Questions about small acreage homesteads

[lorihadams]

I live in VA.....skip the tiller and do raised beds. Avoid the clay altogether......much easier!!!

 

[Wifezilla]

Wouldn't a LOW TILL or NO TILL garden work? If I understand the concept, you lay down compost one year (and possibly plant a cover crop) then plant the next.

I have pretty good soil where I am but learned last year the more I tilled the more weeds I got.

Here is a no till article you might find interesting....
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/208/

 

[i_am2bz]

I live in VA.....skip the tiller and do raised beds. Avoid the clay altogether......much easier!!!

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too...plus you don't have to bend over as far to plant & weed! I'm picturing the entire yard filled with these boxes, like a maze...

I may as well ask this, too...has anyone here used the "straw bale" method, or have any opinions on it...?

 

[i_am2bz]

You said you already have chickens and since you are a beginner at this I personally would recommend that you hold status quo for a while without adding any other animals, especially since you are a vegetarian. Bees may be the exception to that rule.

I ultimately believe that you WILL branch out into other animals later (especially if you hang around here!), but for now I think it is important to learn the gardening skills and focus on things a bit until you get good at them. Once the confidence level is up... try something new.

I think you're right...I've had my chickens about a year, & to this day haven't named any of them because I'm deathly afraid of accidently killing them somehow... :/

Bees I might be able to handle...I thought I saw a long thread about it, gotta look that one up...

I would really check out grafted trees from Miller or Stark Bros or another fruit tree specialty nursery. Grafted trees carry several types of apple on the same tree giving you LOTS of bang for the space. I have a grafted "Fruit Cocktail Tree" in my front yard that produces peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums (which all belong to the same family) on one tree. It rocks!

Ok, you've really got me intrigued with that one. How cool is that?? Definitely gonna check that out.