Growing your own food...in a small space?

I would guess that many on here are aware of aloevera's healing properties where burns are concerned.

Buy or grow the "medical" aloevera plant.
Break open a leaf and rub the tender inside on a burn.

I had a really bad sunburn on my legs after floating down the Owens river in Bishop, California a few years back.
The aloevera worked better than 3-4 over the counter pain meds for burns.

reply to post by Straight Razor


Eight acres is a lot of land for a home garden . . . or truck garden as some may call it.

I'd be inclined to think that a half acre or one full acre may do it as far as feeding the entire family.
Granted, they won't be eating solely out of the garden, but will be using it's produce for 2-3 meals a day.

Along those same lines, I'm about to extend my garden 15' south.
It's about 12' wide right now and I may go out to the east next year.

The extension will be solidly planted in corn and after it's growing a while I'll add some pole beans.

You can blanch the ears of corn, carve the kernels off with a knife and freeze them.

We plan to pickle some of the hot peppers, but some are coming in before others so we'll freeze those prior to canning.

Small gardens I've had in the past grew enough tomatoes to supply us for 5 months or so of the warm weather months as well as have plenty left over to share with neighbors and co-workers.

I think it was the "Lessons learned from a Backyard Garden" post where high density gardening was discussed.

Good post and lots of photos of what different folks have done.

reply to post by Desert Dawg


Then you are day dreaming. Eight acres managed well is the standard to feed one person for a year. A small garden is fine, mine is 20 by 20, but it will not keep me from starving and I am an excellent gardener.


[edit on 18-6-2008 by Straight Razor]

[edit on 18-6-2008 by Straight Razor]

Originally posted by Straight Razor
reply to post by Desert Dawg

 

Then you are day dreaming. Eight acres managed well is the standard to feed one person for a year. A small garden is fine, mine is 20 by 20, but it will not keep me from starving and I am an excellent gardener.


[edit on 18-6-2008 by Straight Razor]

[edit on 18-6-2008 by Straight Razor]

You'll note that I didn't say a small garden would supply all the food required.

I live on a half acre and could probably plant a full 1/4 acre in garden.

That's a lot of food, but I can see that it wouldn't be enough for one person for a year.


Once upon a time I owned five acres of property in Central Californias prime agricultural area.
If it had been fully planted I don't think I could have eaten it all by myself.
And even if it got you through one year, next year, what?
With the requirement to rotate crops etc. and the lack of fertilizer if the manure hits the fan the next years crop wouldn't be all that good.

Not to mention, if the power is off as it would be in a major societal upheaval there wouldn't be much gardening going on anywhere due to the resultant lack of water.
No power, no pumps.


Gardening for me is an interesting - and tasty - hobby and a treat at the dinner table when the harvest is in.
For most of us it's not going to help all that much in a survival situation.

1,5 acre gives you one good meal a day if you know how to organize your garden. You can survive with it if you find edible plants near and consider the fruit season of each tree and eating mushrooms. I lived like that for a year, adding some small fish or bird soup time to time. Winter time it's the worst, I can tell. I lost 25kg that year, 15 only in winter.

If you are planning to grow something to live from it you have to be very sure of what you are doing. A mistake can be very dangerous.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I second Square Foot Gardening.

Thirded, it is very effective and works as advertised.

I've been meaning to write this reply for a few days...

If you go out right now you just may still be able to find a copy of the July 2008 edition of The Herb Companion magazine, it has by far one of the most interesting articles I have seen in my life, summed up one the cover: "No Garden Space? Plant a Wall of Herbs." Which of course can easily be adapted to veggies with different rooting schemes.