So here’s some more info on the booklet. They have done a great deal of research to ensure a diet complete in all the nutrients that humans need, and enough compost to replenish your garden beds, and grow some things for a little income.
In addition, they have a 100 sq foot starter garden lay out so that a person can start small, and learn. Then, if needed they can expand that to the size of garden needed for each person. One acre can provide for 5 adults in colder climates. That doesn’t include forage crops, or crops grown as secondary crops, or winter crops.
Since we can grow bush beans for example after a lot of the spring, cool weather crops and can grow winter wheat or winter rye cereal, we could actually provide the space for more people theoretically.
In addition we have the nut trees, fruit trees and bushes, and will be adding the grains that naturalize as I mentioned earlier.
I did learn in my reading that tree collards can provide the calcium etc typically provided by dairy.
So here’s what they are show in their sample garden:
Corn, Sorghum, Winter Grains, Pinto Beans, Fava Beans, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Zucchini Squash, onions, Rutabaga, Winter Squash, Leeks. Extra lettuce and garlic etc. for income.
Of course, this can be changed to suit your own personal taste. It’s just an example.
With the biointensive method, they start the crops in seed flats primarily to save on the water and the space in the garden. Therefore the garden space is more fully utilized for the more mature crops, and less water is needed during the early period of growth, since they are in flats.
They plan for 60% of the garden area to provide compost (food for the soil) as well as food for the family. Hence, the big emphasis on grains, beans, and leeks.
They have several of these sample booklets available, each with slightly different crops, and some even discuss the alterations needed to support a dairy cow for example.
The whole idea is to provide the food needed in the smallest possible area, and be able to avoid depleting your soil, or needing to purchase additives such as fertilizer etc. to provide good soil for crops to be fruitful and nutritious.
I found it to be an interesting and quick read.
Do you have a linky for that?
I have looked at biointensive, etc, and have rejected it. Yes, one gets more crop from the space, but only in poundage; size suffers considerably. For greens or such for fresh use, that doesn’t really matter; but for anything where size matters, it can be very disappointing.
Example, Jerusalem artichokes: ( http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/jerusart.html)
conventional spacing 36 × 24 lbs/acre: 9791 dry weight/tuber 9.1 grams
versus
close spacing 18 × 12 lbs/acre 16011 dry weight/tuber 5.6 grams 160% higher yield, but 61% smaller tubers.
When things need to be scrubbed and/or peeled, that smaller size is a pain; and it also results in a higher percentage of waste. I’d rather peel & slice one big potato, than 3 or 4 small ones for the same amount on my plate.
We just received our chicks which will graduate to the movable “Chicken Tractor” in the main veggie garden where they will poop onto growing beds of hay which will then be the richest part of next years garden. Each chicken tractor (there are two, 5’x12’) will move at least once before the chickens are removed and changed into meat. This is our second year and we are anxious to start planting in last years chicken mulch...if spring would cooperate. The last of our snow melted yesterday.
Berry plants can easily take over your yard. We transplant them each spring. Grapes must be kept sheltered if they are not conducive to cold climates. Strawberries are eaten by deer (and should be planted out of deer range if you suspect they'll be passing by). Garlic should be planted in the fall and corn should be picked when ripe or the birds will do it for you. Green beens are a low maintenance plant and payoff is huge with only 2-3 rows.
Sometimes too I've planted items (like watermelon) 2-3 years and not had one melon to show for it. Other years they've grown abundantly. Ditto cantelope. One radish plant about three years ago has proven to be invasive and we pull all of them out of the ground when we spot them. My main garden area is 1 acre.