Farming Question from a Noob?

Question

If I wanted to make a self sufficient farm, what would be the best crops to use for maximum output. What I mean is, how many acres per person would I need and what crop would be best? Sorry not really sure how to phrase this question the right way.

Answer 1

One crop won't make a sufficient farm, but would rather make it more un-sufficient. It takes numerious different types of crops. Crop rotation and an understanding of what each plant brings or takes from the soil. Not to mention numerious different animals, and what they do.

It's like one large Chess Game.

Answer 2

Check out this question, a lot of good answers to your questions. Pay a lot of attention in Garnet's answer. She knows what she is talking about and lives the life, not just talking about it like most giving advice.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 3

I take question as less labor intensive..... Burmuda Grass is the product

Answer 4

i concur with Stony.

Answer 5

If by "self-sufficient" you mean raise all your food yourself you will need to look at several grain crops as well as fodder crops for the animals (milk cows, chickens, etc)

If that's what you want do some research in back issues of "Mother Earth News" -- a few years ago they had a lot of information on self-sufficient farms.

One word of caution -- it's a LOT of HARD work.

Answer 6

I am a little confused, do you want to have a farm business and sell stuff? or are you trying to be self sufficient tot he effect of caring for yourself and family without having to buy very many things, or much food from the markets?

I suggest the following book, usually available at libraries

http://www.amazon.com/Five-Acres-Indepen...

In addition to having a diverse set of food items that you grow, you will also need a very diverse set of skills.

Are you planning to make most of what you use? have you taken a wood-shop class? Metal shop? Stone working?

Can you sew, spin, weave? Do you know how to preserve your excess foods for later use safely? Canning, drying, pickling? Are you a vegan or omnivore, do you have to factor in raiding feed for any animals? Bees for honey?

All of these are things to think about, and do some research on before getting yourself into something you cannot get out of!

Not trying to be discouraging! Rather the opposite, I encourage you to read, study, practice, try out things to make sure you can make a go of it. This world needs many more small farmers with bio-diversity in their lands!

The USDA has a long list of what they call "Enterprise" operations, or those extra things for farmers to do for cash or a bit of extra money. Make cheese, or yogurt, sell comb honey, etc. These are all things people used to do a while back, before we got into big agri-business and single crop systems of farming.

http://www.storey.com/

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news...

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/altli...

k