Growing your own food, the great things and the challenges

We've been growing vegetables gardens every year since we moved in almost four years ago. (only another 9 weeks) and each and every garden has presented similar challenges associated with toddlers and back yard veggie patches. Now that we're doing a multiple families sized project it's only magnified. First I'll list the great things.. then the less great.. because everything has pros and cons right?

THE PRO'S:

1. it gets us outside.. now even more so because the patch is much much bigger *thank goodness for weed mat I would not enjoy weeding this size area.*
2. Kids really do eat more fruit and veg when they grow/pick/choose it themselves. I am yet to harvest even one strawberry or blackberry despite having some very heavy laden bushes.
3. It is much much cheaper to grow it all yourself especially when you take into account the fuel/time to drive to the store to get them even with the cost of the water to grow them.
4. They taste SO GOOD because well.. they cannot get any fresher than picked 5 minutes before consumption.
5. The kids cannot wait to get outside and tend the garden. Nana bought them a little watering can and wheel barrow and they are tentatively taking turns with them each day. 
6. Chickens make excellent pets. And then add in the free fertilizer and reward of fresh eggs.
7. As far as effort goes- it's minimal. Since we used weed mats, raised beds and filled the raised beds with 90% horse manure (free from our horses) and 10% potting mix. so we NEVER have to fertilize OR weed now and we allow dead leaves to become mulch or chicken food. We just water then harvest and go. though we enjoy being in there so much we love to take our time.

THE CONS:

1. being a multiple family garden I have to try to keep the kids from eating ALL the berries themselves.
2. Also explaining to them that they should NOT pull seedlings up to examine their roots OR stomp on them to hear them crunch.
3. we have to organize someone to feed our chickens (and other animals) and water our vegetable gardens if we want to go away for more than a day.
4. it's on me; if we don't grow enough then I am responsible for it and would have to apologize. it puts a little more pressure on me to make sure we produce well.
5. bugs and mice are attracted to homes with veggie patches and chickens so we have to maintain adequate pest control- or natures pest control will come around- snakes. 
6. you have to keep any and all pets OFF the garden beds at all costs- especially when they're still only seedlings. bigger plants can take more.

So there you have it. the great things and the more challenging aspects of becoming your own produce co op center. Can you think of anymore?