How much space would you need to grow all your own food?

Blisterman

I was wondering if anyone knew. What is the minimum land area, you'd need if you wanted to grow all the food a person would require throughout the year, eg, fruits, vegetables, grain?

netwhizkid

Not too much I reckon didn't Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall survive off (two acres smallholding) along with some scavenging from the hedgerows. see here

FX Meister

Mmmm, your diet would be just great.

Blisterman

Do you know how many people that 2 acre plot fed?

Reyman

I believe that in the mid 19th century A family of ten could live off one acre.

This of course relied almost entirely on potatoes so maybe not the best example.

Tivoli

Reyman wrote:

I believe that in the mid 19th century A family of ten could live off one acre.

This of course relied almost entirely on potatoes so maybe not the best example.

hmmm
mon-boiled potatoes
tue-chips
wed-mash
thurs-baked potatoes (with mash filling)
fri-roasted potatos
sat-patatoe salad
sun potatoe farls

Mellor

Tivoli wrote:

hmmm
mon-boiled potatoes
tue-chips
wed-mash
thurs-baked potatoes (with mash filling)
fri-roasted potatos
sat-patatoe salad
sun potatoe farls

You'd need a chicken to get eggs for the mayonaisse

noby

sat-patatoe salad
sun potatoe farls

You are Al Gore, and I claim my prize.

OP, you probably could live off a relatively small plot of land, but your diet would drastically change/ be restricted.
Veg could be rotated on a pretty small area of land. Hens could be 'free ranged' but penned into a small run. Add a cock, and you have a constant supply of chicken aswell as eggs. Maybe you are vegetarian, but I would imagine having a couple of pigs or sheep that could be slaughtered periodically. Even so, I would still find it pretty difficult to be completely self sufficient. I've been looking at the 100 mile diet, and even that would be a bit of a challenge.
Best of luck with it, though.

Mellor

noby wrote:

I've been looking at the 100 mile diet, and even that would be a bit of a challenge.

The what???

noby

100milediet.org

Basically you try to source as much food as possible within a 100 mile radius. Not a weight loss diet, more of an environmental thing, eating local produce. To even have a meal of produce from within a 100 mile radius can be a bit of a challenge, not to mind your whole diet.
It does make you think more about Farmer's markets, local butchers etc.

r3nu4l

noby wrote:

100milediet.org

Basically you try to source as much food as possible within a 100 mile radius. Not a weight loss diet, more of an environmental thing, eating local produce. To even have a meal of produce from within a 100 mile radius can be a bit of a challenge, not to mind your whole diet.
It does make you think more about Farmer's markets, local butchers etc.

Well I've eaten at Oliver Rowe's restaurant "Konstam at the Prince Albert" in Kings Cross and he sources 95% of his food from the tube map area and the other 5% from within 20 miles of that and his menu is wide and varied (as well as variable!).

As for how much land? How long is a piece of string? You would need to be very efficient with your land and be prepared to for winter.

Check out this for info on raising chickens (the UK's fastest growing hobby apparently). I know three people keeping chickens and they say it's a doddle.

You would also definitely need a good greenhouse.

noby

it is a doddle. I have hens myself. When I was first looking at getting them I came across that site, but with a little DIY, you can make your own coop, then just get to your nearest mart, or check out the buy and sell for your poultry. Spring is the best time to get them, so gives you a chance now to build your coop. There are plenty of ideas on the net. I used backyardchickens.com, but the site seems to be down now.

loyatemu

noby wrote:

You are Al Gore, and I claim my prize.

that was Dan Quayle!

noby

Doh! Dumb American politicians isn't my strong point.

sonic juice

fresh vegetables!