How Much Land to be 100% Food Self Sufficient???

[@maccabeus-everydaysurvival5828]

Me and my first wife produced 90% of our food,meat and garden on 3 acres...the basic staples,flour, sugsr,salt,spices,etc we bought..hay and corn for my animals i bartered labor for to my neighbor.. I also walked corn fields picking up dropped ears, newer farming methods have reduced thst loss greatly...we also provide some food to others in need. Well done Palmetto 🇺🇲🏴‍☠️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@keithcronk7980]

🇺🇲🇺🇲👍👍👍👍♠️♠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️!!!!!

[@maccabeus-everydaysurvival5828]

@@keithcronk7980 🇺🇲🏴‍☠️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✌👊☠

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I figured 3 is the best number for insurance purposes just incase you get 1 crop failure, you'll still be able to have livestock make up the difference while feeding them the failed crop.

[@OldSchoolPrepper]

gleaning is a lost art...pick up those extra ears for sure! great idea

[@PalmettoPrepared]

@@OldSchoolPrepper we get buckets of peanuts just gleaning the fields when they come through. They haven't done peanuts in a few years and I can't wait till they do it again for this purpose. Probably why I'm growing my own

[@Diebulfrog79]

I’m in the south west, water is our big problem. Five acres here. Good points.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Why not 10 or 15? In reality, if you suck at time management or are doing it by hand, you'll be drastically hurting yourself even with 90 acres

[@Diebulfrog79]

@@PalmettoPrepared : Govt and water restraints- Desert area, Anthony

[@glen1arthur]

Very well thought out. We grow durum wheat up here. Should give us about 3.7 million calories . Another to think about is that how much work you do will change how many calories you need.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

And that's a big one. I did a video on BMR for people to understand their caloric need. For me I'll be around 4000 to 5000 just to maintain my current weight but I can survive on 2500. I'll just be like how they were back in the 1800s. Tall and lanky

[@glen1arthur]

@@PalmettoPrepared yes there is a base line of 2500 for a male. You may want to think about growing more than one crop at a time 3 or 4 moving where you plant each.

[@CamppattonFamilyCompound]

Good video Anthony. We have been planning and adjusting plans as we research this out. We have about 5.5 acres that we can garden. Does not include home, shop, garage footprints. We would stagger rotate 2 acres wheat, alfalfa (for cattle and rabbits), buckwheat. Plus cover crop over winter. Cover crop would fix the soil and go to feeding the rabbit and chickens Rotate 1 acre with potatoes every third year, beans (several varieties) every third year, corn every third year. 1 acre for our garden. 1 acre orchard apples, apricots, pears, peaches, etc. (chickens and rabbits could be raised in the orchard) 1/4 acre for chicken and their feed. 1/4 acre for rabbits and their food, If the cover crop and the ground area between the orchard tree provide the rabbits and chickens with enough food we could convert their two 1/4 acres plots to our garden As we figure out crop yield we would adjust crops and rotations

[@keithcronk7980]

Ure going 2 need help brother🇺🇲🇺🇲😎😎

[@CamppattonFamilyCompound]

@@keithcronk7980 We have six adults and four grandsons. In about five years all of the grandsons will be helping.

[@Fordgroup00]

@@CamppattonFamilyCompound Better move out of the basement and get on that

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I left out the orchards because it's just so freaking broad but surrounding the house with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries can absolutely give all the vitamin c for the whole family no problem. The biggest issue for most will be storage and processing. Especially when a regular vegetable garden requires so much maintenance

[@CamppattonFamilyCompound]

@@PalmettoPrepared Yes, it is going to be a daunting process get the time management down.

[@hardymarshfarm7843]

outstanding! forgot the goats.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Here in the southeast is great as there is always woody growth for them to munch on. Add another acre for them to rotate and you'll be sitting pretty if you can handle the hay need

[@CorsairTrainers]

Good stuff!!

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I appreciate it

[@HomesteadAlabama]

Thank you great info

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I appreciate you watching

[@maccabeus-everydaysurvival5828]

Gtsy Alabama

[@OldSchoolPrepper]

I have been asked this question ad nauseum...in fact I was asked this yesterday. I really have no idea since it depends on so much...e.g. do you eat bread? will you grind your own wheat? do you have yeast to make bread?....do you make pasta? do you even need wheat? or corn or .... not to mention storage and famine years... and the people to actually do the work...not to mention seed/cooking/ etc etc...ack! I'm glad you've broken this down as much as it can be.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

YES! Me too. I get it all the time. I used to just give a round number to move the conversation along but this time I really wanted to crunch the numbers. As long as they've grown the grains before, and assuming they know how to prepare their soil, they should be able to get a good yield. But in reality there is just so many factors. Machinery will be the key

[@acerrubrum5749]

Very well done. I like the fun with math :) One of my hobbies is food history, the reality not the myths. The question is, what did the peasants eat? Medieval peasants ate a lot of mixed grain bread and low alcohol ale and it took the 6 acres person to do both. The yields were much less then. The Irish did eat a lot of potatoes but they also had beer and dairy products. The very poor drank whey for calories and nutrition, it was really cheap supplement. Trade in half your chickens for ducks, eggs and a lot of fat. Peasants were lucky eating one chicken a month and that one was a stew hen or a surplus rooster. At least one pig per farm, again fat. How to store milk? Make cheese, sheep, goat, cow. Don't forget charcuterie.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Luckily I have the option for corn and beans in the same area a year. Unfortunately, it's so hot here, growing wheat, rye, barley, oats is just ridiculously difficult. The fun fact is since wheat was so notoriously difficult to grow in the south, when you actually got a decent crop, many would sell it instead of eat it and buy a cheaper grain like oats or millet. A group of pigs is definitely a necessity especially here in the southeast because, like the old timers say, "you can eat everything but the squeal".

[@acerrubrum5749]

@@PalmettoPrepared Where I am equals Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, England so it is Potatoes, Corn, Oats, Wheat, Peas, Beans, Rye. You are more Spain, Italy, southern France so it is Potatoes, Beans, Corn, Sunflower seed, Spelt Google : A Compendium of Traditional Grains of the Coastal South Hope the grid stays up because if we had to do this without farm equipment our lives would be, "No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death: and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." Hobbs

[@PalmettoPrepared]

@@acerrubrum5749 don't forget the buckwheat. This is my first year trying it and I'm blown away by how fast and hands off it has been. Without a tractor or at the very least, irrigation. It would be one of the most miserable existences

[@acerrubrum5749]

I did one supplies for 100 people compound a while ago, WOWser that added up quickly. Also did a list for a village with some redundancy, science, security, trades, professions, yep quickly got to 500. But it had a great level of skill, and depth needed to adapt, build, improvise, overcome, innovate while having enough safety net for education and health. Others dream of glory, I calculate the logistics. lol

[@PreppingWithSarge]

My mini-farm in Kentucky was 8 acres. We had 100 chickens, 13 fruit trees, a dozen fruit bushes, an acre or so of garden, and a whole lot of unused land. By my logic, a family of four could probably do it with 4 acres if that included a pond or spring. Maybe less if you condensed and didn’t grow corn/wheat. But four would be do-able for sure based on my experience. Of course if someone can afford more land, it sure was nice to have that privacy, I used an acre for a private shooting range and that was fun. Wife used 3 acres for her horses and riding arena

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I would never move away from that

[@PreppingWithSarge]

@@PalmettoPrepared long story… divorce was big part of that. The company I was working for was about 1 year away from financial disaster.. it was time to put the sail up and find a new shore. 🤷‍♂️ I love Charleston, but I do need to get out into the woods a bit a few times a month just to keep my sanity

[@cguidry1481]

Very great information, and yup, 3 acres is almost perfect.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Anything more is a bonus but bare minimum, I think 3 is it. That's really gonna hurt the Instagram intensive gardening market lol

[@pamelalambe1356]

That was a good eye opener. Thank you. Bare minimum. Like your big picture approach. Don't forget oils/ fats and sugars bare necessities in your great maths.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

You are definitely correct on the fats and sugars. I'm always preaching those. Completely glossed over them in this video

[@ontariohomestead7135]

Dam....I was listening to this while splitting wood and I was gonna nit pick a bunch of points but ...moments later you did address my concerns. Although a few points....for instance you can not feed chickens only wheat.i do like that you talked about buildings but did not mention the several storage buildings. But man good on ya good research and solid numbers....oh....here at least we can sometimes double crop soybeans

[@PalmettoPrepared]

You are absolutely correct. I left out quite a few details for fear of going too in depth I would lose my original point. Another detail I omitted was that strictly wheat or corn will leave you with a severe deficiency of lysine. And unless you get meat, dairy, or eggs, you wouldn't survive. But hey, that's what other videos are for right lol. Definitely need grain storage as 3000 lbs of corn or 2000lbs of wheat is going to be a massive undertaking to keep from vermin and spoilage. Double soybeans is a win. Having 9000 rabbits is also a win. I left that part out as I have horrible experience with rabbits

[@ontariohomestead7135]

@@PalmettoPrepared what was the problem you had with rabbits?....there is not alot of things I can say I am smart with but rabbits are one lol

[@PalmettoPrepared]

@@ontariohomestead7135 the heat...

[@ontariohomestead7135]

@@PalmettoPrepared yup....rabbits can be a lot more finicky than people realize they need a breeze but can't have a draft right amount of light to breed and can have super sensitive stomachs

[@glen1arthur]

@@ontariohomestead7135 well there you teaching me new things - I only have so much room in this head of mine . Now I have forgotten how to tie my shoes thanks to you. 😂

[@acerrubrum5749]

Why people don't plant more nut trees, dinnae ken. 848 calories Hazelnuts 1 cup whole 135 g 785 calories Walnuts 1 cup pieces 120 g 823 calories Almonds 1 cup whole 143 g 909 calories Pine nuts 1 cup whole 135 g if you want the wild option :) and a lot of work. 65 calories Apples 1 cup chopped 125 g 92 calories Pears 1 cup cubed 161 cal. plus a Nut-Seed-Expeller-press

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I agree. I was hoping when I did my pecan oil video, it would open the dialogue for fats. Especially since pecans can store for several months just fine in their shell. To this point, I have planted 2 chestnuts just this year, still have my hazelnuts chugging along, pecans of course, and the beech trees out back.

[@glen1arthur]

Great points an fully mature oak can produce a ton of acorns in a year but will have other years of little or even no production.

[@privateerwoodworksnmore]

Still watching to the very end

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Lol I snuck that in lol

[@MichaelR58]

Good informational video Anthony , great presentation , thanks for sharing , God bless !

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Thank you Michael

[@WesS2016]

Enjoyed the proof of concept at the end.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

I appreciate that. Been trying new things and am getting extremely surprised by the results

[@WesS2016]

These numbers are why we had wanted to move to Oklahoma or Arkansas, we considered Tennessee. The right 5 acres would have allowed us to be self sufficient to a very large degree. The beauty of these numbers is that you can mix and match your crops and get a variety of high calories and still afford to grow some SALAD.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Precisely. With the numbers, you don't need to plant 1 full acre of corn. You can do a half and half with soybeans or peanuts and fix the soil while using the other. It's also great because you can mix so one disease doesn't ruin you entire year.

[@stevenintexas6947]

Hey Anthony, I enjoy your content. Thank you for it. You didn't mention the eggs that chickens would produce. Eggs are one of the most nutritionally complete foods on the planet.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

You're right, I was speaking more for meat birds that would be slaughtered around 8-10 weeks for meat breeds and 14 weeks for heritage breeds. Layers usually take 22-26 weeks to start laying. Alot of up front feeding and waiting. But yes, you could absolutely leave a dozen or more to lay and there's 70 calories 6 days a week for each hen.

[@Fordgroup00]

👍 right on. Interesting I figured it’d be between 6/8 and one would have to have overlapping crops I’d like to actually see someone’s (stacked to the rafters) smh You lost me when you (attacked) my spinach 😜

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Bahahahaha I'd love to see yall eat 24lbs of Spinach. Good thing about southern properties is we can grow corn and soybeans in the same season

[@Fordgroup00]

@@PalmettoPrepared 😂👍

[@ironbar9535]

Yes it's much more practical to raise your own meat and vegetables as they are the most expensive and just buy the starches. I found sheep to be the most practical fit for my personal situation.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Agreed. I like sheep because they actually want to stay in a fence. At least much better than goats do.

[@keithcronk7980]

🇺🇲🇺🇲♠️♠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️!!!!!!

[@acerrubrum5749]

Geez, some of this sounds like an email rant...

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Lol let's just say I get this question more than I'd like to admit

[@acerrubrum5749]

@@PalmettoPrepared I sent Steve an email calculating just eating from the garden, no animal, no grain... Just eating only from the garden... (we will skip the lack of protein and fats that you need ) 3,000 cal. per day X 365 = 1,095,000 cal. 1,095,000 x 5 people = 4,475,000 cal. The top 8 veggies by calories; 4,475,000 cal. ÷ 8 veggies = 684,375 cal per vegetable ÷ veg.# cal.= lbs needed per veg per year 1 lb. sweet potato = 390 calories per pound = 351 pounds per person 1 lb. sweet corn = 390 cal. = 351 lbs. 1 lb. potato = 354 calories = 387 lbs. 1 lb. peas = 349 calories = 393 lbs. 1 lb. Parsnips = 340 calories = 403 lbs. 1 lb. pumpkin = 205 calories = 668 lbs. 1 lb. butternut squash = 204 calories = 671 lbs. 1 lb. Beets = 195 calories = 701 lbs. = 19,625 pounds of veg. for a family of 5 for a year About 1 1/2 acres intensely gardened. Got seeds? Got storage? Without growing grains/corn/beans and not having fat/oil source you would have to eat : 2 lb sweet potato + 1 lb. corn + 1 lb potato + 1 lb peas + 1 lb parsnips + 1lb pumpkin + 1 lb squash + 2 lbs beets = 3012 cal. per person / per day or 10 pounds of veg. per person per day = 50 pounds per family per day Stock up on the TP Or lets go foraging... 100 cal. in a pound of wild mushrooms 204 cal. in a pound of dandelions 191 cal. in a pound of nettles 91 cal in a pound of wild asparagus 544 cal in a pound of squirrel = 3 squirrels So for a family of 5, you would need for one day of calories 5 x 3,000 = 15,000 cal. 3 squirrels = 544 cal 36 pounds of mushrooms = 3,614 cal 18 pounds of dandelions = 3,614 19 pounds of nettles = 3,614 39.7 pounds of asparagus = 3,614 ------------ 15,000 cal other options A 4 lb. trout = 1,920 cal. A pound of deer meet 717 cal. A pound of acorns 1,755 cal A pound of blackberries 195 cal. Keep this in mind when "they" tell you about living off their garden and or running to the woods and living off the land. * rings and jars for canning using 1 quart per day + 1 pint per day = 730 home canned 730 jars, 730 rings, 730 lids = 1 year lids for 2 years = 1460 lids for 3 years = 2190

[@PalmettoPrepared]

@@acerrubrum5749 this is hands down an absolutely excellent comment. Thank you for continuing the math. I found the exercise to be extremely enlightening yet left out BMR, an actual complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids, and the need for fats on purpose to shorten the overall length of the video so it wasn't too monotonous. This is exactly the direction where I wanted it to spin off So thank you Acer

[@glen1arthur]

@@PalmettoPrepared hey did you ever look into fish farming .?

[@glen1arthur]

@@acerrubrum5749 that is some dam good work and information 👍

[@blueheeler2608]

👍👍

[@glen1arthur]

Man cannot live on bread alone.

[@PalmettoPrepared]

Not modern breads

[@kelc7112]

family of 4 because you eat for two.. right? hahaha

[@PalmettoPrepared]

You have to admit, I don't eat as much as I used to when I was lifting heavy weights all the time