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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] NOTE added: Ten Acres Enough
  • Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:13:09 -0600


This has several conditions for this approach I should have mentioned -
access to enough good manure, free water (as in your own well or acequia),
time and/or money to set up and break even in one year, certain skills and
knowhow from experience, and easy access to busy growers markets. Obviously,
other climates and locations call for different adaptations that others have
more experience with.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 6/15/2008 at 11:33 PM Tradingpost wrote:

>5 acres or whatever, some of his principles apply to smaller and larger
>parcels. Two Rodale Press books I have go into further detail on intensive
>growing. We misunderstand Jeavons if we think he was creating a
>one-size-fits-all model for the whole population. Ditto for Morris. For
>example, I work to adapt methods from all writers I've run into. But I
>don't double dig; I don't compost; I don't do cover crops; I don't use a
>tiller. But I do build healthy soil, use permanent beds, and concentrate
>amendments, water, and labor on growing beds instead of wasting it on
>aisles between. In those beds I plant intensively, mulch, and double crop,
>and I hold costs way down and get retail prices at growers markets. And we
>produce very large amounts on one-sixth of an acre. All by hand. With
>similar methods a younger couple could make a good living on one whole
>acre. And we're in a dry climate with a short season. And we're far from
>the only ones.
>
>The point of these books is, we can do far more in less space than we once
>thought, if we don't dismiss the whole project as ridiculous and never
>try. The day is coming when those of us who do it will get ridiculously
>high prices for our work.
>
>paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
>*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>
>On 6/15/2008 at 4:22 PM bruce smith wrote:
>
>>the book was ok.. It doesn't deal within the natural world though.. 89% of
>>people do not nor will the ever have 10 acres of land..
>>Does anyone know of books that teach folks to grow on less..Not Jeavons
>>books either, because he is 5 acres..that can't be realized in this modern
>>age.
>>
>>On Sun, Jun 15, 2008 at 8:31 AM, TamesonOB <tamesonob@metrocast.net>
>wrote:
>>
>>> I LOVED!!!! this book. I have reread it 4 times. I think it's profoundly
>>> better than anything the Nearings ever wrote (similar vein) IMNSHO. I
>>> highly
>>> recommend this book - I sound like I'm on reading rainbow or something
>>but
>>> it really is a super book.
>>>
>>> Tameson in NH
>>>
>
>
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