A Mouthful for Self Sufficiency

[Bossroo]

For anyone ready to try their hand at 'self sufficency' here's a little tid bit.

It's from an old book published in 1947 called Southern Crops.

One chapter deals with the amount of food a farm family of 5, two adults and 3 children would eat. Based on a plan by Clemson University.

Product yearly amount how to provide

milk 364 gallons two cows, freshing up a different seasons.....

Butter 260 pounds reserve 15 gallons (milk) per week for butter

Meat
5 servings per week persons
48 pounds pounds of beef and veal 240 pounds beef one beef -500 pounds live weight
76 pounds of pork and lard 380 pounds of pork and lard 3 hogs - 180 pounds live weight
6 pounds of lamb, mutton, fish, or games 30 pounds of lamb or other meats one lamb - 60 ounds live weight

Eggs and Poultry

10 eggs weekly per person 2600 eggs from 30 hens

chicken served twice a week 100 chickens for meat A flock of 50 hens will provide this egg and meat supply. Hatch 200 baby chicks each year.

Cereals
20 t 24 pounds of cereal products weeakly 20 bushels of wheat furnishing 784 pds of flour 1 or 2 acres each of corn and wheat
10 bushels of corn furnishing 480 pounds of meal


vegetables
174 pounds fresh greens
65 heads of lettuce
19 heads of cabbage
tomatoes 4.6 bushels fresh
108 quarts canned

other vegetables 303 pounds fresh
Potatoes 10 bushels


Fruit:

12 bushels fresh
180 quarts canned. 10 apple trees, 8 peach trees, 4 pear trees, 4 plums trees, 4 fig trees, 100 strawberry plants, 16 grapes, 50 each dewberry, blackberry, rspberry.



Wow! That's a lot of eating. Happy Farming!

 

[bigredfeather]

Thanks for sharing. You're right, that does seem like a lot of food. I thought we were getting close, but it looks like I need to get more chickens. LOL and a bigger garden...... and a bigger orchard...... (it might be easier to get rid of some of the kids LOL)

Thanks again.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Nice statistics. I think we could cut that down a little though, as we only have 4 people, and I don't think we eat that much anyway

We come close, but not quite that much per person, and we have a LONG way to go to be self-sustaining. Good information though. Thanks!

 

[Buster52]

Them's some fat people!

Using Jon Jeavons' biointensive gardening technique , I can feed my family with just 4,000 square feet of soil per adult (less for kids) with 99% self sustainability, without meat or eggs or any other animal protein. Since I will also be raising animals for protein, I reckon I'll be just fine on my 8 acres.

But thanks for the cautionary tale, even if it is a bit antiquated.

 

[Bossroo]

Yea, you are right it is a bit dated... in 2009 ( soon 2010) when supersizing everything is the norm and most of our kids are now obese, just add another 25% to all of the above.

 

[Buster52]

Quote:

I know you hate the idea of anyone being able to sustain themselves without help from the industrial agricultural system, but it can be done. It just takes time to get there. With the Jeavons system, you don't even need to import material for compost, as you purposely grow your own. Takes a while to build up the soil is all.

In my case, I will also need to grow feed for my birds and other critters that require it, but that shouldn't take too much extra work.

I reckon I will be at the 80% sustainability level in two or three years, and 99% in about 5.

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I'll race you to 99% self sustainability! May the best man or woman win! One rule, all techniques must be shared, as to make it fair.

 

[sundance]

when we go out for lunch, we usually eat cereal for dinner. I had 2 or 3 different kinds in the cabinet taking up room, so DH suggested that I pour them all together, so I poured all the cereal together added a box of raisions, and a couple small bags trail mix (fruit) and put them in the plastic gallon buckets icecream comes in. Makes really great cereal. It may not be self sufficent but its good for a different taste. marrie

 

[dacjohns]

Bossroo,

Are you on Sufficient Self? If you are can you post that over there also?

Thanks

 

[Buster52]

Quote: