Growing your own veggies requires an awful lot of time, so barely anybody does it.

If this robot allows people with little time to grow vegetables in their backyard, you can argue that they will move closer to soil rather than further...

That’s not that true and the robot will hardly help.

The reason people don’t do it is that commercial farming is so efficient once you factor in costs growing your own is not cheaper than buying from supermarket.

People don't do it because each hour you spend in your garden is an hour you could have spent doing something else. The problem is not that you have to spend half an hour a day to do it, the problem is that it takes weeks of spending half an hour a day to get anything. And as a beginner, there is a good chance that you're going to screw something up.

A lot of people prefer spending half an hour a day learning italian, or rock climbing, or whatever...

It’s not half and hour a day. More like an hour a week. If you don’t enjoy the process of gardening you shouldn’t do it. Over-engineered robotic solutions for small plots are never going to make much sense.

Nah it doesn't take anywhere near that amount of time to raise some produce. Maybe a half hour total per week, if that.

Some stuff is easier to grow, some is harder, but for example I barely did anything on my strawberry patch this year other than picking them when they got ripe. I'd say I spent maybe 15 minutes a month on the strawberries.

Now if you're trying to grow a lot of stuff then the time investment might increase but most backyard gardens don't take up that much time once you've planted everything.

It's not really about the cost. We are working on a greenhouse with raised beds. Between parts, tools, and piles of topsoil, I think we are $2-3k in (upstate NY). It was never gonna break even. It's a fun project, and it gives you unbelievable freshness and quality.

Robot might help in a greenhouse setting but outdoors it's just gonna get mudded up and get fine, abrasive clay dust in everything. Needs to be way more ruggedized.

Don’t disagree with any of that however all the effort is before the robotics gets involved.

> barely anybody does it.

I suspect this varies by location and demographics. Being an older guy living in rural areas, almost everyone I know grows at least some veggies and fruit. Not everyone makes it a major part of their lives, but I'd be hard-pressed to find almost anyone I know who doesn't have at least a couple tomato plants, or some berry bushes.

Agree, I haven't thought of that.

The user-interface, planning your plot sure does gameify that aspect very much like a farm simulator. Heck, in today's times I shudder how much game/real-life cross-over and IP conflicts we see play out in the years too come.

Why?

Why unhealthy?

Yes, sorry should have been more clear.

Np, this https://qz.com/993258/dirt-has-a-microbiome-and-it-may-doubl... And in general it's about being close to nature. Traveling between a flat and an office, sitting in metal or concrete boxes and connecting via messengers is a surrogate or a simulation of life. Again, can be fun, but gotta step outside once in a while, touch plants, smell the living air.