Last week I had a conversation on twitter with one of my followers. They said that my posts were making them add to their wish list. I take that as a great compliment! Truth is, that I too have Homesteaders Envy. It is not painful but there is no known cure either. A lot of the posts that I share are things that I am in the process of learning and trying or things that I want to incorporate into my homestead.
The posts and videos that I share are ideas that I am working on and towards. So even though this isn't my "dream situation", I am doing the best that I can with what I have and using the shared posts as inspiration and education. The important thing is to start, do what you can no matter what your situation or location and make forward progress.
Homesteading for me anyway, is a never ending and constantly evolving process of learning, adapting and overcoming difficulties. While I am happy with my progress in the journey this far, I am constantly thinking about that next step and what I can improve and add to what I am doing. Even if I was on my own property, there would still be lots of tweaking and experimenting.
I have been enamored with food forests, permaculture and intercropping for a few years now and have been trying to figure out how to incorporate them in my push to sustainability and self sufficiency.
Homesteading for me anyway, is a never ending and constantly evolving process of learning, adapting and overcoming difficulties. While I am happy with my progress in the journey this far, I am constantly thinking about that next step and what I can improve and add to what I am doing. Even if I was on my own property, there would still be lots of tweaking and experimenting.
I have been enamored with food forests, permaculture and intercropping for a few years now and have been trying to figure out how to incorporate them in my push to sustainability and self sufficiency.
Last years gardening setback turned out to be a blessing. It gave me a season to observe the seasonal sun patterns, the rainwater flow when it sheets during Monsoon Season, a year of rainfall records and time to figure out bed and container placement. It gave me the valuable time to map the property in the picture above.
I also gained time to realize that a food forest, in it's most widely recognized form would not work for me because of the lack of rainfall, utilization of containers due to poor soil conditions and movability and input of irrigation systems. So I am modifying it and for the forest I am using dwarf fruit trees, dwarf cavendish bananas for the canopy level; boysenberries, blueberries and grapes for the mid level; strawberries, asparagus and herbs for the bottom level.
The raised beds ( a quick diy post on the construction will be coming this week) will be interplanted with complimentary vegetables and herbs in a hexagonal pattern to allow a larger number of plants than if I used traditional rows. The closer than normal spacings will also reduce weeds, conserve water and according to everything I've read less pests.
According to my yield estimates, I will have enough harvest for myself and to sell to the surplus to the local health food store that is buying my eggs. This will allow the garden to be financially self sufficient.
The spent vegetables and plants will be fed to the chickens and rabbits, their manure will be added to the compost, the compost will be added to the raised beds & containers continuing the goal of self sufficiency and sustainability
.
Thanks for dropping bye! Have a great Monday and be inspired by the how to posts that follow and get started!!
I also gained time to realize that a food forest, in it's most widely recognized form would not work for me because of the lack of rainfall, utilization of containers due to poor soil conditions and movability and input of irrigation systems. So I am modifying it and for the forest I am using dwarf fruit trees, dwarf cavendish bananas for the canopy level; boysenberries, blueberries and grapes for the mid level; strawberries, asparagus and herbs for the bottom level.
The raised beds ( a quick diy post on the construction will be coming this week) will be interplanted with complimentary vegetables and herbs in a hexagonal pattern to allow a larger number of plants than if I used traditional rows. The closer than normal spacings will also reduce weeds, conserve water and according to everything I've read less pests.
According to my yield estimates, I will have enough harvest for myself and to sell to the surplus to the local health food store that is buying my eggs. This will allow the garden to be financially self sufficient.
The spent vegetables and plants will be fed to the chickens and rabbits, their manure will be added to the compost, the compost will be added to the raised beds & containers continuing the goal of self sufficiency and sustainability
.
Thanks for dropping bye! Have a great Monday and be inspired by the how to posts that follow and get started!!
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