I guess more to the point, how many acres do you think 2 people would need to grow/raise everything they need?
Well, I think that calls for an answer I learned down in
Texas...
Depends...
The answer really depends on a lot of things. Location, soil, water, temperatures, what you want to grow, what you want to eat - you know, Depends...
If you want a half mile buffer all around you, then you need a 640 acre section if you just want square foot gardens and house, it could be done on an acre...
Yep, can be done. A few chickens, rabbits, really intensive culture garden and located in Florida - Hey, that's a cinch...
West Virginia, with a small coal outcropping and you own mineral rights, land not almost vertical, and you have a spring or artesian well, well, 5 acres would be mighty nice... More better, but probably not less with all the rocks... Unless you are in a valley with a river and you farm the flood plain... See, Depends...
Now, as for me, I have:
After one daughter got 2 acres for their new home, that leaves 7 1/2 acres. I have 1 acre in wheat - just yesterday planted 1/4 acre in that 'nekkid' oats you been seein Wneighbor and I teasin about. I have 2 acres for wood - hybrid poplar and hybrid willow that I propagate. Maybe half acre of orchard and an acre and a half of garden and the rest is buildings,greenhouse, house, yard and pasture.
I sold a piece off the back (23 acres) to our family GP Doctor and her family - (preparedness in mind LOL)
Her husband runs the U. of D. Marine Research Fleet. An equally resourceful person. So when I need a doctor - I can holler over the back fence...
Have a cousin on 17 acres across the road from me and an uncle with 85 acres half mile down the road. Along with another cousin and her DNREC Enforcement husband. We have a general store/sporting goods store about a mile that way. Ammo, Fishing gear, you name it... Across the road from that is an auto salvage for those cannibalized parts you might need.
If I go the other way, we have a Surgeon, two Nurses, two State Troopers, an Entomologist, Postmaster, Minister and a Tilapia fish rearing operation that produces about 600,000 pounds a year. and a beef cattle operation, and a large scale family run farm that grows several hundred acres of peas, lima beans, corn, wheat, soy beans, string beans, cucumbers and barley (actually they till over 2,000 acres in total), all within maybe 3/4 mile.
All those mentioned fall into my 'circle of prepared friends' that could be necessary if TSHTF. There are quite a few others in the area, and I am sure that their talents are known to the others...
So, really, we could probably weather a pretty bad situation if necessary. And is the reason I don't feel the need to bug-out as some do.
Just about suits me and my interests just fine.