Here is a permaculture model that claims $30K/yr income from 2 acres of farmland:

http://www.ecosyn.us/ecocity/Ecosyn/wri ... rming.html
http://www.ecosyn.us/ecocity/Ecosyn/IBS_Math.html

Supposedly the french intensive/ biointensive organic method of farming can produce yields similar or better than industrial agriculture, without pesticides or fertilizers.

They use companion planting, successive planting, composting, transplant seedlings to increase yields. The beds are not flat, but slightly rounded, increasing the square footage by about 20%, allowing more crops to be grown. They claim that enough food for 1 can be grown in about 1000 square feet, or 2000 sq feet to be grown sustainably (ie using cover crops and crop rotation).

http://www.growbiointensive.org/index.html

They also use several methods to decrease the amount of water needed for irrigation.

Haven't tried it yet, but sounds great!

anyone got an suggestions on learning to grow your own grains and vegetables? i'm living in ohio right now, near the city. not the most ideal place if i want to start living a basic lifestyle, but i figure i will make gradual changes. i want to know where i can learn some practical stuff, and food is the first thing i think will be important.

I originally started gardening in pots on my balcony in a city apartment. It can be done. Though I don't recommend it, hauling all that topsoil and manure up the stairs was a pita!

I've read scores of books on gardening and hundreds of web sites. Here are my recommendations:

Square Foot Gardening - the one utterly indispensable book for growing in small spaces

Four Season Harvest - the author of this book harvests food year-round in Maine

The Encyclopedia of Country Living - this book has less garden-specific info, but lots of basics on how to cam dry and root-cellar food and also includes info on raising grains, orchards and food animals.

Organic Gardening magazine - grab all the old copies you run across. I got about a hundred at a yard sale a couple years ago... I'm almost done my first read through of them all.

The best website for specific questions is http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/ - note that it mostly covers non-food gardening, but it's so huge, you can find almost anything you need.

Right on-those are all great publications. The old Organic Gardening magazines are the best.

I think you're smart to start where you are, jo. Better to learn and make your mistakes on a small scale, rather than get in over your head.

Once you start looking, you'll find scads of good books. Try the library and used bookstores. Sometimes the older books are better -- there were lots of good things written in the 70s. jpatti had some excellent recommendations.

The Internet too is full of articles, forums, and online courses. One unique resource is 25 online lectures on gardening by Univ. of California agricultural experts.

Plug into the local network of organic gardeners and farmers. It's more fun and less frustrating with real human contact. Look for classes, stores, conferences, and organizations. If there's a Master Gardeners program in your county, ask them for help. For an intensive dose of green, try a Permaculture Design Course.

If you like the self-sufficient homestead idea, look at the works of John Seymour (UK), Scott and Helen Nearing (New England), and Gene Logsdon (in Ohio like you). Logsdon is a folksy interpreter of the local farming tradition; I find him a delight to read.

If you lean toward "extreme" organic gardening, look up permaculture. I've compiled a page of permaculture links

Best of luck!

I’ve mentioned this many times but look for “Small Scale Grain Raisingâ€

I was thinking the best option towards learning how to farm is taking a few classes in Horticulture at the community college.

Very soon after my graduation after highschool, I'm planning to go there to take classes.

I got the permaculture designer manual from Bill Mollison ..i have to admit i didn't read it all yet,this is HUGE and don't have the time right now,but did have skim a bit !

I'm truly curious,why you call it "Extreme" !?


Schneider

I totally agree about reading anything by Bill Mollison or David Holmgren.
But even better, do a short intensive course in permaculture design yourself and just start on a scale that suits your circumstances.
I plan to do that soon myself.
If you search on the Internet there is definitely someone doing stuff in your area.
I live in a very small rented house in suburban Tokyo and have built myself a 3 sq m vegetable garden and planted fruit trees and berry bushes. when we move out someone will probably just rip it all out, but it's definitely better than living on the 20th floor of an apartment block.

Good luck!

p.s. if you want more extreme, go for the philosophy of Masanobu Fukuoka.
This 90-year-old man rocks!

Not sure if i will be able to do it where i am ..
Masanobu Fukuoka,this name remember me something..it is the one who use ducks !?

Didn't read seriously on him yet,but Mollison talk of him in one interview .. I will try to find some infos,but do you have some links ? Could help me a lot,i'm a bit new to permaculture ...

Thx a lot


Schneider
French-Canadian

Permaculturalists explore the frontiers of sustainable living, trying out any crop or technique with promise: forest gardens, swales, urine as fertilizer, etc.

A non-organic gardener sees snails on his lettuce and goes to the garden supply for poisons.

An organic gardener, goes out at night with a flashlight and picks the snails off the plants.

A permaculturalist builds a cage for the snails, feeds them for a week on corn meal then eats them. Or he buys ducks which he fattens on the snails.

*****
About Fukuoka, tokyo_to_motueka can probably say much more. You can also see the
Fukuoka Farming website

Thank you for your reply bart !
Now,i better understand you AND permaculture..He he,i like the idea about the snails..

Didn't eat them since a while,but it was good if i remember well ..oh and about the ducks ---> YUMMY !

Finnally,permaculture seem to be a good way for post-peak oil..Could even make a job of it ...


Schneider
French-Canadian

Just wanted to chime in on the Square Foot Gardening. I stumbled over a used copy of the book translated into Swedish yesterday, have read about half so far and it is very very interesting indeed

"Grow your own Vegetables" by Joy Larkcom
ISBN 0-7112-1963-X

It's an excellent book and we find it is the only publication we need on this subject.

Bought it on Amazon - can't remember the price but it was very reasonable.