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Summary
Summary
For urban and country dwellers alike, a quarter acre is all the space you need to farm all the food you need! Homesteading allows you to feed your family healthy meals harvested right from your own backyard while also reducing your environmental footprint.
Live off the land you have. Plant a successful and sustainable farm--on a quarter acre to a full acre and beyond--where you can raise your own fruits, vegetables, chickens, bees, milk-bearing animals, and more. Local, organic food is attainable to you at a fraction of the cost with your own self-contained operation.
Angela England runs her family's successful, small-scale farm, and she teaches you how you can do the same. Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) guides you through the essentials of planning a small farm--decide what should be grown or raised, and implement proven and sustainable homesteading techniques. Learn everything you need to know to maximize your space, yield, and harvest.
It's not glamorous, but it is rewarding, so prepare to get a little dirt under your fingernails and see what kind of gardening and farming magic you--and your land!--are capable of.
Author Notes
Angela England is a freelance writer who, along with her husband and five children, cultivates a -acre farm in their backyard, where they raise dairy and meat goats, keep free-range chickens, and maintain a productive garden of fruits and vegetables. They started with a small garden and took on chickens, goats, bees, and fruit trees over time, eventually managing a larger plot while shedding the conveniences of urban life. Angela is the Plants and Bulbs Feature Writer at Suite 101 and founded the Untrained Housewife (untrainedhousewife.com), which guides others in the arts of rural living. She also manages and maintains the Blissfully Domestic web community and contributes to other sites and forums.
Table of Contents
Part 1 Living Large on a Small Scale | p. 1 |
1 The Backyard Farm Adventure | p. 3 |
The Growing Food Crisis | p. 3 |
An Earth-Friendly Lifestyle | p. 5 |
Cost and Health Considerations | p. 8 |
The Many Benefits of Small-Scale Farming | p. 11 |
Cost of Land and Equipment | p. 11 |
Ease of Maintenance | p. 12 |
Intensive Production Possibilities | p. 13 |
2 Finding Land: What Do You Need? | p. 15 |
Purchasing Undeveloped Land | p. 15 |
Location and Cost | p. 15 |
History of the Land | p. 17 |
Climate and Growing Season | p. 18 |
Buying Developed Land with the House | p. 18 |
Layout and Quality of the Land | p. 19 |
Outbuildings and Existing Amenties | p. 20 |
Fencing | p. 21 |
Access to Water | p. 23 |
Zoning Restrictions | p. 24 |
3 Building on Land You Already Own | p. 27 |
Assessing Your Current Situation | p. 27 |
Quarter-Acre Lot | p. 28 |
Half-Acre Lot | p. 30 |
Full-Acre Lot | p. 32 |
Creating a Workable Plan | p. 34 |
Precise | p. 34 |
Lasting | p. 35 |
Arrival | p. 36 |
Natural | p. 36 |
Adding Buildings and Fences | p. 37 |
Drainage | p. 37 |
Building Material | p. 37 |
Size and Situation | p. 38 |
Part 3 Gardening on a Backyard Farm | p. 41 |
4 What and How Much Do You Want to Grow? | p. 43 |
Planning Your Garden Space | p. 43 |
Square-Foot Style Gardening | p. 45 |
Raised-Bed Gardening | p. 46 |
Traditional Garden Plots with an Intensive Twist | p. 47 |
Keep a Garden Journal | p. 48 |
Maximizing Your Garden Space | p. 49 |
Vertical Gardening | p. 50 |
Container Gardening | p. 52 |
Edible Landscaping | p. 55 |
5 Tools and Skills for the Backyard Farmer | p. 57 |
Hand Tools | p. 57 |
Garden Spade or Trowel | p. 58 |
Secateurs or Preuners | p. 59 |
Digging Fork | p. 59 |
Hand Weeder and Hoe | p. 60 |
Cultivation | p. 62 |
Tiller | p. 62 |
Shovels and Spades | p. 62 |
Garden Rake | p. 63 |
Fencing and Miscellaneous Homestead Tools | p. 64 |
Posthole Digger | p. 64 |
Fence Pliers | p. 66 |
Wire Cutters | p. 66 |
Wheelbarrow | p. 66 |
Other Must-Have Tools | p. 68 |
Caring for Your Tools | p. 69 |
Basic Building Skills | p. 69 |
Cutting Lumber | p. 69 |
Putting the Wood Together | p. 71 |
6 Gardening Smart from the Start | p. 73 |
Soil: A Dirty Word | p. 73 |
Types of Soil | p. 73 |
Feeding the Soil | p. 74 |
Composting to Build Healthy Soil | p. 74 |
The Right Ratio | p. 75 |
Consider the Source | p. 78 |
Organic Fertilizers and Soil Supplements | p. 79 |
Zones and Plant Hardiness | p. 81 |
Sun and Water | p. 82 |
Organic and Land-Friendly Principles | p. 83 |
7 Get the Most from Your Garden | p. 87 |
Increasing Crops Through Intensive Gardening | p. 87 |
Crop Rotation | p. 88 |
Crop Succession | p. 90 |
Extending the Growing Season | p. 91 |
Seasonal Plantings | p. 92 |
Cover Your Crops in the Garden | p. 92 |
Cold Frames | p. 94 |
Greenhouses | p. 95 |
Start Plants Indoors | p. 96 |
Companion Planting and Interplanting | p. 96 |
8 Vegetables for the Backyard Farm | p. 99 |
Vegetables to Grow on an Acre | p. 99 |
Cool-Season Vegetables | p. 99 |
Beets (Beta vulgaris) | p. 100 |
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) | p. 101 |
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) | p. 103 |
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) | p. 105 |
Mustard (Brassica juncea) | p. 107 |
Peas (Pisum sativum) | p. 108 |
Spinach (Spinacea oleracea) | p. 109 |
Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris) | p. 110 |
Warm-Season Vegetables | p. 111 |
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) | p. 111 |
Carrots (Daucua carota) | p. 113 |
Corn (Zea mays) | p. 114 |
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativas) | p. 115 |
Garlic (Allium sativum) | p. 116 |
Onions (Allium cepa) | p. 117 |
Peppers (Capsicum annum) | p. 118 |
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) | p. 120 |
Summer Squash (Cucurbita sp.) | p. 122 |
Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) | p. 124 |
Winter Squash (Cucurbita spp.) | p. 126 |
9 Kitchen Herb Gardens | p. 129 |
Medicinal Herbs | p. 129 |
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) | p. 129 |
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) | p. 130 |
Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) | p. 130 |
Echinaceal (Echinacea purpurea) | p. 131 |
Lavender (Lavendula) | p. 132 |
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) | p. 133 |
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) | p. 134 |
Culinary Herbs | p. 134 |
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) | p. 134 |
Cilantro (Corinadrum sativum) | p. 136 |
Dill (Anethum graveolens) | p. 137 |
Mint (Mentha) | p. 138 |
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) | p. 139 |
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) | p. 139 |
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) | p. 140 |
Sage (Salvia officinalis) | p. 142 |
Thyme (Thymus spp.) | p. 143 |
10 Fruits, Berries, and More | p. 145 |
Fruit on Just an Acre? Yes! | p. 145 |
Apples (Malus) | p. 146 |
Sweet Cherries (Prunus avium) and Sour Cherries (Prunus cerasus) | p. 147 |
Mulberries (Morus sp.) | p. 149 |
Peaches (Prunus persica) | p. 150 |
Pears (Pyrus sp.) | p. 152 |
Persimmons (Diospyros sp.) | p. 155 |
Plums (Prunus sp.) | p. 155 |
Vines and Berries | p. 156 |
Blackberries and Raspberries (both Rubus spp.) | p. 156 |
Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) | p. 157 |
Grapes (Vitis spp.) | p. 158 |
Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) | p. 160 |
Melons (Cucumis melo or Citrullus lanatus) | p. 160 |
Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) | p. 162 |
Perennial Edibles and Nuts to Grow | p. 163 |
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) | p. 163 |
Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) | p. 164 |
Pecans (Carya illinoinenmis) | p. 166 |
Walnuts (Juglans spp.) | p. 167 |
11 Heirloom Plants and Saving Seeds | p. 169 |
Benefits of Heirloom Gardening | p. 169 |
Cost Effectiveness for Growing Produce | p. 169 |
Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency | p. 170 |
How to Save Seeds | p. 172 |
Testing Viability and Starting Seeds | p. 176 |
Part 3 Animals for a Backyard Farm | p. 179 |
12 Keeping Chickens on a Small Scale | p. 181 |
Breeds for Backyard Flocks | p. 181 |
Egg Layers | p. 183 |
Meat Breeds | p. 183 |
Dual-Purpose Breeds | p. 185 |
Chicken Husbandry | p. 188 |
Chick Brood Box | p. 189 |
Chicken Coop | p. 190 |
Regular Maintenance | p. 193 |
Signs and Prevention of Illness and Disease | p. 195 |
Eggs from Your Chickens | p. 197 |
Meat from Your Chickens | p. 199 |
Other Types of Popultry | p. 200 |
Guineas Fowl | p. 201 |
Geese | p. 201 |
Ducks | p. 201 |
Turkeys | p. 201 |
13 Rabbits on a Backyard Farm | p. 203 |
Rabbits for Meat | p. 203 |
Rabbits for Fiber | p. 205 |
Rabbit Husbandry | p. 207 |
Housing Rabbits on a Small Scale | p. 207 |
Care and Maintenance | p. 209 |
Signs and Prevention of Illness and Disease | p. 211 |
Harvesting Fiber from Rabbits | p. 213 |
14 Sheep and Goats: Backyard Multitaskers | p. 215 |
Breeds for Small Home Use | p. 215 |
Breeds for Milk | p. 215 |
Breeds for Meat | p. 217 |
Breeds for Fiber | p. 219 |
Goat and Sheep Husbandry | p. 221 |
Care and Maintenance | p. 221 |
Housing | p. 224 |
Signs and Prevention of Illness and Disease | p. 226 |
Breeding Goats and Sheep | p. 227 |
Raising or Selling Your Yearly Offspring | p. 232 |
Milking a Goat or Sheep | p. 233 |
Shearing Sheep or Goats | p. 236 |
15 Beekeeping in the Backyard | p. 239 |
Getting to Know the Bee World | p. 239 |
Starting Your Apiary | p. 240 |
Equipment Needed | p. 240 |
Acquiring a Hive | p. 244 |
Keeping Bees-A Year-Round Guide | p. 247 |
The Honey Harvest | p. 251 |
Tools for Honey Extraction | p. 251 |
Comb Honey | p. 253 |
Straining the Honey | p. 253 |
Part 4 Enjoying the Bounty | p. 255 |
16 A Seasonal Guide to Managing Your Harvest | p. 257 |
Eating Fresh in Spring | p. 257 |
Spinach Salad with Tangy Dressing | p. 258 |
Radishes and Egg Salad | p. 259 |
Summer's Feast on the Kitchen Table | p. 260 |
Stuffed Tomatoes | p. 261 |
Basil Pesto | p. 262 |
Blueberry Zucchini Bread | p. 263 |
Red Skin Potato Salad | p. 264 |
Fall Bounty from the Backyard Farm | p. 264 |
Sweet Potato Casserole with Apricots | p. 265 |
Simple Autumn Skillet | p. 266 |
What's Available in Winter? | p. 267 |
Applesauce Oatmeal Coffee Cake | p. 267 |
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Winter Greens | p. 268 |
Butchering on the Backyard Farm | p. 269 |
Overview of Processing Meat and Chickens | p. 269 |
Finding Local Help | p. 271 |
17 Canning and Freezing Produce and Meat | p. 273 |
Equipment Needed for Home Canning | p. 274 |
Pressure Canners | p. 276 |
Home Canning Safety Tips | p. 278 |
Basic Steps for Water-Bath Canning | p. 279 |
Basic Steps for Pressure Canning | p. 281 |
Freezing Tips and Tricks | p. 284 |
Vegetable Blanching and Freezer Preparation Chart | p. 285 |
Packaging Meat to Freeze | p. 286 |
Erica's Inside-Out Lasagna | p. 289 |
18 Dehydrating and Smoking | p. 291 |
Drying Herbs | p. 291 |
Choosing a Dehydrator | p. 293 |
Dehydrating Fruits and Vegetables | p. 294 |
Fruit Leather | p. 295 |
Making Jerky in a Dehydrator | p. 295 |
Drying in a Solar Oven | p. 297 |
Making Sun-Dried Tomatoes | p. 298 |
Drying Meat in a Solar Oven | p. 298 |
Smoking Meat in Home Smokers | p. 299 |
19 Root Cellars and Basements | p. 301 |
Storing Crops in a Cellar | p. 301 |
Storing Root Cellared Foods | p. 302 |
Constructing a Simple Root Cellar | p. 305 |
Trash Can Root Cellar | p. 306 |
Basement Root Cellar | p. 306 |
20 Preserving Garden Herbs | p. 309 |
Growing Your Own Herbs | p. 309 |
Drying Herbs for Teas | p. 310 |
Herbal Tea Benefits | p. 310 |
Common Herbal Tea Blends | p. 311 |
Herbal Vinegars | p. 312 |
Herbed Butters, Oils, and Spreads | p. 314 |
Herbal Infusions, Decoctions, and Tinctures | p. 315 |
Part 5 Crafting from the Backyard Farm | p. 319 |
21 Making Butter, Yogurt, and Cheese | p. 321 |
Butter | p. 321 |
Butter from Raw Cow's Milk | p. 321 |
Butter from Goat's Milk | p. 323 |
Tools You Can Use | p. 324 |
Yogurt | p. 325 |
Cheese | p. 327 |
22 Fibers: From Sheep to Sweater | p. 333 |
Cultivating and Choosing Good Fleece | p. 334 |
Preparing a Fleece for Spinning | p. 336 |
Washing | p. 337 |
Carding and Combing | p. 337 |
Dyeing Your Fiber | p. 339 |
Hands-Off Dyeing | p. 340 |
Stovetop or Vat Dyeing | p. 340 |
Hand Painting with Dye | p. 341 |
Spinning Yarn | p. 341 |
Spindles and Wheels | p. 342 |
Spinning Terms and Techniques | p. 343 |
Marketing Your Fiber or Yarn | p. 344 |
23 Home Brewing Cider and Wine | p. 345 |
Brewing Homemade Cider | p. 345 |
Pressing Your Own Cider | p. 346 |
Fermenting Your Apple Cider | p. 349 |
Racking Off the Cider | p. 351 |
Brewing Homemade Wine | p. 351 |
24 Goat's Milk Soap Making | p. 355 |
Health Benefits Infused in Soap | p. 355 |
Why Make Your Own Soap? | p. 357 |
Making Goat's Milk Soap | p. 357 |
Saponification | p. 359 |
Creative Soap Making | p. 362 |
Oil Combinations | p. 363 |
Dyes and Embellishments | p. 364 |
25 Other Ways to Use Your Harvest | p. 365 |
Basketry and Weaving | p. 365 |
Lip Balm | p. 367 |
Candles | p. 368 |
Crayons | p. 369 |
Flower Cutting | p. 370 |
Dried Flowers | p. 371 |
Pressed Flowers | p. 373 |
Lavender Wands | p. 374 |
Plant-Based Dyes | p. 377 |
Appendixes | |
A Simple Plans for the Backyard Farm | p. 379 |
B Gardening Journal Pages | p. 387 |
C Resources | p. 393 |
Index | p. 397 |