Dragonlaurel's journal- Community Garden

[ohiofarmgirl]

hey DL!

i'll pitch in a couple books that really helped me:

Making Your Small Farm Profitable
- Ron Macher

a great overview that helps you think thru the planning and the 'checklist' of what to think about

Ten Acres Enough - The Classic 1864 Guide to Independent Farming
Edmund Morris

a real classic and just as relevant in your decision making as it was in 1864... great info as well. common sense just doesnt go out of date - this really helped me.

when we got started on this property (basically started with a house and garage 2 yrs ago) we focused on:

Year one: basic housing for critters + basic gardening
Year two: expanded housing (making everyone fit and adding more critters) + growing what works, expanding growing area

Year three will be pasture, growing feed for the critters, and growing for profit not just for us

good luck

 

[dragonlaurel]

My DH will be on his way to visit relatives in Hot Springs this afternoon

I love love love that city. If I ever move again, it will be to Hot Springs. MIL owns several acres just a couple miles off Central, but it feels like you are miles upon MILES out in the country. I actually wept when we walked her plot of land, it was so beautiful.

Hope he has a good trip. It's been cold and rainy all day. I want to stay in the general area but do want to move to have some land.

 

[dragonlaurel]

Beekissed- I'm reading the You Can Farm book already. Good book! I intend to grow lots of variety while I see what works here- and what sells.
This town is about 40,000 people. That's probably enough. It is the biggest town for over an hours drive.
Our Farmers Market is open spring through October. That gives us a chance to get known and make some $.
The farmers market is strict about "locally produced" so having some different varieties would be important.

Fresh flowers- potted or cut, and herbs would help draw people. Dried herbs could be sold also.

Statement about what we will and wont use on land, crops and animals. Too many people want to know and may not ask.

Ladychef- I need to look into agritourism. Hay bale seats are a cool idea.

I would start planting fruit trees, grapes, berry bushes and asparagus, Right Away. Already did research about what varieties would grow locally. Use my kitchen garden as a testing area for veggie varieties. Grow Heirlooms especially for saving seeds and encouraging diversity.

Drakemaiden- Didn't have any place to grow crops yet, so I hadn't checked on the price for the market. May as well, just to know. I also will check about a trial weekend.
I would be willing to lease land or have a similar arrangement to be able to start sooner.

Ohio- I'll check if I can get those books. Thanks ! I'm figuring out the time line to make things work for us too.

 

[Farmfresh]

Have you thought about leasing and/or sharecropping someone else's land while you wait for your dream parcel?

Or ... look around in TOWN of all things! My big garden is a quarter of an acre behind an apartment building that the owner did not want the hassle of caring for. It is within walking distance of my house and FREE to use for the upkeep!

 

[dragonlaurel]

That was lucky. 1/4 acre is pretty big for garden crops.

I'm in an apartment for now so I don't have any yard to use. We will eventually have bees, chickens, goats and more but don't have the $ to buy land yet. They do not allow chickens or any other livestock in the city limits.

I 'd love to do something like that to get it started. I'm going to have to do more exploring, to see if there's any likely land.

 

[FarmerChick]

hey DL
have you checked foreclosure land and maybe auctions.
you can get some great deals.
always keep an eye out cause that perfect deal could walk in front of your face. be ready if you can to snatch it up if the deal is wonderful!

if finances are tight be sure to get land and a HOME on it. something to live in. buying just land means sometimes that home can't ever get built...but having any roof on the property means you can at least live there and use it to the fullest.

chickens in city limits is hard. check your restrictions. it varies everywhere.

 

[Farmfresh]

That was lucky. 1/4 acre is pretty big for garden crops.
I'm in an apartment for now so I don't have any yard to use. We will eventually have bees, chickens, goats and more but don't have the $ to buy land yet. They do not allow chickens or any other livestock in the city limits.

You would be surprised how much vacant land in the form of undeveloped lots there is out there if you just go looking. Even in BIG cities. Our city is over 150,000 people.

I have a house where I live, but the yard is tiny. I always joke about my "back 40" ... it is 40 feet wide and 40 feet deep. Fortunately where I live chickens ARE legal with restrictions. As long as you keep the neighbors happy the restrictions CAN be bended a tiny bit.

My personal motto is "Stop Dreaming about the Good Life and Start Living IT!"

I say that because even in a tiny apartment you can start building those Self Sufficient skills that you will need if you ever DO buy that land. Buy at a farmers market (or even the grocery store sales) and start to can, freeze, dehydrate and preserve. Learn to fix things... your car, your clothes, your personal items. Learn to budget and plan. Learn to sew, knit, crochet, make candles and soap. Grow herbs in pots. Grow veggies in pots. Grow mushrooms. And most important of all read, read, read - then ask questions here and learn, learn, learn.

This forum is a GREAT resource. I wish I had had it when I was starting out.
There are a LOT of skills to learn and the more proficient you are in them when you get that land the better.

 

[dragonlaurel]

hey DL
have you checked foreclosure land and maybe auctions.
you can get some great deals.
always keep an eye out cause that perfect deal could walk in front of your face. be ready if you can to snatch it up if the deal is wonderful!
if finances are tight be sure to get land and a HOME on it. something to live in. buying just land means sometimes that home can't ever get built...but having any roof on the property means you can at least live there and use it to the fullest.
chickens in city limits is hard. check your restrictions. it varies everywhere.

Farmerchick-
Our finances are so tight they squeak...
I'm trying to find out about foreclosures. The leads keep turning into sales pitches for somebody's book/program/ and conference Near You... , Exasparating.
How do you find them?
Where do you find out about Tax Sales ???
Auctions give great deals- for cash - might be able to do something there, but not yet.
I am looking to see if there's any land nearby that I could garden in for free or cheap.
I can look into leasing land or even sharecropping, for a market garden.

Having a building on it would be a big help but I could use a tent, while building cheap! Love camping anyway. He wont give up a low-rent, safe, warm, apartment unless we own the land. I want our next move to be permanent. This town does not allow any fowl or livestock in the city limits. Read it myself. I'm pouting.

 

[dragonlaurel]

That was lucky. 1/4 acre is pretty big for garden crops.
I'm in an apartment for now so I don't have any yard to use. We will eventually have bees, chickens, goats and more but don't have the $ to buy land yet. They do not allow chickens or any other livestock in the city limits.

You would be surprised how much vacant land in the form of undeveloped lots there is out there if you just go looking. Even in BIG cities. Our city is over 150,000 people.
I have a house where I live, but the yard is tiny. I always joke about my "back 40" ... it is 40 feet wide and 40 feet deep. Fortunately where I live chickens ARE legal with restrictions. As long as you keep the neighbors happy the restrictions CAN be bended a tiny bit.
My personal motto is "Stop Dreaming about the Good Life and Start Living IT!"
I say that because even in a tiny apartment you can start building those Self Sufficient skills that you will need if you ever DO buy that land. Buy at a farmers market (or even the grocery store sales) and start to can, freeze, dehydrate and preserve. Learn to fix things... your car, your clothes, your personal items. Learn to budget and plan. Learn to sew, knit, crochet, make candles and soap. Grow herbs in pots. Grow veggies in pots. Grow mushrooms. And most important of all read, read, read - then ask questions here and learn, learn, learn.
This forum is a GREAT resource. I wish I had had it when I was starting out.
There are a LOT of skills to learn and the more proficient you are in them when you get that land the better.

Farmfresh-
I'll be looking for a bit of land I might be able to use. It's getting chilly already here but I finding somewhere to plant by spring would still be good. Something to look forward to.
The farmers market is not open in the winter but I will be trying for those harvest deals- and I am an excellent shopper.
I've canned a little. Don't have a canner, but I've got my eyes open. One will turn up.
My DH already has a dehydrator waiting for those harvest specials.
I'm used to making big batches of food and freezing most of it in dinner size amounts.
I've made some basic clothing but thrift shops are cheaper for me than buying cloth. Mending pile is still waiting ... impatiently.
I've made candles, molded, jar candles, and dipped. Jars are much easier and the way I will go. I enjoy making them.
Haven't made soaps- still might.
My fall garden was planted in August but the balcony is too shady so they aren't doing much. I have eaten sprouts from the seedlings that needed thinned. I would love to grow mushrooms. Yummmm.
I can do basic crocheting but never got the hang of knitting.
I've already filled notebooks with info about growing plants, animals, designing/building home and outbuildings, and cooking/herbs/natural healing. I got more notebooks already and divided it up to make it easier to find the info.
I have 10-15 Gigabytes of it on this computer, but not organized as well. I've been reading and Saving info and tips as I find them. Thanks Everybody!
Now I just want to be able to use it !!!

 

[xpc]

Turned 45, which isn't bad.

Too old, probably wont be back here again unless I need some prohibition information (if i must).

Those ideas about doing the heavy work , changing the oil, building stuff for you tend to be accompanied by too many chauvinistic
ideas about what a woman should be like. Some of them need women to seem weak and helpless so they could feel like "the man". I can't play that game. Not with a straight face anyway. Laura

A good cooking cleaning girl is all that we ask, leave the oil changes to us guys that way we don't have to worry about changing the motor in the car when you hit a penguin or re-brush the carpet mower when you run over a newts eye.

I like building bookshelves myself. This is very good since I'm one of those people that keeps getting more books. I have let guys hold something in place for me but wont let them take over. I just say "this is my project and I'm going to finish it".

Books on the floor are fun to read too.

Turning 45 was fine. I lied like a bad rug about 40 though! I went 39, 27 again, 27 again, 27 again, 43, 44, 45. Didn't want all the stupid 40 jokes so I picked a number I liked and used it till I was safely past the landmark number.

27, 39, 40...45, is all the same age, do you want me to chew your food too.

I'm trying to find out about foreclosures. The leads keep turning into sales pitches for somebody's book/program/ and conference Near You... , Exasparating.
How do you find them?

Don't look on the net for foreclosures, as you have found it is just a ruse and ripoff, First get a line of pre-approved credit from your bank or have cash ready then ask all your local banks for a foreclosure list and sheriffs sales - hint sheriffs auctions are always listed in the newspaper about 3 months after property taxes are due.