Conversation with my 12 year old about video game farming made me rethink my actual garden

So my kid plays Stardew Valley nonstop, and last week he asked why I don't "just plant strawberries in rows and water them every morning like in the game." I laughed at first, then started explaining about soil pH, pest control, and how my zucchini got eaten by groundhogs three years ago. He just stared and said "real farming sounds way harder than virtual farming." Hit me different because I realized I've been doing all this complicated stuff in my backyard for four years and still can't grow a decent tomato. Maybe I need to simplify. Has anyone else had a hobby or skill that got exposed as harder than the game version made it look?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam_scott5914d ago

Honestly, the part about your zucchini getting eaten by groundhogs hit me because that's the thing games never show. In Stardew Valley you just water and wait, but in real life you're fighting groundhogs, figuring out why your tomatoes are splitting, and dealing with weather that doesn't follow a 28-day cycle. I tried building a raised bed after playing Farm Together and learned the hard way that soil doesn't just refill itself nutrients overnight. Games skip the whole trial and error part where you lose half your crop before you figure out what works.

veraw4714d ago

Wait, you're telling me soil actually runs out of nutrients? I just figured you threw some dirt in a box and that was it. That's wild, @sam_scott59.