Author Topic: Retreat - refuge options (Read 11373 times)

Diego · « **Reply #30 on:** April 09, 2012, 10:06:46 AM »

Quote from: Maizar

Quote from: Diego
Quote from: Maizar
At the very minimum, half an acre of good, arable land is actually sufficient for nearly complete self sufficiency, given enough rainfall capture and ideally an aquifer....

In 21st century standards, one-half acre per person would likely find you calorie deficient.

Not really. See how to live off 1 Acre of Land, and other similar articles. The full process requires a greenhouse, chickens, worm farm, fruit trees, and a supply of compost (this is where half an acre will fall over). Really one would need more than half an acre, as with that small amount of land (eg: in a suburban setting) there needs to be supplementation by bringing in manure and garden waste, but this is not a great expense, and over time the requirements for this decrease gradually.

I dispute the website's claim that "Even just a quarter-acre of land will produce more than enough food to feed the average family of four."

Are they serious? that a family of four can survive on 1/4 acre alone, 1/16th acre per person without any other supplement???

Sure you can do intensive interplanting and have supplements like rabbits (Whoops! There goes the whole garden), chickens, and bees, but I would argue that your "one half acre" is simply slows the outcome of malnutrition, allowing no margin for the inevitable crop failures and soil depletion.

A short-term supplement certainly, but in no way a long term plan for success.

jlamos · « **Reply #31 on:** April 09, 2012, 03:48:31 PM »

Quote from: Diego

I dispute the website's claim that "Even just a quarter-acre of land will produce more than enough food to feed the average family of four."

There is a family in Pasadena that grows 6,000 pounds of produce on one-tenth of an acre. They have been doing so for years.

http://urbanhomestead.org/

Diego · « **Reply #32 on:** April 10, 2012, 01:45:41 AM »

I am skeptical. Their website makes claims, but I see no substantiation or cross check. I could make a nice website, post some verdant photos, and make some Excel charts. Some or all of you are free to believe them and stake your family's future on 1/10 or 1/16 of an acre.

Maizar · « **Reply #33 on:** April 10, 2012, 01:48:21 AM »

Quote from: Diego

I dispute the website's claim that "Even just a quarter-acre of land will produce more than enough food to feed the average family of four."

Are they serious? that a family of four can survive on 1/4 acre alone, 1/16th acre per person without any other supplement???

Sure you can do intensive interplanting and have supplements like rabbits (Whoops! There goes the whole garden), chickens, and bees, but I would argue that your "one half acre" is simply slows the outcome of malnutrition, allowing no margin for the inevitable crop failures and soil depletion.

A short-term supplement certainly, but in no way a long term plan for success.

Yes, by traditional methods you are quite right, the soil will get depleted and crops will fail, but newer techniques which pay closer attention to the life cycle of plants, co-planting and natural methods of pest control, and which aim to retain captured carbon, nitrogen and minerals through recycling biological waste (even, for example, using a composting toilet) means that little goes to waste and the addition of mulch and manure from outside sources (which I said was necessary) will mean that the total biomass of the 1/2 acre or whatever it is, actually increases with use.

Diego · « **Reply #34 on:** April 10, 2012, 02:05:04 AM »

I too have used all those methods (except a composting toilet) with excellent success in our own verdant garden providing a fine supplement of nutritious organic foods for our family—and that is precisely why I am skeptical of their claims of self-sufficiency and their claimed level of production. Our own efforts require considerable outside supplementation that I am certain would not be equalled by inclusion of a composting toilet.

I reiterate, I am entirely in favor of using the methods mentioned—and I will certainly include a composting toilet in our next home—but I am skeptical of the claim of 6,000# of self sufficient and nutritionally balanced production and I would never risk my family to such a tiny plan.

If anyone else wants to commit their family's food security to 1/10 or 1/16th of an acre, far be it from me to get in the way. I am not trying to be argumentative, but as a very capable third generation gardener, I think it imprudent to depend solely on such little space for survival. Of course, if one has nothing else and has no other option, do make the best of it.