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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >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