06/12/2026
Some people question how I can possibly supply my family of 4's yearly food needs in my 1,828 sq. ft. garden. Let's discuss the details.
First, I use no till, organic methods. My native soil is heavy red clay with basalt beneath and does not support vegetables well. Therefore, I pile organic matter on top of it. (I quick-started by purchasing good quality organic soil to lay on top, but if you can't afford that, you can take a slower route and use what materials are readily available to you with a method called sheet mulching.) My veggies thrive and produce abundantly using these methods and you can read about them on the blog. (Proverbs 31 Homestead dot com)
Second, I maintain a garden nearly all year. I start in early spring and have some edibles (like quick-growing radishes) within weeks. Vegetables continue to grow all summer and as I harvest, I fill in blank spots in the garden with fresh seed or seedlings. For example, once my bush green beans slow down, I pull them out and replant more green bean seeds. (This is more productive for me than waiting for the plants to produce another flush.) I don't let any soil lie fallow; it always has something growing in it and it's not uncommon for me to replant 2 or maybe 3 times during summer, even though our warm season is short.
I also select seeds that are well suited to my cool climate and, when possible, use quick-growing varieties. (Instead of growing veg that takes, say, 100 days to mature, I'll choose something that matures in half that time.)
In August, I add seedlings as needed for fall and winter growing. I overwinter many things, including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collards, carrots, and beets. (You can overwinter crops in most areas of the U.S., but if you get lots of snow, I recommend a sheltered location. This could be containers on your porch or it could be a small greenhouse...or something inbetween, like a few cloches.) I don't have to overwinter a ton of stuff, because I preserve a portion of summer and fall's harvest, but i's nice to have some fresh veg on hand, too. (See the blog for details on how to plant a fall or winter garden.)
I preserve by canning, dehydrating, freeze drying, freezing, and using cool areas of my house to store garlic, onions, winter squash, etc.
I also have a small orchard, plus some blueberry bushes, but we can survive just fine without fruit. There's no nutrient in fruit we can't get from meat and veggies. (For the record, I do grow most of our fruit. I buy mandarin oranges and occasionally bananas and avacados, mostly in winter...but again, these are niceties, not necessities.)
In addition, I have one raised bed where I grow a little celery (another nicety, not a necessity) and June bearing strawberries. Wild berries are everywhere on our property in summer. I also have a small, homemade greenhouse, where I grow peppers and sometimes tomatoes. (It's difficult to get ripe tomatoes where I live, but choosing early varieties helps.)
I do NOT grow field beans or grains - mostly because I don't eat them. My family eats them sometimes, but these are not health foods and we can thrive without them.
In addition, I raise all our eggs and some of our meat. Currently, I only raise small animals because our predator population is high and black bear ate our sheep. Small animals like rabbits and quail take up very little space if grown in cages, yet produce abundant offspring. I do give them store bought feed because tractors don't work if you don't have flat land and free-ranging around here just provides the local wildlife with a meal. I supplement with weeds and scraps from the garden and would move 100% to that system if I couldn't find (or afford) store bought feed.
We also buy a butchered steer every year; I love supporting my local small ranchers in this way - plus our mountainous, forested land is far from ideal for cattle. In a financial pinch, we could barter for a steer, or lean in to hunting and fishing.
The truth is this: If there's a will, there's a way. No, you won't be self-reliant overnight. It takes years to get close. And total self-reliance is unlikely for most people, unless they are willing to make do and onky eat what grows readily in their climate and doesn't hoard space. And that's ok. Our ancestors focused on meat and veggies. They bought some food. They bartered. They relied on neighbors.
All-in-all, I'm satisfied with our level of homesteading. The most important thing to me is to grow organic, nutrient-rich food. Remember, it's all about what YOU want to accomplish on your homestead. Don't worry about what others think 😊
