Anybody here into self-sufficent food growing/Sustainable growing?

Cascadia · Dec 5, 2008

Hey there! I was just currious if there were any folks out there interested in the subject of growing all or a high percentage of your own food?
When I was a kid, I worked for a vegetarian hippy couple who grew about 75% of all their food, they had fruit trees, berries, and a variety of veggie crops. I was always so inspired by the idea of growing the bulk of my food. They had a home buisiness that occupied lots of their time, so they used me to help with what they couldn't do.

My father had aspired to this as well in his earlier years, but he just couldn't get it done. Now I am trying for myself. Last summer I moved onto a piece of land in the Coastal mountains of far northern California, I'm far enough inland that I have a great fog free summer, but not far enough to get much of any snow. Its my hope that I can homested on this land(its paid for), and rely lightly on the outside world.

I planted Garlic and Fava beans to over winter, and am planing a large summer garden. I have also ordered Amaranth, Quinoa, and Millet seeds. I intend to grow lots of Potatoes, Squash, and other good keeping crops for winter eating, along with plenty of veggies for caning.

Anyways, just currious if other like minded folks lurk here?

Cascadia · Dec 5, 2008

Yeah, and I'm also putting in a large fruit orchard this winter, lots of holes to dig!

CTSV · Dec 6, 2008

I own a produce company, and I only have to buy some fruits and protein, from the grocery.

I just got done running a bunch of greens and lettuces. I also had a load of carrots and radishes going.

yesIah garvey · Dec 6, 2008

started out in restaurants, been working in organic farming for a few years now

with my wife, on our trail of apprenticeships we've worked so far with vegetable, flower and fruit stand, grass-based meat and dairy making, apples, bread, preserves, shellfish harvesting, poultry, herbs, and, ganja!

the last few seasons been getting real excited about biodynamic approach- mostly because of how it emphasizes the spiritual aspects of gardening

best 2 you!

Cascadia · Dec 7, 2008

Very nice guys!

My wife and I did the move here in July this year(from the Puget sound area), we were looking for a quieter place to start a family. First we had a home built, and then I started getting firewood put up, and prepared ground for a overwintering crop. I had intended on getting a outdoor Cannabis crop in, but I had no time this year, damn!

Anyways, my next project is to get some chickens going, I'll need the manure for fertiliser, and the eggs and meat will give us a great protein supply. I'm thinking I'll get some milk goats, and some Boar goats for red meat.

I'm also going to experiment with a variety of grains, especialy ones that are gluten free(my wife has a gluten allergy), I'll try to find a couple that do well in my new climate.

Work is slow right now, so I've got some time to get work done.

CTSV · Dec 7, 2008

Gets some pigs to. Two words...... CRISP BACON !

Cascadia · Dec 8, 2008

Yeah, the thought of pigs has crossed my mind, but I'm trying to cut down on things consumed that I didn't grow, and I'm assuming I'd be buying lots of corn for the pigs. Perhaps I could try growing the corn I suppose, the problem is it requires a huge ammount of fertiliser and water(compared to other grains), which are problems I suppose I can overcome eventually.

I'd like to grow a few pigs a year, just to have the variety, goat and chicken might get old after a while, LOL!

yesIah garvey · Dec 8, 2008

pigs goats and chickens are all in their own way champion foragers; pigs are great at processing lots of less-desirable foodstuffs on the homestead. so you shouldn't need anything so specific as corn for a hog, tho it would do well eating the stalks...

jaykush · Dec 8, 2008

i grow a lot of my own food, and i grow and make all my own fertilizers. nothing like eating for free via nature

Skrappie · Dec 9, 2008

if you have, or will get a pound, think ducks, you hardly have to look after them
quail are a nice chicken substitute for meat and eggs.

Get into vertical growing, even if you have all the land you could want, its easier looking after melons and cukes when they are not on the ground. lest pest also.

JackKerouac · Dec 11, 2008

We have several sustainable practices around the house including canning and a root cellar, a wood stove, making worm castings for the garden from food scraps, and raising chickens. Suburban homesteading is easier than people thing.

spaceghost22 · Dec 11, 2008

I'm preparing to attend a permaculture course out West. I have actually been studying this very thing quite intensely. It is not my goal to ever retire, but to retreat from unsustainability. The recent problems with the USA and the world have driven me to work towards my goals very eagerly. I highly recommend the book "Permaculture One" By Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. Do a google search on these guys, they are on the cutting edge of organic gardening and life styles. The best primer I could recommend for anyone else interested would be a book called "The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming" written by Masanobu Fukuoka.

You can download some books from the torrent sites if you can't afford them... These books are so important it should be criminal to sell them. I would give them away like people do with bibles.

Please, read up!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture

Happy trails! :rasta:

Cascadia · Dec 11, 2008

Yes, permaculture is pretty much what I am trying to practice, along with growing most of my own food, and all my own food if I should find food nowhere else one day.

I guess I have a survivalist mentality as well as a sustainable one.

spaceghost22 · Dec 12, 2008

Thanks for the compliment Cascadia. I would rep you for being cool but I ran into too many nice people today. I can't rep for a little while

Keep trying for this and if you really want it you'll get it!!!!!

+++Karma for you!

Another picture of home sweet home for you! I took this on a snow shoeing trip last year. I'll be gone for a week or two snow shoeing this year. I'll have PLENTY of pictures of some really pretty areas for everyone in month or two.

I call this one "A Northern Cliche"

Dee9 · Dec 15, 2008

spaceghost22 said:
I call this one "A Northern Cliche"

Hey space - you live in my avatars background!

Mr Celsius · Dec 24, 2008

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned John Jeavons Biointensive growing! His book "How to grow more food" is THE book to do what you're talking about.

As for 'homesteading' and sustainable lifestyle, there's a mired of books out there. I'm not at home now, otherwise I'd recommend a particular book that coupled with John Jeavons would give you almost every answer you could need.

Doobie Nyce · Dec 24, 2008

yeah john jeavons is the man!!

GeneticHeirloom · Dec 30, 2008

A good place to get free information

A good place to get free information

If you live in Ontario, there is a website released by the ontario government that publishes really important ecological steps and information for agriculture as well as a lot of other things.

I received 7 books, over 90 pamphlets and a dozen more book binder posters related to agriculture.

Some things like : growing asian vegetables to Pests of certain species of vegetables to legalities involving farm buildings and greenhouses and so much more its criminal they don't let everyone know about it

THE BEST THING IS ITS FREE. It cost me 5.98 to be shipped in under 2 business days and weighed at least 20lbs.

https://www.publications.serviceont...wMainHandler?loggedIN=false&selectedLocale=en

Is the site, government ran, for all your farming and agriculture needs and wants

A lot of the information applies to a wide range of zones so if you can order it from out of province or even country I'd check out the selection as you might find a couple free nuggets of gold for an hour or two's digging.

EDIT: To find the publications go to browse catalogues on the left and look for agriculture or whatever else you find interesting or usable.

Some of the Publications I got:

dubwise · Jan 1, 2009

we are trying this year to become much more independant....chickens, a cow, plenty of apples, peaches and veggies indoors and out. hope it works!

Cascadia · Jan 2, 2009

Yeah, I'm going to be building a chicken coop and some runs soon. Every family trying to become sustainable/self-sufficient on the land(and eats meat) should raise chickens. Chickens provide a multitude of products useful to a self-sufficient farmer, including eggs and meat, and also lots of very rich manure that is the perfect fertilizer for Cannabis and other Nitrogen loving plants.

I want to build massive runs for my chickens so they can free-range over large portions of Oak groves on my land, reducing the need for me to provide feed. The runs will need to prevent Red tail hawks from swooping in, hawks can decimate a chicken flock quick. I'm going to use the trees to hang bird netting over the runs, to help deter the hawks from eating my birds.

I've been busy building deer fence for my new fruit orchard, lots of work, and damn fencing is expensive! I've got Apples, Pears, Peaches, Cherries, Apricots, and Asian pears on order at the local nursery. I'll start planting very soon.

I'm not sure if I have space for many cows, plus I'm afraid they may lead to erosion on my land as I have observed at local farms, whole fields of muddy mess, no thanks. Instead I'm going to get Goats for milk, and also raise goats and sheep for meat.

Anybody here into self-sufficent food growing/Sustainable growing?

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