Becoming self-sufficient
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: La Tech University, La
Becoming self-sufficient
How much land would it take to become self-sufficient for say 5 people? two paretns and 3 kids? Land enough for my own crops and few extra, cows for dairy and meat, horses to do work? and how long does stored food last? grain? corn....dried meat? frozen meat?
If someone can please get me and answer, adn would arkansas, lousiana or east Texas be the correct enviroment to do this?
If someone can please get me and answer, adn would arkansas, lousiana or east Texas be the correct enviroment to do this?
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Baileyton, TN
Becoming self-sufficient
Dependent on what you required for sustenance, the minimum you could expect to get away with would be about 40 acres, with goats for dairy, sheep for dairy (both goat and sheep cheese sells really well) and wool to sell, no cows, 35 chickens, for eggs to sell, grow your own primitive whole grains, mill them yourself, and bake your own bread, getting a great health benefit as well.
Cloth is harder to produce, so barter with the produce could get you all your cloth to make clothes and what not.
Solar power would charge deep cycle batteries, running inverters for the big stuff, lighting would be from the batteries, heating from wood or coal, no septic, composting toilet, and filtration field for grey water. It costs about 150 K to set up everything so you can just go do it, plus the cost of land and housing. It is very possible to do it for a tenth of that, if you start off slow.
Self sufficiency is actually the only sure way to keep your lifestyle this day and age - I will be doing it myself, when the right place shows up. Email me for resources if you get serious.
Theo
Cloth is harder to produce, so barter with the produce could get you all your cloth to make clothes and what not.
Solar power would charge deep cycle batteries, running inverters for the big stuff, lighting would be from the batteries, heating from wood or coal, no septic, composting toilet, and filtration field for grey water. It costs about 150 K to set up everything so you can just go do it, plus the cost of land and housing. It is very possible to do it for a tenth of that, if you start off slow.
Self sufficiency is actually the only sure way to keep your lifestyle this day and age - I will be doing it myself, when the right place shows up. Email me for resources if you get serious.
Theo
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: inver grove heights MN
Becoming self-sufficient
just ask Ted Nugent... his family survives completely on the food they grow -supposedly... on about 2200 acres of land.
but to pay for the taxes on that much land i guess you gotta have a rock star income
but to pay for the taxes on that much land i guess you gotta have a rock star income
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Postmaster
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From: La Tech University, La
Becoming self-sufficient
Well, while I knwo I have become more paranoid and depressed while tryin to quit smoking(sorry tobbacco farmers, I know I am cutting into YOUR income, I am truly Sorry, that is another thread) but I cannot help but fear for my outcome in life, the future of me and mine. I mean, I am in the military, what am I gonna do when they tell me to grab a gun and go and collect everyone's weapons? and shoot to kill if they are not in compliance? or some other such order? I do not have to follow a lawful order, btu my supervisors have to see it as such also, see what I am saying? I may have another choice, but I do not wish to leave this country. (of my own free will, not getting deported)
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Texas, just south of NY c
Becoming self-sufficient
The gov't has already TAKEN the first step in your Hypothetical Removal of our rights and next our guns Scenerio ....it is Called the "PATRIOT ACT". period.....Under the guise of "everybody could be a terrorist and maybe you've got a NUKE in your Skivvies" approach we all become suspects so therefore lets just collect the guns then we'll do as WE damn well Please. This IS America......and is going to remain a country...Wherein the gov't must Follow the constitution and the Bill of Rights...no matter how many Terrorists that are in this country regardless of whether or not the Authorities can find those little dirt bags..........sk
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Gone but not forgotten.
Joined: Jul 2001
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Becoming self-sufficient
Jimmy - I have been hearing that "they" were going to take my guns for over 50 years - still got them and they are easier to get and legal to carry now. Life is too short to worry about things that are unlikely to ever happen.
Dono
Dono
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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Becoming self-sufficient
Jimmy--We have also been on the road to being more self sufficient for a ton of reasons, and I have found this site very handy, in fact some of the homesteaders are totally self sufficient, often with children on as few as 5 acres. Gardening properly for your climates, having spring summer and fall gardens are really nice, and if you treat the soil well, start your plants indoors, you can have these 3 different gardens on the same plot (if you have enough of each season). Often bartering with other farmers/homesteaders for trades between meat and produce or work and other goods is handy. We have been able to have 40+ free range chickens that we feed only kitchen scraps (they find all the rest of their food) and surprisingy they will nest in the same areas all year long so right there we have free eggs, the goat we have is corraled with the horses but has enough grazing room of weeds and blackberry bushes he requires no extra feed, and is a great lawnmower when moved to different sections of the property, also supplies great fertilizer just like the horses that sell by the truck load--around here an "I load, you haul" truck load goes for about $20 and only takes a few minutes to load. However you are in for alot of work, equally it is worth it. Good Luck!
www.homesteadingtoday.com
Not sure if it will link right, but it easy to type in your bar too
www.homesteadingtoday.com
Not sure if it will link right, but it easy to type in your bar too
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
Becoming self-sufficient
Land is generally split into 60 acre sections, I *think* because this is the bare min. to survive off of it and make money. You need a mixture of fields, woods, and trees. For firewood you can cull trees that fall or are not going to make it. In New England, you can use up to 8 cords a winter, so you need a LOT of acres for that. Most new growth will only offer 1-2 cords if it was cut only 30-40 years ago.
You can surround your fields with fruit trees that require a min. of work, such as apple. Then have maples for syrup. As long as you have rain, corn is a very good crop because you can store it and its hardy.
Good ground water is a must.
You can surround your fields with fruit trees that require a min. of work, such as apple. Then have maples for syrup. As long as you have rain, corn is a very good crop because you can store it and its hardy.
Good ground water is a must.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 724
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From: Ventura CA
Becoming self-sufficient
Don't forget to tap into our most valuable, rapidly dissapearing resource: old people! We are losing precious knowledge and wisdom with every passing day. Think about it: over the past 2 or 3 generations we've all but forgotten the things our grandparents and great grandparents did as a matter of course in their day to day lives. Things like canning, drying, smoking, and otherwise preserving the foods they grew. How many folks know how to knit a sock? sew a shirt? bake a real pie from scratch? In the past, multiple generations of families lived under the same roof. The old taught the young, the young took care of the old, traditions carried on through the generations. I found some very interesting older folks when I entered competition at our county fair. Eager to talk, time to listen, everyone is richer for the experience.
