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We’re planning to buy 10-20 acres about 30 minutes outside the city, have a few animals, have a large garden (0.5 acres probably), but I intend to keep my job.

We’re planning to buy 10-20 acres about 30 minutes outside the city, have a few animals, have a large garden (0.5 acres probably), but I intend to keep my job. Our goal is to produce something instead of only consume, reduce our dependence on a supply chain that we think is untenable, and be able to grow most of our own food should we need to. We’re going to focus on growing food that’s easy to grow. I expect this will be work, but not a soul crushing amount. Is it possible that doing something like I’ve described would be a “best of both worlds” thing, or worst?

dkrudy 5y ago
That is a good middle ground, but be ready to drive for SO MUCH more of your life. I grew up this way, and now, live in a city, where I'm engrossed in my whole life, except my job is 30 minutes away, out into the country. 1. You'll be shocked how much planning it takes to accomplish any little task. You'll need to plan days or weeks in advance in order to not forget to get little items that will keep your progress going. And the planning ahead and covering contingencies also gets expensive. 2. As much as it makes sense, it will be also somewhat exhausting to work a whole day, and then have to make 3 stops in town for provisions before getting to go home. Keep that in mind too. 3. Cheers! Weigh these cons, and if they're not bigger than your pros, then find joy in what you've picked. Make some of driving prayer time. Buy a jeep to love time on the road. Gain confidence and self appreciation for the planning and consciousness you're capable of when you're calculating and covering contingences. Nothing is perfect, only good.
- auslegung 5y ago
  My job is remote so no commute, and we plan to homeschool. We’re going to start small, like a 10 sq ft garden lol, then get bigger slowly each season so we don’t get overwhelmed. Once we get to a place where enough is enough we’ll stop getting bigger and just maintain. We’d like to eat only our own food but we realize that’s more work than we want, so we’ll supplement with what local farmers are growing and butchering.
tjic 5y ago
This is similar to how I've been living on my homestead for the last 8 years, and I'm enjoying myself.
maxduckworth 5y ago
That seems like a great model for the modern world. What is the food that's easiest to grow?
- unnouinceput 5y ago
  Potatoes. They require the least maintenance and if you employ a small greenhouse (really, just a meter high, sticks and plastic sheets as cover) they can be grown all year round, yielding as much as 4 or even 5 harvests, depending on the potato type.
- shireboy 5y ago
  Depends where you are. I like things I can grow vertical to maximize harvest per sq ft - okra and beans have been my most forgiving and pest free.
- auslegung 5y ago
  It depends on the region. I don’t know much yet, but I’d like a lot of perennials that way it’s less to plant every season. But it might be the case that perennials take a lot of work, idk.

dkrudy 5y ago

That is a good middle ground, but be ready to drive for SO MUCH more of your life. I grew up this way, and now, live in a city, where I'm engrossed in my whole life, except my job is 30 minutes away, out into the country. 1. You'll be shocked how much planning it takes to accomplish any little task. You'll need to plan days or weeks in advance in order to not forget to get little items that will keep your progress going. And the planning ahead and covering contingencies also gets expensive. 2. As much as it makes sense, it will be also somewhat exhausting to work a whole day, and then have to make 3 stops in town for provisions before getting to go home. Keep that in mind too. 3. Cheers! Weigh these cons, and if they're not bigger than your pros, then find joy in what you've picked. Make some of driving prayer time. Buy a jeep to love time on the road. Gain confidence and self appreciation for the planning and consciousness you're capable of when you're calculating and covering contingences. Nothing is perfect, only good.

auslegung 5y ago
My job is remote so no commute, and we plan to homeschool. We’re going to start small, like a 10 sq ft garden lol, then get bigger slowly each season so we don’t get overwhelmed. Once we get to a place where enough is enough we’ll stop getting bigger and just maintain. We’d like to eat only our own food but we realize that’s more work than we want, so we’ll supplement with what local farmers are growing and butchering.

tjic 5y ago

This is similar to how I've been living on my homestead for the last 8 years, and I'm enjoying myself.

maxduckworth 5y ago

That seems like a great model for the modern world. What is the food that's easiest to grow?

unnouinceput 5y ago
Potatoes. They require the least maintenance and if you employ a small greenhouse (really, just a meter high, sticks and plastic sheets as cover) they can be grown all year round, yielding as much as 4 or even 5 harvests, depending on the potato type.
shireboy 5y ago
Depends where you are. I like things I can grow vertical to maximize harvest per sq ft - okra and beans have been my most forgiving and pest free.
auslegung 5y ago
It depends on the region. I don’t know much yet, but I’d like a lot of perennials that way it’s less to plant every season. But it might be the case that perennials take a lot of work, idk.