- Jan 13, 2011
- 5
- 0
- 7
My name is Tom . My wife and I are retired and live just off old Route 66 about 15 miles east of Kingman AZ . We have about an acre and a quarter and already have a hoop style greenhouse that measures 12 X 15 feet . We have had pretty good results from "all the usual suspects" that folks grow . Tomatoes , onions , peppers , zuccini and others . With the current economic climate I really feel a need to enlarge our growing area . Without going into boring detail I have secured the materials needed to construct an area of about 50 X 100 . Our neighbors have 2 horses and spent a year piling the manure in an area which they later enclosed . They have chickens . About 7 or 8 . The chickens did a super job of scratching , digging and preparing the entire area for planting . I carried the manure from another neighbor and piled it up near the area on which I am planning to grow a LOT more things . I am (so far) planning on putting a bunch of chickens in there to more or less "tame" the area for me to plant . If I can place the coop in a strategic way I can allow an area for them on a rotating basis so as to let them roam BUT not interfere with the crop . I am not looking for many exotic crops but just the basics . Corn , onions , carrots , some greens and a couple of others of that ilk . These would be more for sustaining over a period of time if food becomes scarce or just downright too expensive .
The chickens will also serve to sustain us with eggs and again when they have outlived their usefulness . There are quite a few of us in this area . Mostly vets from Nam era . Suffice it to say that protecting our crops will be of paramount importance but easily addressed . My research has led me to believe that the JAVA breed will do very well here . We do have some evil heat (we are at 3600 ft.) and a winter that will occasionally bite you . A few inches of snow is not at all uncommon along with a couple of days that will dip to the low 20's . With proper construction and planning I hope to provide our flock with adequate protection from both . Our neighbors supplement the range feed with cracked corn so that looks like the way to go . My neighbors have also been having detailed discussions on how to barter food if it comes to that . There is a lot of hype lately about GOLD . I actually prospect here in AZ abd finding gold is rather fun BUT I don't see gold working very well since it depends on a stable monetary system to return . I can't eat gold and I'm 64 with 65 coming in 3 weeks so my concerns are with the short term . Being rich in 20 years pales in relation to dead in 15 or so .
Well , so much for my grand plan . Any suggestions or hints will be greatly appreciated .
Tom in Kingman AZ
The chickens will also serve to sustain us with eggs and again when they have outlived their usefulness . There are quite a few of us in this area . Mostly vets from Nam era . Suffice it to say that protecting our crops will be of paramount importance but easily addressed . My research has led me to believe that the JAVA breed will do very well here . We do have some evil heat (we are at 3600 ft.) and a winter that will occasionally bite you . A few inches of snow is not at all uncommon along with a couple of days that will dip to the low 20's . With proper construction and planning I hope to provide our flock with adequate protection from both . Our neighbors supplement the range feed with cracked corn so that looks like the way to go . My neighbors have also been having detailed discussions on how to barter food if it comes to that . There is a lot of hype lately about GOLD . I actually prospect here in AZ abd finding gold is rather fun BUT I don't see gold working very well since it depends on a stable monetary system to return . I can't eat gold and I'm 64 with 65 coming in 3 weeks so my concerns are with the short term . Being rich in 20 years pales in relation to dead in 15 or so .
Well , so much for my grand plan . Any suggestions or hints will be greatly appreciated .
Tom in Kingman AZ
