So, how much food are we talking about here? Are you looking to entirely replace your grocery trips with walks into the backyard? Are you simply looking to add some nutritious, seasonal treats to your plate? Or are you somewhere in between? These answers will decide what, how much, and where you should grow.
Vegetables and fruits are much simpler to grow and harvest than attempting to source your own cuts of meat. A large plot of land can allow for huge furrow style fields, but this kind of farming is usually reserved for profit-earning produce, rather than simple subsistence farming. A family can be well fed on a mere half-acre, if the space is utilized smartly. A greenhouse can be used to extend growing seasons and grow happier, more productive plants. If a heated greenhouse is a possibility, almost any crop can be grown year around if you adjust the internal environment to match their preference. If time is on your side, orchards and other fruit or nut bearing trees can be planted and guaranteed to produce year after year. Heirloom crops are much more likely to be fertile and come back after their initial growing season has finished -- these are also GMO free, and usually more nutritious than their mutated relatives.
While animal products are more difficult to source than produce, they are by no means impossible. Cows, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, fish, bees; the possibilities are almost endless. What is ideal is that which fits your land and your lifestyle. Do you have the resources and time to get up before the sun rises to start feeding your flock and herd? Is there pastureland nearby that can handle a dozen cows? Here are the questions to ask when it comes to adding animals to a homestead:
- Is this even allowed? Certain counties and cities may have restrictions and particular ordinances when it comes to owning animals. Even if cows and chickens are out of reach, rabbits and bees may still be a possibility!
- How much room is there? Any space less than an acre will be more ideal for smaller animals, like chickens, rabbits, bees, or perhaps one goat. More space can leave room for goats, cattle, or dairy cows. If you have access to a pond or body of water, you can stock the water with bigger and bigger fish the more room you have.
- What is my environment like? Some animals are more attuned to certain temperatures than others. While bees can thrive during warm seasons in a temperate valley farm, they may not fare so well nestled in the mountains where it snows 8 months out of the year.
- How often will you be at home? A dairy cow will need to be milked twice a day, while honeybees can pretty much survive on their own, especially in the spring and summer.
- What am I looking to produce? Are you looking for milk and milk products; eggs; meat; hides? While a cute bunny is a great pet, it can’t really be considered a productive animal unless you’re able to collect and utilize their fur (or meat).
- Can they be eaten? Not everyone wants to butcher their farm animals, and this is completely acceptable. However, this is a necessary step for anyone looking to source their own homegrown meats. If you’re unable to do this yourself, for sake of feelings, space, or skills, there are butchers for hire that can come directly to your property, for a price.
