Will 2014 see an upsurge in home gardens?

Drought stricken California

With just about a month to go before the official start of spring, I'm trying to get a handle on what shape my raised bed gardens will take this year.

For sure, my 2014 garden efforts will focus almost exclusively on edible vegetables! I will be looking at anything that can supply me with food that runs close to a calorie per gram. Why? Because the continuing severe drought in Central California is going to drive the cost of produce through the roof as we enter the coming summer and fall months! According to an web article concerning the severity of

the drought there, Emily Atkin commented that, 'If what the tree rings say is true, California hasn’t been this dry in more than 500 years.' And, this trend looks like it will persist for years to come! Not only will the retail cost of produce be affected, but also look for increases in the cost of meat and milk! Ouch!

So, my plan this year will be to really give intensive gardening a go! Planned veggies will include potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, romaine and cherry tomatoes to name a few. Stay tuned for more!

April update: As I was afraid of, the news media is putting out stories about what sort of sticker shock shoppers can expect at their local grocery stores as many vegetables, some dairy and virtually all meats have risen dramatically in price!