bp fick
Super Member
Three years ago, as my professional vocation began to wind down, one of the main goals/purposes of moving back to where I was raised in the country was to engage in some level of self-sufficiency combined with integrating some organic agriculture practices.
It has been challenging and perhaps as rewarding as any we could have chosen to do.
I began to assemble a list of foods that we now fill our jars and freezers and/or eat as the crops produce in season. Most in multiple varieties as noted.
3 lettuce.
3 tomatoes
2 onions (yellow and red)
3 sweet corn (early, mid, and bi-color)
cabbage
2 broccoli
cauliflower
2 potatoes (red and white)
2 green beans (pole and bush)
strawberries
blackberries
2 Sweet peas
2 carrots
2 spinach
3 winter squash
2 pickles/cucumbers
2 green peppers
water mellon
rhubarb
In addition, we have a couple dozen chickens and lots of eggs.
Probably shoot a couple deer this fall and a few rabbits and squirrel.
We barter eggs and vegetables for a half of pork.
I don't know how one would compute it with absolute accuracy, but I am estimating that easily half our food now is produced right here. The shelves are filling up, the freezers are getting fuller by the day. It is incredibly hard work, but the enjoyment and satisfaction is priceless. The egg sales and marketing the produce pays the cost of the tractor, fuel, seed, all our own food and covers the property taxes. No complaints.
Of course, if I compute my "wages" I'm probably working for $.50 an hour, but hey! :laughing:
It has been challenging and perhaps as rewarding as any we could have chosen to do.
I began to assemble a list of foods that we now fill our jars and freezers and/or eat as the crops produce in season. Most in multiple varieties as noted.
3 lettuce.
3 tomatoes
2 onions (yellow and red)
3 sweet corn (early, mid, and bi-color)
cabbage
2 broccoli
cauliflower
2 potatoes (red and white)
2 green beans (pole and bush)
strawberries
blackberries
2 Sweet peas
2 carrots
2 spinach
3 winter squash
2 pickles/cucumbers
2 green peppers
water mellon
rhubarb
In addition, we have a couple dozen chickens and lots of eggs.
Probably shoot a couple deer this fall and a few rabbits and squirrel.
We barter eggs and vegetables for a half of pork.
I don't know how one would compute it with absolute accuracy, but I am estimating that easily half our food now is produced right here. The shelves are filling up, the freezers are getting fuller by the day. It is incredibly hard work, but the enjoyment and satisfaction is priceless. The egg sales and marketing the produce pays the cost of the tractor, fuel, seed, all our own food and covers the property taxes. No complaints.
Of course, if I compute my "wages" I'm probably working for $.50 an hour, but hey! :laughing: