loldude I grew up in the goddamn desert. I'd see these cows wandering around eating cactus and sagebrush and go "clearly that's where beef jerky comes from." My grandfather had an acre so every year he would plant an acre. An acre of beans. An acre of peas. An acre of corn. He did an acre of wheat one year because he got a great deal on a combine, and then we had a combine rusting away behind the shed (it's still there 60 years later). they'd try strawberries every two or three years - had a tower and everything. Nothing ever grew. Again, New Mexico.

My wife is exceptional at planting a bunch of stuff because her dad bullies her into it and then completely neglecting it the minute May hits. Her dad grows tomatoes and cucumbers but also kohlrabi and they bring it over and put it in a bowl with salt and appear to legitimately enjoy it and fuck everything about that.

I think gardening is more micro-climatey than people are willing to admit. I knew a guy with enough basil that he considered it a weed and no matter how it was cultivated it refused to grow next door.