Part 1: Making Money with 1 Acre

MoonRiver · #61 02/04/14, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by am1too

Its cheaper and better to feed the soil than it is to buy the poisons that will eventually kill your soil. Healthy soil makes healthy and happy plants. Insects and plant disease mostly attack the weak plants.

I don't know what my neighbor did but the insects ate his garden to the ground in short order while I had a 7 ft mater and beans that pulled down the fence.

I use no chemicals. I use lots of compost.

It's not just healthy soil. Most of my vegetables do great, but something eats the leaves on broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. The soil in my orchard is good and I fertilize every year. The problem is primarily insects. I have no problem using organic fungicides and insecticides if that's what it takes.

The one pecan tree that was here when I bought the house is riddled with holes from sapsuckers and insects. Also had a few tent caterpillars. I've been trying to save the tree with limited success. At least the nuts stay on the tree until the end of the summer now, but are still not fit to eat. Same problem with old walnut tree.

**Shrek** · #62 02/04/14, 07:35 PM

I have used only the acre surrounding my home for over a decade.

After reviewing my investment correspondences at my desk , reading my magazines and newspapers and maybe reviewing an online source, I go out and work my garden beds or come in and work my worm bins or I may wash the used vehicle I have for sale in the driveway at the time.

During the course of the month I may take profits from some of my investment accounts, sell a used vehicle or maybe take some garden produce to the local farmers market after making additions to my own larder to add a bit to my disposable income without dipping into my company pension that covers my usual bills.

I have no illusions of ever living 100% off the yield of my property however it does adequate to add a little extra to my income and food stores in addition to giving me exercise and entertainment as I work my garden or mow my grass area.

Freya · #63 02/05/14, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonRiver

The one pecan tree that was here when I bought the house is riddled with holes from sapsuckers and insects. Also had a few tent caterpillars. I've been trying to save the tree with limited success. At least the nuts stay on the tree until the end of the summer now, but are still not fit to eat. Same problem with old walnut tree.

Hmm maybe post a new thread on your orchard and see what everyone else is doing to fight the same issues?

desko17 · #64 03/02/14, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zong

As you know, I live 13 miles south of you. I have a total of 1/3 acre or less under cultivation. 80-90% of what we eat comes from right here. In addition, we canned enough for the winter, and also about 800 pints that were sold at farmers markets, etc. Quite a bit of fresh produce was sold, but if we didn't get rid of it within 24 hours of picking, it got canned. We have enough canned and frozen stuff to last well into harvest season again. The chickens started laying around Jan 1, soon as they realized that the days were getting longer. IF we utilized an entire acre, we would not be eating any more, but would produce 3 times as much. If you consider that we eat less than half what we produce, that would would mean 5 times as much to sell. Based on what was sold last year, about $20k profit for an entire acre. I can tell you that fruit trees, although they take a couple years to go into full production, are astoundingly more profitable than vegetables. And a whole lot less work, too.

When I read stuff about people thinking it takes acres and acres to sustain yourself, I have to assume that they are people who are parroting what they read elsewhere. I live it, I know what I'm talking about. I invite you to come down any time and check it out. And leave some room in your car for us to give you some eggs, salsa, 8 kinds of jam, and so on. Heck. I got a spare deer hindquarter I'll barbecue up for us, and make some of the best bread you ever ate. Plenty of homemade wine from home grown fruit, too. I never sell that, but am all the time giving it away. Life ain't nowhere near as hard as some people make it out to be.

So when do we get our "deer hindquarters BBQ party" invites? Lol
Very good post, inspires me a bunch. What's your take on avacado trees? I know it takes a while to grow, any experience in them & are they worth growing?

**clovis** · #65 03/02/14, 04:16 PM

I know that this is an old thread, but wanted to add this:

About 15-18 years ago, one of our neighbors started a u-pick strawberry patch. I would guess that the patch was 1/3 of an acre.

I met one of the woman's sons, and he told me that they made $5,500 in the first year of operation after expenses.

The family was transferred by an employer, so they sold the house and moved.

Not an easy business, and I would look at getting liability insurance, but it could be a decent business if you don't mind the work.

TedM · #66 03/04/14, 01:08 PM

You hit on the points I'd emphasize, namely make a little ecosystem (plants and small animals that work together to make what the other needs). Now I live in the 'burbs and have small raised bed gardens but I have a single rabbit who eats all my weeds (I only buy feed in winter and even that is supplemental food) and makes fertilizer for my garden. Only goats produce better poop for the garden but they are more work than rabbits. Maybe one day I'll add a chicken or two. But mixing plants together in your garden can actually boost overall production and cut down on pest and weeding problems. So if you plan smartly you can minimize you're input costs (feed and fertilizer) while maximizing output. I learned what plants benefit each other by reading agricultural studies from local universities online for my region. My goal is supplement my own food and expand as I learn along the way. I don't make too much of any one thing but I can get three plantings per year from a single garden bed. My next step is to build a small underground green house for starting seedlings. This is my idea influence:
http://www.undergroundhousing.com/greenhouse_book.html
It is a fun read and really gives a good account of the authors homesteading experience.