many--many years ago when i was living out of town i had a local farmer disc up a big--50x200 foot section of my yard for me and i put in a huge garden--it was during the first gas price shock ---extra hose from the well which ran alot--deer fence--time after work to care for it--hauling manure in the trunk of my car---so on--you get the idea..it never seemed to pay off..the bulk things like tomatos,cabage,corn..i could get at roadside stands..anything else like peppers never came in in the amounts it would take to make it worthwile..the next year i put in half as much and just easy things and after that just a tomato patch--unless we had some sort of WW2 sitution with rationing or a big shut down of the supply system i don't see any advantage to gardening on a big scale for the normal household..in the city now i have tomatos,peppers,onions and herbs--a pasta garden--