GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

16-05-2006, 03:50 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible

wrote:
Howdy!

An acre, which, if I'm not mistaken, is 220' x 220', contains 44,000
square feet. Therefore, one acre in corn is 44,000 plants! Is this
about right?

43560 square feet.

If even approximately correct, it would appear that hand harvesting a
single acre of corn would be a daunting challenge for two people who
are not mechanized beyond the aforesaid dinky Cub tractor.

I will genuinely appreciate some of the experienced souls in here
providing me a reality check on what our realistic goals should be.
Since our entire 13 acres is already cleared and is all sand, we
thought a reasonable long term goal would be to plant 3 acres each
season, then move over. Thus, every fourth year we'd come back to the
original plot.

Without asking you to ..er.. "take us to raise" would you please orient
us? If it's to point us to a book or a web site that's more than fine.
In fact, I just ordered "5 acres and independence" but it hasn't
arrived in the mail yet. It may very well have the answers I'm
seeking.

Finally, and on the assumption we plant a manageable size, can corn be
intercropped with peanuts? I do not think our soil is ideal for corn
since it is somewhat shy of humus. But I'll wager peanuts would grow
like the dickens.

Any other suggestions you care to toss out, especially as to companion
planting, will be greatly appreciated.

Why not *watermelons* and peanuts?

Or plant something perennial, like blackberries?

Bob