Can we really make 8+ acres work

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We are buying 19+ acres. I believe that 8 are workable into crops. The rest is trees. Can we make the 8acres a profitable farmette? We want to, but are afraid that we might have to give up the dream for awhile to work in the city. I would like to make it on the farm/homestead. Can we do it? I mean really, can we do it and make it work that will enable us to keep up with the bills? I know that hard work will be required, the purchase of some livestock (which ones though) and a frugal lifestyle is required. I am really wanting to know can we do it and how? Thank you. regards Jonathan

-- Jonathan Sanchez (jonathan_sz@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001

Answers

John Seymour shows how to make a 1 acre and 5 acrre farm, both with cattle in his book on self suficiency. Some commercial farms in Japan are run on 1/4 to 1/2 acre.Only in the U.S. have growers long convinced themselves they need lots of land to farm. Most of the rest of the world has embraced BISF technique a long time ago. Your acreage is plenty enough, just choose with care what you feel it can support. BTW, we have a little more than 1 acre. On this we have 2 gardens, a wormcast and bait production operation and I am considering adding a small rabbit hutch for meat and sales at Easter.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.

Hi Jay, hey what is the name of that book? It sounds interesting. We have 5 acres in north Florida. There never seems to be enough money to cover all the expenses. After 3 years we have reached the point where only one of us has to work off the homestead,always looking for new ways to be more independent. Well time to feed the animals,Daryll

-- Daryll (twincrk@hotmail.com), May 19, 2001.

I found it at Amazon.com. It is entitled "The Complete Book of Self-Suffiency" by John Seymour, and sells for $11.99

Sounds like a wonderful book!

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.


Yes!!!!! 8 acres is plenty but do it wisely and slowly. Do not expect overnight success. One book that helped me was "MetroFarm" by Michael Olson. As far as your bills go, I have learned that you cannot have city living-style bills and homestead/farm small acreage full time at the same time. When we decided to homestead our micro farm we found out real fast that there was no way we would be able to pay for a truck,mini-van,daughters car,insurance,other daughters college tution, younger daughters day camp,6 credit cards,etc. So we had to back track, make adjustments,hard decisions. We have not reach 100% but we do notice a lot more happiness in our lives,and actually more freedom then we had before. Good Luck!

-- Tom (tjk@cac.net), May 19, 2001.

It most certainly is a good reference book. Check out the 1 acre farm with bees and cow on page 20 or the 5 acre with pigs, cows, sheep and ducks on page 24. He also covers raising thatch for roofing (he says a thatch roof will last 70 years).

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.


BTW , the Seymour book we have is titled THE Guide to Self- Sufficiency. ISBN 0-910990-66-2 . Of course he has 4 or 5 books of this type out. All probally are as excellent.

Jonathan,

A book of this type would probally be a big help to you in figuring the potential of your land. Your local library should have a copy of one of these or similar that you could reference for ideas .

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.


Thank you fgor all of your support and book information. I am grateful for all of your responses. I will continue to read them and the book(s) suggested. Thank you all.

-- Jonathan (jonathan_sz@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.

There's also a book we've used, it's called: Five Acres and Independence by M.G. Kains. We've both been on our farm full time for 2 years now and are making a little money at it, but occasionally dip into savings or take a part-time job off the farm. It is hard work and can drive you crazy at times. We're still living in an unfinished house, which bothers me more than it does my husband. After all that said, we're still ready to give it a few more years before we consider not doing this. We're in our early 40's and have a 1 acre organic veggie/berry garden, chickens and sheep. Our property is 22 acres, most of which is wooded. We've often considered how much more we could get done with hired help, but we're also committed to doing this ourselves as long as we can. You can e- mail us directly, not sure where you're located, but sounds like we could offer more advice if you're interested.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.

The key to surviving and thriving on a small acreage is to produce a marketable product that is in demand LOCALLY, ideally year-around. We have known people who raised flowers and exotic veggies and sold these at nearby URBAN farmer's markets during summer & fall -- and also kept sheep and sold lamb & wool during winter & spring. Others have specialized in some product desired by a niche market -- such as young live goats for ethnic consumers at special festivals (live within 25 miles of a city with a high ethnic population, obviously).

If you're already on your farm, you need to know your area and what the local and nearby urban folks want -- then just provide it. Sounds easy, huh? It's not -- takes a LOT of work, cleverness, timing, and plain luck. Also, as someone pointed out, you don't get the "urban lifestyle" with this, but your satisfaction-level is so much higher that it's worth it.

-- Anita Evangelista (evangel@atlascomm.net), May 21, 2001.


Don't forget that a lot of timbered land is still usable for grazing - particularly if trees have been thinned a bit. This may be desirable to you as a way of cleaning up understory and lower limbs anyway, so the rest of the timbered land is more easily accessible. You may also be able to sell some of that timber as lumber, or even as firewood. I'd only do that as a debt-reduction exercise though. It's not really desirable to clear-fell if you can avoid it unless the land can go into cropping or improved pasture - forests have some value, and if the land has been left timbered it may be because it's so steep that it NEEDS the forest to protect it from erosion. If you have the time to set things up, you might be able to use the timbered land as is to grow crops. I'm thinking particularly gourmet mushrooms, also maybe truffles, and ginseng. Up to you to check out the economics of it, though. Think about speciality markets too. If there are ethnic restaurants or markets within reach of you, you may be able to supply them with fresh speciality items that otherwise they have to get days- old from across the country. Maybe not a big market, but small regular income from a diversity of sources is good.

Whatever, though, you can't do it with any certainty unless you get debt-free first. Maybe at the most only one mortgage which takes the place of rent in your budget, but even then you're taking a chance that your low and potentially variable income may some season mean you lose your home.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 21, 2001.



Determination, perserverance, hard work, knowledge/experience, sacrifice, heart and soul... thats how most people make any situation work. If on occasion you had to work off the homestead... that ain't so bad.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), May 21, 2001.


Hi I recently read a great book about two people who bought a small run down cottage in North Wales,UK. The book gives a true depiction of what it means to be self-sufficient in their case. Also gives some practical help too. The book is called Hovel in the hills by Elizabeth West.

Happy reading

Chris

-- Chris (chris@chrislad.worldonline.co.uk), October 03, 2001.


Yes, you can make 8 acres work. You can make it into a LOT of work! I made my 5 acres into much more work than I had planned!

Good luck to you, Jonathan!

-- sheepish (WA) (sheepish@wiseacres.com), October 03, 2001.


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