As for my effective hourly rate, I haven't bothered. The peace of mind and food security alone is priceless, not to mention the health benefits of getting out and playing in the dirt.

I spend on average, around an hour in the garden a day. The property was badly eroded range land when I began. The soil was basically sand. Through careful management, I have built a significant amount of humus through carbon sequestration, composting, mulching and no-till techniques.