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  • From: Clansgian AT wmconnect.com
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] was music, now farming, agricultural, other misc.
  • Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:00:04 EDT


> >how do you grow the stuff to feed enough animals to feed 2-3 people?

You don't.

We scarcely feed animals.

Let me make a contrast here between the subsistence paradigm and the
agribusiness paradigm.

The agribusiness paradigm says, let's take as an example, a rabbit that you
want to raise to slaughter weight. Let's say if you buy X amount of feed
over
to bring the rabbit to that weight and the feed costs $5 .... and the rabbit
is going to dress out at 3 lbs and sells for (or is worth, if you eat it
yourself) $2 a pound .... then you make $1 profit. Or looking at it another
way,
you get to eat $6 worth of meat but you only paid $5 to raise it.

The subsistence paradigm says that the same rabbit will thrive quite well on
plantain, dock, clover, etc. that you can gather free. It will dress out at
2
lbs.

The agribusiness mindset is aghast! If I only get 2 lbs of meat worth $4 and
the feed to raise a rabbit is $5, that's economic suicide! Can't do it.

The subsistence mindset says, I get SOME meat for NO money.

Most of the chicken's food is grass, grass seed, bugs, and fungus in the
woods.
Most of the goats' food is brush and bracken at the edge of the forest.
Most of the cow's food is grass, hay, and since she's a Jersey, she also
browses.
Most of the draft animals' food is the same although the donkey is partial to
the moss and lichen that grow all over the rocks at the edge of the Mirkwood.
Most of the rabbits' food is gathered for them and consists of twigs, wild
roots, wild greens, and such.

Any kitchen waste or garden surplus is separated into suitable cow, horse,
chicken, rabbit, dog, and cat food.

Pigs are raised on gathered acorns, surplus milk, and the balance of garden
and kitchen waste.

In all cases, some grown and some purchased feed is involved. But very, very
little.

At times we have raised ducks, geese, and quail the same way. Geese are the
easiest since the prefer grass to everything else.

In the paradigm I'm suggesting, you don't think up a number of animals you
want to raise on your place and then go out and buy the feed for them.
Rather
you analyze the natural carrying capacity of your land and that's how many
animals it allows you. And that's the type of cuisine you eat.


James




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