Homesteading

[toyota4x4h]

So I bought a book over the winter about setting up a nice homestead style garden on minimum acreage. I have about 2 acres here at the house. This spring I set up my garden on about a quarter acre total and am gonna keep up with what I plant and where so I can rotate crops good and keep my soil in top shape. Didn’t get around to chicken coop that’ll be next years project. I set up a rain water catcher off the garage. Also set up a storage bin vermiculture so I can use the juices/castings in my garden. I started with 500 red compost worms from uncle Jim’s worm farm. They are supposed to reproduce good and I’ll transfer them to a water trough once they get established. All of this is a lot of work but enjoyable. Anyone else got a good setup going on small acreage?

 

[Canuck5]

I don't, but I'm interested!

 

[livinoutdoors]

Sounds like a good set up you got goin! Ive got 9 acres, mostly wooded, cleared/heavily thinned about 2 acres so far. Been using the forum here to improve soil by following some throw n mow type cover cropping. So far so good! Got a small garden , 2 chicken coops( one layers, one for meat birds) got rain water collection for all my water and solar for all my power. Growing a little every day! Pigs are next.

 

[toyota4x4h]

Nice! Im just using this as practice really. My wife and I have a 5 year plan to move to my families 80acre farm and there is where I will have a little of everything. Like you id like to have some eating chickens and even pigs at some point. Just not an option at the current location.

This year will be my first attempt at a year round garden. We will can what we don't eat and put away or later. Im really just trying to establish this so our son has something he can get outside and learn to do and maybe enjoy. I see too many kids nowadays stuck in front of a tv.

 

[meatseeker]

Just be prepared for disappointment,frustration and anger. Animals get sick sometimes as quick as babies. Predators from below and above are always in search of a meal. Gardens of any size require work and not at your convenience. Bears and coons can destroy a sweet corn patch. Ground hogs can wipe out your beans before you finish breakfast. And not to mention insects and weather. And canning takes a lot of time. My advice is plant more than you need. Surplus can be given away. I have had years were I canned 200+ quarts of beans and years were I was lucky to do 20. If you got it put it up because some years things just don’t work out. Oh and when you have extra share with some elderly people who grew up this way and can no longer garden. It will mean a lot
To them!
And they might even give you some advice. And the reward of their excitement is well worth it.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Great advice right there!

 

[Killdee]

Yep, good advice from meatseeker, I had a bumper crop of green beans last year so I back off them to 1 row and plant more tomatoes that I'm running low on. I can and dry as much as possible only freezing a few things.

 

[brownhounds]

I've been trying to make it work on 5 acres. Its not easy when you want to try it all. We have a 1/4 acre pond that has a pipe leading to an irrigated corn field. We keep cows on another property. But, on 5 acres, I manage to kill 2 hogs a year, 1 cow, eat fresh eggs, can plenty of vegetables, can deer meat, stack 3-4 cords of wood a year. I went overkill this year with produce......

150 tomato plants
1/4 acre sweet corn
1/4 acre sweet potatoes
20 squash
20 zucchini
1 row okra
10 pepper plants

I could keep going. But, its been a way of life for me for my entire adulthood. And, it will never quit. Its always on my mind. One, day, I might move for a smaller house and a minimum of 10 acres.

 

[Nicodemus]

I've been trying to make it work on 5 acres. Its not easy when you want to try it all. We have a 1/4 acre pond that has a pipe leading to an irrigated corn field. We keep cows on another property. But, on 5 acres, I manage to kill 2 hogs a year, 1 cow, eat fresh eggs, can plenty of vegetables, can deer meat, stack 3-4 cords of wood a year. I went overkill this year with produce......

150 tomato plants
1/4 acre sweet corn
1/4 acre sweet potatoes
20 squash
20 zucchini
1 row okra
10 pepper plants

I could keep going. But, its been a way of life for me for my entire adulthood. And, it will never quit. Its always on my mind. One, day, I might move for a smaller house and a minimum of 10 acres.

If your soil is like mine, that is gonna be a LOT of zucchini.

 

[livinoutdoors]

I'll say this too, i think alot of people worry too much about having huge acreage. Sure you can do more with more land but in this day of high taxes and other carry costs sometimes less is more. Most people could do more than they think on a few acres

 

[toyota4x4h]

That’s what I’m trying to start doing. As much as I can with what I got in land at the moment. Sounds like some of you got it figured out!

As far as drying stuff as one of y’all said how are you doing that a dehydrator?

 

[brownhounds]

If your soil is like mine, that is gonna be a LOT of zucchini.

We freeze the zucchini and squash. Cut em up...spread em out on a cookie sheet with wax paper in between the layers, and freeze them overnight. Then, pack freezer bags so they don't clump up.

The biggest reason we plant extra is for the chickens, hogs, and goats. But, we keep a "grocery store" in the basement with plenty of food to eat off of and take to deer camp.

My soil has drastically improved over the last decade. The main thing I add is wood chips and chicken manure. North Georgia is not the best dirt around. You will see some fertile bottoms around the mountain land, but the majority is red clay......the redder the better.