You know that my primary horticultural interest is in veg-growing, and because of this I have recently been searching around to find a few more like-minded veg-bloggers with whom to interact, but to be honest I haven't found many. Don't get me wrong; it's not that I dislike flowers, or that I consider them too girlie. It's just that I prefer growing edible things. It would be nice therefore to have some meaningful conversations with other people who grow veg. Do you have any recommendations for me?
On a related theme... I have observed that many blogs don't last very long. The blogger starts off in a fit of enthusiasm and writes once or twice a week for maybe 3 or 4 months, and then the posts become thinner and rarer, and then fizzle out altogether. I have seen this happen several times with bloggers who I thought would be "stayers", only to be disappointed again. Having said that of course, many of my favourite bloggers have been blogging for years and years! Maybe that's the point - once you get past a certain point, blogging becomes part of your life and ceasing it is no longer an option? So anyway, whilst I am really happy to keep on corresponding with my well-established blogging friends, I am also looking to broaden my horizons during 2015. This is why I want you to recommend to me your favourite vegetable-garden bloggers...
Oh, and to prove that I don't JUST do veg...
I think you already read the veg growing blogs I do. Perhaps the lack of new allotment or veg growing blogs is down to the fact that it isn't as fashionable now as it was a few years ago. I was on a fairly long waiting list when I applied for an allotment but there's no waiting list at all now, everyone who was was on the list has now got their own plot to tend. Many people took on allotments at the height of the craze just to realise what hard work it is and promptly gave them up, giving up the blogs they were writing about them too. I read a number of blogs which are about veg growing but also have other things thrown in too, crafting or family life etc.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, I think ALL of the veggie gardening blogs I read are written by men. As a woman gardener, I hadn't noticed! Interesting. My gardening is just part of my homesteading efforts, as I also milk a herd of goats, tend to chickens, can and dehydrate what I grow, and take care of a family and our home. Could it be that women in my position don't sit down long enough to blog? LOL Just kidding! Have a great day...
ReplyDeleteA veg gardening blog that I just recently found is Our Happy Acres. Yes, it is written by a man - in Indiana (near the center of the US). Just put his blog name in lower case letters and add dot com, preceded by www. I think you will enjoy his blog.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful 2015 garden!
Lea
I ended up having to give up the allotment so don't have too much to blog about. Also not been very well the last year. I still grow in the garden but it's all put to bed over winter.
ReplyDeleteAs you already know, I have a vegetable garden and a flower garden as well. I do enjoy growing my own food. But, I do have more posts about flowers than these about the vegetables.
ReplyDeleteHere are some veg-gardening blogs http://therustedgarden.blogspot.com/ , http://yearroundveggiegardener.blogspot.com/, http://carletongarden.blogspot.com/, http://inmykitchengarden.blogspot.com/
Lea mentioned Dave from Our Happy Acres. He has always been one of my favorites. And he has been around a long time and consistently posts. Thomas from Seeding a Good Life is good too when he writes, but he has come and gone and come again, but hasn't posted since September. I hope he starts up in the fall again. I ought to have a side bar with links to the blogs I read, but I find I have trouble keeping up with it. As you mentioned people come and go. I thought Laura would be around forever, but she left. In fact over the last couple of years a lot of good friends left. It makes me so sad. One of my favorite new bloggers isn't a guy. It is Margaret from Homegrown - Adventures in my Garden. I hope she sticks around a while.
ReplyDeleteAnd as to male/female ratio, in my personal life I find a slight leaning toward the gals. But it is pretty even. But I don't know any friends that are just into ornamentals. If they grow anything at all, they also grow vegetables. I think the bloggers I follow tip toward the women quite a bit. But the funny thing is that because of that if I find a new blog, I assume female unless they have something on their blog that lets me know otherwise (I love sidebar photos if just for that reason). Often people don't use their names like we do, so gender can be ambiguous.
I'm glad you put out the call for more blogs! I'm looking forward to seeing all of the recommendations. One of my favorites is http://www.nwedible.com/. Erica is the blogger there and she has 1/3 acre yard in a suburban area of the Northwest United States.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the gender split issue, a number of the vegetable gardening blogs I follow are written by women, but then, I don't follow many blogs that don't focus on vegetable gardens. It is true though that a number of fine bloggers have disappeared. I always find it disconcerting when a blog suddenly stops, if I've read them a while I feel something of a connection, especially if we've traded comments. I think most ex-bloggers found the task too onerous or never found their blogging "voice".
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like there are fewer committed veggie garden bloggers around at the moment. I hope that changes, I really enjoy reading about vegetable gardens around the world and in different climates. There's always something interesting to learn, even from gardeners in different climates, a lot of the challenges we face are similar. And I particularly like blogs that are more personal expressions of a gardeners experiences, successes and failures alike, we certainly have a lot to learn from each others failures. I tend to find "how to" blogs to be a bit boring - I want to know how YOU do it, but there's always more than one way to do it, whatever it is.
Anyway, it's an interesting topic you've raised here and I hope it brings some new blogs to light!
As a none digger I liked your comment about brute force and ignorance being a reason to dig!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Mark that writing blogs becomes totally addictive!
I think the ladies have been a breath of fresh air to many allotment communities and some of their ideas shake things up a bit
We tend to both be interested in growing food (for eating not showing) and growing flowers and both blog. I don;' think either of us are disciplined enough to just blog about one thing e.g. vegetables though as we are interested in other things too.
ReplyDeleteWe also have lots of female gardeners on our allotment site. I think Jo is right that the bubble is deflating as vegetable gardening involves making a consistent commitment and hard work. Just as Bloggers come and go so do new plot holders on our site. In a way the two mimic one another.
It will be interesting to see your recommendations,
This is a fascinating post (the comments, too!). My personal experience also leans more heavily towards more female edible garden bloggers - perhaps it is a geographical/regional thing? Or perhaps because those are simply the garden voices that resonate with me (which makes most sense as I am a female who grows mostly edibles myself)?
ReplyDeleteI feel like there are not necessarily fewer edible gardening blogs these days, but that the content is becoming less diverse. I’ve noticed there are a lot of blogs that pop up with mostly static content (basic gardening info, how-to posts, etc.) without adding much of their own voice, story, or style as a gardener/writer, or sharing much of their actual in-the-garden experiences. I know it's a tough balance to achieve - I get asked by readers all the time to post about how to do this or that, and I often struggle myself with how to keep those types of posts consistent with my style and voice. But I think the ability to do just that and do it well is what gives certain blogs staying power, while others kind of fizzle out. I would imagine it would be difficult to keep up a pace of producing content that is not of deep personal significance.
As for some good blogs that focus heavily on vegetable gardening: Seattle Seedling, NW Edible Life, Garden Betty, and Chiot’s Run have been on my reading list for a long time and rarely disappoint.
Thanks for the food for thought on a cold, snowy day!
As you know I love the veg side of gardening but find it hard to keep up the enthusiasm for blogging about it - I feel as though I am just going over the same old stuff all the time. Surely there must be plenty of bloggers on Uk Veg Gardeners. One blog I really enjoy is - oh darn I can't remember - I'll come back to you on that one. I think the trouble is that men who blog on the subject are very practical in their content, and women are, generally, more abstract not necessarily getting down to the nitty gritty as such. Not sure what I am actually trying to say here. Have you tried Gary Pilarchik's blog. I have also noticed that a good many blogs I used to follow have disappeared - no staying power! Also blogging is difficult to maintain over winter when there isn't a .ot going on.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same a bit as Elaine. While I love veggie gardening, it seems after a bit I did start repeating myself. I don't feel comfortable with year after year posting pictures of what amounts to the same thing. It might be a great way to document what is happening in the garden but as interesting to read? I don't think so.
DeleteI remembered the name of that blog The Garden Deli - although you probably already follow it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elaine. I have had a look at that one (last post 8th Dec, I note...)
DeleteInteresting post! Funnily enough, I'm the opposite in that yours is the only male veggie blog I've started reading.
ReplyDeleteI had a break from blogging over winter last year, I didn't have much inspiration about what to write about and had problems with a camera. I started up again and also discovered Harvest Monday on Daphne's Dandelions (via Sue Garrett) which gave me a reason to write regularly :) it's great reading what everyone's picking and hope I write something interesting every now and again. I'd like to include more pictures of my plot but still have problems with getting photos, so take most of my pics of harvests at home on the iPad. I love seeing other people's photos though!
I meant to add that Matron's blog http://veggies-only.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/success-in-2014.html is a good read with nice pics (I think you already know about all the other blogs I read). I'm now reflecting on the fact that I mainly read blogs written by women, I hadn't really thought of it before and haven't done it consciously! I must also update my 'blogs I read' section too.
DeleteInteresting post, I've never really thought of the gender behind the type of bloggers out there. Both my father & grandfather were mainly flower growers though having a family during the second world war my grandfather had a veg plot & kept chickens. Funnily enough in real life away from blogland most of the gardeners I know are male.
ReplyDeleteHi I am a blogger who grows organic fruit and veg and i love every minute of it . Sadly though nobody seems to be interested in my blog, which proves fruit and veg growing is possibly boring compared to growing flowers.
ReplyDeleteLove reading your posts....xx
Hi in my village I know of four women who are veg growers only including me, I don't do flowers, that's my husbands job thank goodness, love your blog
ReplyDeleteWow. You stirred up the discussion. Yours and Dave's Our Happy Acres http://www.ourhappyacres.com are the male blogs I follow on veg gardening. I also follow Two Men and a Little Farm http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com but their blog is more about everything which is an interesting change from a single topic. They are just beginning their veg garden at the farm in Texas a far cry from where you are. The other male blogger I read is Stewart http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com but it has nothing to do with gardening and its from Australia.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about bloggers who start out doing so well and then stop. What happens? Writer's block? Change in circumstances? Sometimes there is no explanation at all and you wonder if they died. Now the one who did die was Granny but then at least we all knew because her daughter posted about it.
Me? I have news of my veg and flower gardens and a bunch of other stuff of life.
Keep blogging. I enjoy reading your posts even if I don't always comment.
Oh, that is so nice of you to say Daphne! I definitely plan to stick around for a LONG while - I'm loving the blogosphere, both writing and reading. I've been a vegetable gardening "nut" for so many years - even when I didn't have a garden. But sadly, I don't know one single person that is as crazy about it as I am. Blogging has become a wonderful outlet for my obsession. My only regret is that I didn't find out about it sooner! Believe it or not, I actually didn't discover gardening blogs until about 2 years ago - I know, I must have been living under a rock! What a revelation to find others that loved vegetable gardening as much as I did! I was hooked instantly.
ReplyDeleteI too had not really thought of the gender distinction but think that most of the blogs I follow are written by women, although there are quite a few men too - like you! When I first discovered veg blogs and tried to find more, I had a tough go of it - like you said Mark, most gardening blogs focus on ornamentals. I'm sure you already know most of my favourites as many of them post on Harvest Monday at Daphne's Dandelions...in fact, I found Harvest Monday to be the best resource for finding out about other veg. gardening blogs. And every week there seems to be one or two different faces, so it's worth checking them out.
Thank you everyone for responding so enthusiastically to my questions / observations. Blogging may have become less popular in certain circles, but My Goodness, it is alive and well in others! Looking forward to discussing my favourite subject with many of you - including some brand-new contacts. :)
ReplyDeleteHello Mark, i spent some minute to read this post. I feel a part of your potential "lost friends" but.... I'll spent all my energies to continue to keep alive my blog with the same passion that you mention. Because write a post or make a photo and put it online, as you say, is something normal if you feel in deep a blogger!
ReplyDeleteKeep in touch with new year and good luck with the choice of new chillies!
Hi Enrico; No, you are not a "Lost Blogger"! You are very much alive. And I know that you have many responsibilities at work that mean you cannot devote a huge amount of time to gardening and blogging.
DeleteVegetable garden blogger here. Although I like flowers, I would rather dedicate my growing space to edibles. The majority of the blogs I follow are vegetable garden related as well. Some of my favorites not in our circle are Laurie at Common Sense Homesteading, Jill at The Prairie Homestead, Angie at SchneiderPeeps, and so many others at the Homestead Bloggers Network. Yes, many of my favorites are women but I also read Our Happy Acres, Our Stoney Acres, Survival at Home, and Gentleman Homestead. All men :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for these suggestions. I know a couple, but I'll check out the others too.
DeleteHi Mark, Did you get my comments on this posts - I sent them via ipad and think they went to your comments moderation system - I would be interested to know if you didn't receive them. Liz
ReplyDeleteHi Liz; No, I have not seen any comments from you. The Comment Moderation system just puts comments on older posts into a Pending area, where I look at them and decide what to do, but I get very few of those, and I haven't seen any from you. I have also looked through my Spam folder (lots here!) but again there doesn't seem to be anything from you. Tell me again what you were going to say, please!
DeleteI don't think the iPad liked the Captcha bit, I don't remember having to put it in and I know I have commenting on your posts since. From memory I mentioned that most Aussie kitchen gardening bloggers seem to be women. Not sure what that does to your theory or what it says about both Aussie men and women? I also recommended a few blogs that other people have also mentioned - Garden Deli, Our Happy Acres, From Seed to Table, Diary of a Tomato and Beks Backyard. The first is UK, the rest are US except for Bek who is also from Melbourne. I reckon you're probably familiar with all of them though. Finally as someone who has been pretty sporadic in my posting for the past year I think the reasons why blogs get neglected are varied. For me my quiet times have been due to a combination of work pressures (ie simply no time to post), a lack of inspiration (nothing to post about) and also the guilt associated with posting but not having time to read other people's blogs. It kind of feels rude to post but not comment elsewhere, like you have no time for your friends anymore.
DeleteI've been interested to read all the comments and see what blogs are recommended. I don't blog much about veg growing in the winter because there's less going on, in fact I haven't been down to the allotment for quite a while now because of the weather. But like you I'm mostly interested in growing edibles. I added a few flowers in last year for the bees, but most of my energy is directed towards food. I follow quite a few veg gardening blogs, but lots of them are very quiet in the winter too. No doubt you've seen Caro's "Urban Veg Patch", that is a favourite of mine (urbanvegpatch.blogspot.co.uk).
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, You know my blog started of because of my allotment, but things have happened since that I eased off growing and my blog slowed down and has come back mainly with vegetable recipes. I am hoping to get back into growing now properly, and its primarily about vegetables, what I grow and what I cook with the veg, the only flowers that appear on my blog are edible ones! I haven't been following many growing blogs, yours and a handful so haven;t been aware so much of flower blogs really, but I can tel you one thing. I started watching The new allotment show on at Friday, I wish the flower challenge was last as its the one part of the show that I am interested in. Anyway, have been reading the comments above with interest - interesting.
ReplyDeleteJust another female vegetable blogger! I grow flowers too and blog about them from time to time. I used to be a vegetable only gardener but my sons converted me to flowers when they were little. We used to fight over space for vegetables or flowers. Now they are nearly grown up but the flowers have stayed.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.realmensow.co.uk/ - another man, now you come to mention it. Love the blog. Love the fact that there's always something new.
ReplyDeleteYep, I know that blog - Jono Stevens' one. Glad you like mine too. My posts may not be hugely significant individually, but as you say, I do post frequently!
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