I was buying some second hand furniture and they just had a box of new potatoes that were destined for compost because they were supermarket surplus. But, they had a sign saying to help yourself, they’re free, etc.

Obviously it’s great that they were going to be composted, but you know what’s better?

I took a bag home. I planted them in my garden, discarding any not-great ones for my compost. Only two plants worked out, but… today I pulled up a bunch of big ol potatoes that are going to be made into roasties this holiday season.

I’ve never successfully grown potatoes before, so finding success when I planted them super late and had to pull them up early (we had our first frost) feels really good. Especially because they are entirely free.

Anyways, wanted to share that as it’s the most solarpunk I’ve felt in some time!

  • paysrenttobirds
    16·
    3 days ago

    Potatoes are pure fun as a gardener-- they don’t always work out, but so little work there’s no reason not to do it if you have any space. Onions and garlic, too, onions just need the little slice you cut off with the roots on it and you will (maybe) get green onions in a few months. Garlic, just bury a clove in the garden whenever you feel like it. My only problem with these is slugs.

  • satanmat@lemmy.world
    11·
    3 days ago

    Yep.

    Two years ago I had some potatoes that were way past their prime. So I dropped them into the garden.

    Last year I had a decent harvest. I did no other work to them, I may have watered them a few times but that’s it.

    Last year as I pulled out the tubers, I left only the very smallest ones, and just kind of covered them up

    This year ton of potatoes

    Like as close to zero effort as possible

  • Ben Hur Horse Race@lemm.ee
    8·
    3 days ago

    good stuff. had something similar recently where some potatoes i fucked into some raised beds produced way more than i could have expected.

    just to ask though, how is this experience “solar punk?” isnt this just gardening? im not trying to dampen your good experience, it sounds great. i guess im just confused a bit on what solar punk is supposed to mean

    • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
      19·
      3 days ago

      I feel strongly that home vegetable gardening is a solarpunk activity. Gaining the skills to produce food outside of corporate or state control is great as is.

      If you want to make it even more solarpunk then participate in a mutual aid network, which can be a formal organization but could also just be sharing excess food with friends or community members, just as someone did for OP.

      Edit: I want to elaborate on why this is so important. The primary way the powerful in society control us is through their control over essential resources required for survival. If the community can provide for our needs then there is no longer a need to participate in capitalism or the state. So every resource our communities can muster improves our bargaining power against them.

    • deafboy@lemmy.world
      8·
      3 days ago

      how is this experience “solar punk?”

      The same way not eating crap is now called body hacking :)