| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 10:28:40 AM
Doug and I are really getting serious about our future. I plan on having a homestead within 3 years...no later!! I want to go through the USDA Rural Development program and get 5 acres. Hopefully in an area that would allow us to buy more land as we go along, but if not we might end up having sell and buy bigger as I eventually want to have about 20 acres.
Anyway- He asked me a good question. "What do you want to grow in your garden and how much garden space do you want?"
Well...I think I will need at least an acre to be completely self sufficient, though I know people do it on much smaller amounts.
I know I want to have:
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Bluberries
Apples
Cherries
Grapes
Tomatoes
Bush Beans of several varieties
Sugar Snap peas
Carrots
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Radishes
Hot and Mild Peppers
Lettuce
Cabbage
Pumpkins
Several types of Squash
Several Types of Cucumbers
Zuchinni
Egg Plant
Sunflowers
What I am wondering is- do you think it is worth while to plant corn for a family or would it be more economical to buy from a farmer that mostly grows corn?
Also- what else would you recommend?
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
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| Prairie Princess |
Posted - Sep 02 2008 : 6:11:08 PM
I'm showing this thread to my bf!! He USED to talk about being self sufficient and 'homesteading', so maybe it'll revive the topic. 
Is the 20 acres enough for all your gardening, home, etc AND your horse farm, Alee??
~Jodi
"Women are like teabags...you never know how strong they are until they get into hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt |
| Alee |
Posted - Sep 01 2008 : 10:13:54 AM
Hi Heather!
I have grown corn once before and only had two rows. We had heads of corn growing before we had to move and abandon the garden. It was very sad :(
Thanks for the tip! I think if we grow corn, perhaps we will grow it in the alley next year. There is a bit of land that is completely un-utilized where we could have a sizeable plot of corn. I love how fresh corn tastes! Nothing can quite compare, can it?
I think I am going to spend most of the day crafting and cleaning the house! LOL
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
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| Pickles |
Posted - Sep 01 2008 : 09:10:56 AM
Alee - One thing to note about corn is that you need plant in blocks for proper pollination. I tried the straight row one year and had nothing...except ornamental stalks. Anyway, it's good to be back around the hen house. That church deal really pulled me away from all of the things I enjoy doing. My family is definitely happy to have me back as well. Anyway, have a great Labor day! Make sure you're out Laboring today. :)
Heather
Live Long, Laugh Often, Farm Much!!
Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #52
http://farmgirlgourmet.blogspot.com/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 30 2008 : 12:04:53 AM
Hey Heather!! Welcome back, Sister! We have missed you around here!
Thanks for the input about the corn! I love sweet fresh garden corn. I figure if nothing else- I could plant them as a seasonal privacy fence! 9 Feet? That's amazing! They must love the soil of your raised beds!
Thanks for the tip about the book. I had heard of the title before, but I love getting a recommendation from a fellow Farmgirl so I know it will be worth the $$ to buy it!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| Pickles |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 9:18:23 PM
ALEE!!! Long time sister! I think it's worth it to grow the corn yourself. Like another poster said, it's gorgeous and if the corn doesn't mature right, you at least get pretty dried stalks for fall decor. I have a 7x12 foot raised bed that I grow my corn in. This year I have stalks that are over 9 feet tall. Serious! It's insane. Also, I would highly recommend the book "Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening" by Louise Riotte. Super book! This year I grew pumpkins in the corn bed and they are going crazy! Anyway, keep dreaming girlfriend, before you know it you'll be hoeing your own piece of ground. I hope you and Nora are doing super!
Talk to you soon!!!
Heather
Live Long, Laugh Often, Farm Much!!
Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #52
http://farmgirlgourmet.blogspot.com/ |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Aug 19 2008 : 11:31:44 AM
Alee: We do succession plant 1/2 and 1/2. We have anywhere from 16 to 22 rows with each row being approximately 50' long. This year it was 20 rows at 55'. So, we get to go through the picking, shucking, canning, freezing part twice. I know you can't do corn in 'em, but check out Diana's garden on the raised bed vs 'on the flat' topic. She used some plastic barrels and it looks really good! Maybe you could do that where you are, and just move 'em with you when you get your 25 acres!
from the hearts of paradise... |
| lacisne88 |
Posted - Aug 19 2008 : 10:07:34 AM
Alee, I'm really excited for you! That you are on a good track and everything! I hope to be there someday (maybe someday soon?) Have a great day!
Chelsey
Farmgirl Sister #283
http://farmgirlpleasures.blogspot.com/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 19 2008 : 09:29:07 AM
Thanks for the input, Julie! Do you space your plantings so you won't have to harvest all 20 rows in one day? How long are your rows?
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Aug 19 2008 : 09:14:15 AM
Alee: We grow corn every year, and love it, but it does take up a lot of room. Just remember, if you buy it from the farmers markets, it's good, but corn immediately begins to lose its flavor the second you snap it from the stalk. We always make sure that the day we pick corn, we also have plenty of time to shuck it, cut it, freeze it and can it. Needless to say, we start the night before getting things set out, and pick early in the morning. Even then we're usually finishing up sometime around 9pm. Of course, we also grow around 20 rows, so we have a LOT! I LOVE your gardening list. With all you want to do, you might want to consider raised beds -- you an grow more in a smaller space. It's my dream, if I can just get dh to cooperate!!! :)
from the hearts of paradise... |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 14 2008 : 06:46:58 AM
I hope there is Meg!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| sweetproserpina |
Posted - Aug 14 2008 : 05:56:06 AM
Alee, you've really got me thinking.. I wonder if there is a similar program in Canada? We run a small auto parts business at home, but would like to move farther out into the country, so the fella could have a large garage/barn to do his fabricating/welding in. I wonder if there are any programs that would encourage businesses in rural areas/small towns by helping provide loans/assistance?
Off to investigate! Thanks Alee!
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| Alee |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 9:37:41 PM
Hi Beverly-
As was mentioned by Karen, there are 1000's of programs that the USDA Rural Development sponsors. Their website is SUPER confusing until you click around a lot on it.
What the housing one does is try to get people into adequate housing even if you are mid to low income and even with poor credit. And if you don't qualify because of your credit, they will coach you on how to repair your credit as quickly as possible.
There are two types of loans- direct and guaranteed. Direct you get straight from the USDA and Guaranteed it is like the USDA is your co-signer.
You can get a house in town or out of town as long as it falls outside certain delineations. You can't get a house in the middle of a huge metropolitan area, but it is usually possible to get a qualified property on the outskirts of that area.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| Beverley |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 9:09:15 PM
Hi I went to that website for the usda rural development and I was just wondering what it is actually for? I was reading it over but what does it actually do for individual people who live in rural areas and what do you have to do to get funds. is it just for starting small businesses or ??? I don't quite understand it? Can anyone explain? beverley
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett
http://bevsdoggies.googlepages.com/ |
| LivingWell4You |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 5:19:58 PM
How exciting, Alee! I'm exhausted just reading your list but you are such a ball of energy, it will be so much fun for you. Keep those dreams going.
It's really cool to read about so many of you looking at the rural development program because my dh works for....drum roll please.....USDA Rural Development in the programming department. So he may be working on programs that help you get those farms. How cool is that? Oops, guess not - he just said there's about a 1000 different programs and isn't familiar with it. He's working with guaranteed loans right now.
Audrey, thanks for the tips about the Three Sisters. We didn't get corn in the ground this year but we're already talking about where the patch will go next year.
And Debra, you're going to be a Missouri gal? That's some of the best news I've heard this week!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sister #??? (to be filled in after I get my badge) |
| acairnsmom |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 1:19:19 PM
I agree with Sissy, Alee. The corn decorating your landscape is part of the treat of growing it. It decorates your garden when it's growing then when you harvest it you get to use the stalks to decorate your house for fall. They charge an arm and a leg for corn stalks around here in the fall! We just have a small garden but in the past I've grown just a few plants just so I can use them to decorate with! I didn't plant any this year and I miss looking at it when I'm out there. So, we are in the process of more than doubling our garden space so we can put in corn next year. Maybe I can sell my extra stalks then too!
I read an article about Native American planting corn and in the same space they not only plant beans (hard shell) which use the corn to grow up but also either squash or pumpkins which grow on the ground under the corn. I believe they are called the "Three Sisters". Three diffent types of food growing in one space. Talk about multi-tasking!
"Let us greet with a song of hope each day" |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 12:47:38 PM
Hi Brooke!
Here is the website for the USDA Rural Development Program:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/
The limit for the land they will let you get is 5 acres. They don't want people buying huge tracts of land then selling the land for developments.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| lilwing |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 12:22:44 PM
I can't seem to find anything that specifically tells me about this 5 acre program! Grr!
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| lilwing |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 12:12:48 PM
Alee, How exciting for you! You know what they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step (or is it baby steps..) At any rate, I know you will get there! I have been interested in the 5 acre Rural Developement program.. I may do a search ... How do you go about doing that??
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| Alee |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 11:35:52 AM
Thanks for the ideas ladies! Keep them coming! I am getting all fired up and wish I could be planting a whole new garden here since I missed a lot of the growing season this year. But I get a whole winter to map, graph, plan and start a whole new garden inside!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| sissysquilts |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 11:31:19 AM
Hi Alee :) We plant alittle corn every year as I always want the stalks for fall decor on the porch etc. and we grow an heirloom bi-color. Thing is, we grow it in the back and side yard! I can see the back yard planting (just a corner of the yard, not too much) from the bedroom and it's so gorgeous! then the lower side yard we plant the corn and then pumpkins with it and it covers a trouble patch that is unused the rest of the year. We always get enough for our little family to eat and freeze and supplement with other varieties from a farm stand nearby. It's a great "fill-in" on ground that is yet unlandscaped too (we did our yard in stages). So while it is definitely a space hog, it's a pretty one if you can plan to spare a bit of yard or land while you develop it's worth it :)
Sissy
Farmgirl Sister #117
"The good stars met in your horoscope. Made you of spirit,fire and dew"
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| joyfulmama |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 11:28:32 AM
I hear ya Alee! We want enough land that we can have animals- chickens, cows for beef and one for milking, and some pigs.. maybe a sheep or 2 or 3... then we want fruit and nut trees, gardens- berries, veggies, herbs etc.... and some corn too.. Jeff has built up his clients that after we move- the following month we will be able to put money away towards moving. Bertha here on the forum lives in the area of MO that we want to live. I worked out a barter with her to send me a newspaper once a month. I think we are planning to move- rent for a bit while looking for our perfect home.
It makes life more exciting when you have a plan!
Blessings, Debra
"Your life is an occasion, Rise to it." Mr Magorium..
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| ruralfarmgirl |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 11:24:07 AM
Alee,
On the corn, I think it would depend on the amount of space you end up with.. it is such a space hog... although I have very little space and I always plant a Corn TeePee. We have so many awesome farmers around here that I end up just buying mine for freesing etc.
I love you plan and I love that you are being focused about it.. these things seldom just happen often we have to "Create" the life we want...
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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| Bear5 |
Posted - Aug 13 2008 : 10:32:23 AM
Alee:
I love a woman who has dreams such as yours. Are you planning on planting herbs? Good luck to you and your. My wish for you is that you get 120 acres!
Marly |
