten trees of the same thing. Walking outside and having something different to pick each month feels like a luxury.

Hey there!

Talking with some friends, I’ve noticed how many people are missing real community and face-to-face connection. And one thing that seems to genuinely bring people together is gardening! Some folks have extra yard space they barely use, while others would love to grow food but live in apartments or don’t have land.

That's why I started a project that matches these two parties  It's free. You fill out a short form, I personally review your profile, and when there's a match nearby, I make the introduction. You work out your own arrangement from there: harvest sharing, work trade, whatever makes sense.

If you know someone who's been looking for a garden plot or has unused land, point them to:

https://sowmate.earth/browse.html