GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

16-05-2006, 03:09 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

On 15 May 2006 17:12:03 -0700, wrote:

Howdy!

My wife and I are embarking on a "semi-retirement homesteading"
adventure on 13 acres on the central Texas Gulf Coast.

The land has not been in agricultural production in at least 15 years,
this being the time period we've owned it.

When last it was, it was in watermelons. In fact, it is textbook
watermelon land, since it is fine deep sand.

Our reasons are both economic and philosophical. Although we have no
for-profit aspirations we aspire to eventually cultivate at least 10
acres. The reason for this is so that in 5 years we hope to be
elegible for an agricultural use property tax exemption.

My wife loves to garden. Without doubt she'll be the one taking the
lead, but I am also enthusiastic. We have a dinky Farmall Cub tractor,
a 3 row garden plow, and a disk.

We are about to place an order for some seed stock from "Native Seed
Search". We expect to concentrate on "the three sisters" corn, beans,
and squash. But we're eager to companion plant some other things as
well.

As the project evolves I'm sure I'll have lots of additional questions.

But for now, the burning question is: How big of a plot to plant?

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?

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.

Thanks!
Vernon

If you are planning to try to be self sufficient, you need to figure
out how much food of each kind you will use in a year. Next question
is how will you prepare and preserve it and where you will store it.
Dried corn kernel keeps pretty well, but once it is milled it will go
rancid.

Then you need to know how much space you need to grow that amount.

If you are thinking about selling, you better check out the demand for
the products and how much you will get (per acre) for the products. If
you are going for vegetables and fruits, check out the local farmers
markets. What do they sell and how much do they get for it. If you do
not see anyone growing it, it probably does not do well there. Talk
to your county extension agent.

Are you used to hard physical labor in hot and humid weather for
sustained periods? I lived in San Antonio for 4 years. You don't get
to do these things on your schedule. The plants have their own
schedule that you must follow to get the best results. Harvesting and
preserving take time and energy.

Don't plant to take a vacation from the time you plant the first seed,
whether it be inside or outside, until the last crop is in and the
ground cleaned and prepped. There is always something to do. Insects,
weeds and drought are always possible and if you leave for a week you
may not have anything left when you return.

As far as tax advantage, how much will you save? Will it pay for the
additional equipment, work and paper work that will be involved. And
if you are a farm, you will probably have to declare as income any
profits you make.

We are a retired couple, in pretty good health, who stared working on
a "large" garden a couple of years ago when we moved to out present
location. We have about 1/4 acre under cultivation. My husband says
there is no way that he could manhandle a rototiller on that space. So
we now have a good sized tractor. And we are outside every day
checking the plants.

When you have a garden just to supplement your groceries and have
fresh foods during the season it is one thing. Commercial or self
sustaining is another. Bad weather, insects or plant diseases can
wipe out a crop in a heartbeat.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974