The Backyard Homestead: The Ultimate Guide to Grow Herbs, Vegetables and Fruits for Self-Sufficiency. Learn How to Raise Farm Animals to Finally Start Your Sustainable Living

By Vincent Bennett

Are you looking for ways to improve your sustainable living, fight the increasing food costs and finally become less dependent on supermarkets?

Do you want to learn the easiest, quickest, and most functional techniques to Backyard Homesteading?

 

If you have always dreamed of growing vegetables, fruits, and grains and producing meat, eggs and dairy raising animals then this guide offers you all the essential skills and tools you may need to eat pesticides free!

 

This Ultimate Backyard Homestead Guide offers you all the secrets and techniques you may need to create your own garden harvest.

 

This is what you will find in this fantastic book:

1. The basics of backyard homestead
2. Self-sufficiency secrets
3. Harvesting tips

And that's not all!

• Fruit Trees
• Vegetables and herbs
• Backyard farm animals

And much more!

 

If you are a beginner and want to start on a budget, then this easy-to-follow handbook is convenient for you: no expensive tools and equipment are necessary!
 

What are you waiting for? Click the Buy-Now Button start improving your financial and physical health!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vincent Bennett
• Release date: May 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201227159

Book preview

Chapter 1 what is self-sufficient gardening?

Having enough to eat Many individuals desire to be farmers, but only a few actually succeed.

It's difficult, but an increasing number of individuals are attempting to make the jump.

We've witnessed the impact of inflation on the pricing of food and other goods during the last several years. We've also witnessed firsthand food and gasoline shortages.

As a result, more people seek to be self-sufficient.

It's simpler than ever to become self-sufficient. However, it is still a lengthy and arduous procedure. Particularly as compared to living in the city and earning a regular job.

We'll go over what self-sufficiency farming is, the benefits and drawbacks, and how much land you'll need in this post. Plus, we'll provide you hundreds of step-by-step instructions to get you started.

What is the definition of self-sufficiency farming?

Self-sufficiency farming is producing the majority or all of your food on your own property with little to no support from other individuals or groups.

A self-sufficient farmer performs little or no commerce with the rest of the world. They have all they require and could go for years without leaving their farm or entering a town.

Self-sufficiency takes a great deal of preparation and discipline.

A self-sufficient household, for example, will need to preserve enough food throughout the summer to last them through the winter.

Self-sufficiency and long-term living go hand in hand. A self-sufficient farm strives to create the least amount of trash feasible.

On the other hand, waste goods are recycled or utilized in different ways. And basically nothing other than what is generated on the farm is consumed.

Permaculture and renewable energy are two more concepts that are fundamentally required for a well-functioning self-sufficient farm.

Farming for self-sufficiency entails knowing how to cultivate, create, and sell what you require.

How Many Acres Does a Self-Sustaining Farm Require?

Depending on who you ask, the quantity of land you'll need for a self-sustaining farm will vary greatly.

The sorts of activities you engage in on your farm and your objectives will determine how many acres you require.

Is it possible to be self-sufficient on a single acre? The answer will mostly rely on the circumstances.

You can make it work if you maximize every square inch of one acre of land and are willing to accept certain limitations on what you can grow.

How many lands Do You Need For Vegetables?

1/4 acre may be sufficient to grow most of the food for a small household if you're highly efficient.

In an ideal world, that amount of area would allow you to produce enough veggies to serve two to four people.

We say in an ideal world since it's unlikely that you'll be able to utilize all of your land. However, large trees may shade some of your land, and it may be covered in forest.

Alternatively, your soil may be steep, marshy, or rocky in certain areas.

How many lands Do You Need to Raise Animals?

You'll probably need at least 50 acres if you're growing livestock, especially if you're producing larger animals like cattle.

Each month, an adult cow requires around 4 acres of land. If you had a whole herd, you can see how this can quickly mount up.

When calculating how much acreage you'll need to rear livestock, don't only consider the property where your cattle will be housed.

Once one area has been wiped up, you'll need enough adjacent pasture to rotate them to while grass and weeds return.

Remember that you'll need enough area to generate enough feed to keep your animals going during the winter.

Do you have a small farm and wish to be self-sufficient?

You'll almost certainly have to give up red meat and subsist only on hens, with a few pigs or goats thrown in for good measure.

Land Uses Other Than Agriculture

You'll need to use the land for more than simply veggies and cattle on your self-sufficient farm.

Another important element to consider is energy.

You'll need at least a few hundred square feet for solar panels if you're utilizing them.

To be self-sufficient, a smaller home need roughly 200 square feet (18 square meters) of solar panels.

A bigger residence might require 1,000 square feet (90 square meters) or more.

Finally, consider how much space you'll need for living and keeping your belongings. Your house will most likely be at least 90 meters (1,000 square feet).

You'll also need a driveway to get off and on the property. In addition, you'll most likely need a few of sheds or barns to keep all of your tools and equipment.

How to Begin Farming for Self-Sufficiency (Step by Step)

If you want to establish a self-sufficient farm one day, there's no better time than now to get started. Even if you reside in the city already, you may begin immediately taking some of these measures.

1. Pay off your debts. You won't be able to pay off debt if you're living a self-sufficient lifestyle.

So you'll need to pay off all of your credit card and college debt before you can go entirely off the grid. You'll also have to repay any autos or other loans you have.

You don't want to have a mortgage on your self-sufficient farm because you'll probably just be bringing in a few thousand dollars each year.

2. Get rid of your vices. You'll definitely want to stop drinking and smoking. Unless you want to make your own bourbon and cultivate your own tobacco, that is. However, it is preferable to prioritize acquiring enough food to survive.

But it's not only about drugs and booze. You should also avoid social media, television, and your morning cup of expensive coffee from the neighborhood café, among other vices.

These progressively deplete your money account and leave you with less time to work on your homestead.

3. Make sure you're getting enough of exercise. You'll be doing a lot of hard, physical work on the homestead. You should start exercising ahead of time if you're considerably overweight or out of shape.

So now is the time to start receiving in shape. When your livelihood depends on maintaining a healthy physique, you'll be weary and risk harming yourself if you don't.

4. Begin a vegetable plot, even if you live in an apartment. Vegetables may be grown in pots in a sunny window or on your balcony.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables will be critical for acquiring the vitamins and minerals you require on the farm. As a result, you should begin studying and exploring as soon as possible.

5. Get rid of the grass on your property. Plants that generate food should be used instead of aesthetic plants. For example, swap out shrubs with blueberry bushes, and plant fruit trees in place of non-producing plants.

6. Make certain you have the necessary expertise. Again, there's a lot to learn if you're not from an agricultural family.

7. Acquire proper land and water in order to become self-sufficient. You'll need to figure out how much land you'll need before purchasing a suitable property.

Make sure the property has a water supply. A well or a river that runs through it that may be dammed or redirected.

If there's a drought or it's hot outside, you don't want to risk running out of water.

8. Purchase less