tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post965275986594715764..comments2024-03-18T22:33:57.339-04:00Comments on 5 Acres & A Dream: Grain Patch PrepLeighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-35701774401683491932011-01-22T15:24:54.776-05:002011-01-22T15:24:54.776-05:00Mama Pea, so delighted to find another Dick Raymon...Mama Pea, so delighted to find another Dick Raymond fan. He is the one that turned my DH on to gardening. His book is still one of the first I reach for. I'm not sure if he's still alive or not. If he is, we can both bet he's still gardening!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-44022399039175568452011-01-22T11:46:43.334-05:002011-01-22T11:46:43.334-05:00Dick Raymond! Omigosh! I think he has been absol...Dick Raymond! Omigosh! I think he has been absolutely THE biggest influence on my gardening know-how. His first book I have is copyrighted 1982 and I've spent many, many hours pouring over it and using it as a reference right up until today. Needless to say, the book nearly falls apart in my hands and I've been thinking of taking it to be spiral bound to preserve it.<br /><br />Is he still living? From what you say, he's still gardening? My goodness, he must be getting up there in age. But we all know gardeners are notorious for living long lives!Mama Peahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-71372495390133745402011-01-21T06:34:40.131-05:002011-01-21T06:34:40.131-05:00Thank you covnitkepr1! I'm on my way to visit ...Thank you covnitkepr1! I'm on my way to visit your blog and follow you back.<br /><br />Geodyne, that's the kind of practical information we've been wondering about. One nice thing about a corn/wheat rotation, is that the same ground can produce double the output as they're planted different times of year. Of course corn is a heavy feeder, so it is usually on a 5 year rotation for a given piece of ground. However Dick Raymond (<i>Joy of Gardening</i>), has worked an experimental patch in conjunction with his cooperative extension office, and has been growing corn alternating with beans, without fertilizer, for a number of years. The soil nitrogen remains good, so I'm thinking the 3 sisters will do well in our patch.<br /><br />Homestead Family Journal, thank you! I love your goal and congrats on starting your blog. It's a wonderful tool for tracking one's own progress, as well as sharing with others. Plus, I get some of my best tips from readers!<br /><br />Toyin, thank you!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-77205426529767874842011-01-20T20:01:47.514-05:002011-01-20T20:01:47.514-05:00Nice lookin field, good luck with your goals.Nice lookin field, good luck with your goals.Toyin O.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08429675861306256504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-30747431828082202542011-01-20T19:47:45.785-05:002011-01-20T19:47:45.785-05:00I can't wait to see how it turns out! I am enj...I can't wait to see how it turns out! I am enjoying following your blog. I can't wait until we can purchase our own acres and take the next step as well. <br /><br />I have just started a blog and I would love for yout to come and give me advise... <br /><br />www.homesteadfamilyjournal.blogspot.comThe Todd Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04881807701686576318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-2713040334234511482011-01-20T15:09:34.182-05:002011-01-20T15:09:34.182-05:00Another thing to add: I remember having read somew...Another thing to add: I remember having read somewhere once (can't remember whether it was John Seymour or Jackie French) that it takes about an acre of grain crops to feed a family of four, year round. I always figured that would more or less translate to two plus animals, and that's where I was headed with the small-patch grain trials I was doing.<br /><br />It's also worth knowing that I was sowing 100g of wheat and barley to the square metre (1 oz/ 3 square feet) which gave good coverage.Geodynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05612024268485020748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-73310385276008411662011-01-20T09:56:15.094-05:002011-01-20T09:56:15.094-05:00I have added myself to follow your blog. You are m...I have added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit my blog and become a follower also.Covnitkepr1https://www.blogger.com/profile/14155059748601952927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-77000676078381220132011-01-20T09:06:08.857-05:002011-01-20T09:06:08.857-05:00mySaviouReigns, thanks!, though actually I'm r...mySaviouReigns, thanks!, though actually I'm relying more on good providence. ;)<br /><br />Geodyne, thank you for seconding Laura's recommendation. I did take a look on Amazon, but wasn't sure about the difference between the 1st and 2nd editions. Obviously not enough to matter!<br /><br />Steve, thanks for the invitation. I'm on my way over to visit your blog.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-76544832171436338022011-01-20T08:17:21.183-05:002011-01-20T08:17:21.183-05:00you are invited to follow my blogyou are invited to follow my blogSteve Finnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041851737677873347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-65954805289720439162011-01-19T21:45:39.155-05:002011-01-19T21:45:39.155-05:00Leigh, let me second the recommendation for John S...Leigh, let me second the recommendation for John Seymour's book. There's an older version and a more updated version, which included an increased section on vegetable growing. Either will work equally well for you. I bought a copy after reading an old 80s copy I found in a holiday cottage we let in Wales: I read it cover to cover that week! I based the planned crop rotations in my old allotment on his plans and have let his ideas adapt my approach to growing.<br /><br />He wrote another book you two would love as well: "Forgotten Household Crafts". It's all about mending and making do. The man was a true self-sufficient liver.Geodynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05612024268485020748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-67311546411210941852011-01-19T19:09:19.469-05:002011-01-19T19:09:19.469-05:00Looks fantastic! Good luck on growing the grain!Looks fantastic! Good luck on growing the grain!mySavioReignshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16178811899194212585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-81454458910782038382011-01-19T15:32:02.292-05:002011-01-19T15:32:02.292-05:00Mr H, I'm hoping that's the case, about th...Mr H, I'm hoping that's the case, about the yield that is. While we're waiting for the ground to dry out, I'm going to have a soil test done. I may use fertilizers this first year, but hope to be able to build up the soil for years to come<br /><br />Mama Pea, well, if I don't write it down, then it doesn't get remembered! LOL. And you are so right about experience. In the end, that's the key. I love your description of Mother Nature too, she indeed does have a temperamental personality!<br /><br />Evelyn, it sounds that way to us too! Vegetables and even fruit seem so much easier. But actually, they are only a small part of our diet. Starches, particularly grains, and proteins (meat, milk, eggs) are a big part too. We figure to be truly food self-sufficient, we need to work on those parts of our diet too.<br /><br />Laura, thank you for mentioning John Seymour's book! I just heard of it recently, but our county library doesn't have it, so I didn't think much of it at the time. I've checked on Amazon, and the price is reasonable. From your description, it sounds like a true must have.<br /><br />Benita, that's it exactly. Step by step. We just have to keep reminding ourselves to be contented with the steps and not fret the big picture!<br /><br />City Sister, you've got that right! There's nothing better than homegrown, homemade, home cultivated. :)Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-64601864604263888982011-01-19T15:14:31.950-05:002011-01-19T15:14:31.950-05:00How exciting! We are looking through the seed cat...How exciting! We are looking through the seed catalogs and deciding on our corn...oh I can't wait...it is so much better when you do it yourself!City Sisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11474047622089407153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-60844012899600662542011-01-19T13:46:24.498-05:002011-01-19T13:46:24.498-05:00Step-by-step, you guys are making it all come toge...Step-by-step, you guys are making it all come together. I admire you.Benitahttp://www.basicallybenita.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-8730092733307356722011-01-19T12:01:09.316-05:002011-01-19T12:01:09.316-05:00You should try to get your hands on "The Guid...You should try to get your hands on "The Guide to Self-Sufficiency" by John Seymour (if you don't already have it. He sets out how much area you need for each crop (grains included) to feed you and your animals. There are examples for 1 acre and for 5.<br /><br />My copy has been loved so well, I had to take it apart and put it into a 3-ring binder (it's almost 40 years old...). I would like to try the 1 acre plan, since I need the rest of the 5 acres for horses, etc., and there's only one of me to grow things for. I know I'll never be self-sufficient enough to grow food for the big livestock (horses, alpacas), but the chickens and the pea fowl, sure. I will also have to buy supplemental food for the turkeys that I raise for pre-Thanksgiving sale.<br /><br />It's a good goal, and you're an inspiration!!Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08421589409738817614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-16829901153865380692011-01-19T11:22:52.803-05:002011-01-19T11:22:52.803-05:00Growing your own grain sounds like such a huge und...Growing your own grain sounds like such a huge undertaking! Like everyone else I will be interested in how it all comes along.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-49317894044761310282011-01-19T10:46:47.431-05:002011-01-19T10:46:47.431-05:00I agree with Jane and am in awe of your record kee...I agree with Jane and am in awe of your record keeping. Especially when things don't work out as you had hoped/expected, it's very useful to have kept good notes.<br /><br />As far as having failures or making errors, you can do all the reading and studying in the world but have to actually do and experience to know what works and what doesn't. So even if the outcome is less than you desired, you've learned a lot in the process. (Oh, yeah, and then there's good ol' Mother Nature who enters the picture with her "personality" each year!)Mama Peahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-41360117814462862642011-01-19T09:39:56.758-05:002011-01-19T09:39:56.758-05:00I think it is so neat that you are expanding to gr...I think it is so neat that you are expanding to grow your own grains and corn like this...really neat. I think you will be surprised at how much corn you get off a small patch. Can't wait to see it all growing and learn more about your yields.Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-18142213404470891942011-01-19T08:49:51.306-05:002011-01-19T08:49:51.306-05:00Lynda, good for you! That's great that you hav...Lynda, good for you! That's great that you have someone close by who grows hard wheats. We have no one, sadly.<br /><br />I bought a packet of mangle seeds last year but didn't get them into the ground. This year for sure. Besides growing our own grains, I am definitely working toward growing all of our own animal foods.<br /><br />Diana, I say, give it a try. Even a small plot will give you something, as well as the experience as to how much you can actually grow and use. I agree, it <i>is</i> exciting!<br /><br />Flower, we figure that's the only way to approach it. If we waited until we thought we had it all figured out, we'd never get started!<br /><br />Goats are a hoot, aren't they. Of course, they're more amusing if they're snoopervising someone else's project!<br /><br />Theresa, we talked about replanting, but there is just too much. The pines, which are common around here, had too developed of root systems and of the cedars, there were more than 100. Dan did heel in about a dozen cedars or so, to replant once the ground dries out a bit. <br /><br />Nina, this year is an experiment to start to figure some of that out. To begin, we're relying pretty heavily on Gene Logsdon's <i>Small-Scale Grain Raising</i>. He has a chart on page 9, that tells us that it takes a plot 10 by 50 feet to grow about one bushel of corn. (Wheat needs a plot 10 by 109 feet). He also says a free ranged hen needs about half a bushel per year. For us, I'm not sure how much we need. One thing we're going to have to do, is to adapt our diet to what we can grow. We use primarily wheat for bread, but if the corn does well, we'll be eating more cornbread. <br /><br />According to Gene Logsdon, small scale grain raising is very feasible. Actually more so than acres and acres which are producing commercially. These are the ones that have to rely on expensive, heavy equipment to get the job done. A gardener or homesteader, on the other hand, can do it either by hand or with smaller, less expensive equipment. Most of the commercial growers are heavily in debt, thinking "bigger is better." In fact, it makes more economic sense to do it on a smaller, slower scale. <br /><br />Oh, Jane. Not so organized as one might think! We do map and graph things out. That helps us keep on track. So much is trial and error though, and we've been known to be heavy on the error side. :) Still, the journey will never begin if we don't take a first step.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-76768099822246985202011-01-19T08:35:11.383-05:002011-01-19T08:35:11.383-05:00You are so well organized. I love how you have cha...You are so well organized. I love how you have charts and maps of what your doing. It must be great for reference and looking back at past years.Jane @ Hard Work Homesteadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02905658082120445313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-30961212870280097022011-01-19T06:49:33.207-05:002011-01-19T06:49:33.207-05:00Certainly looks like an interesting experiment. H...Certainly looks like an interesting experiment. Have you figured out how much grain should be produced per acre in your area, worked out how much you'd need for your own use and figured out what sort of land allotment you'd need to use for it? That could be very useful info. It would be interesting to see if small scale grain growing is a useful prospect. We see acres of grain being grown here and the thought of it being done on a small scale is intriguing.Ninahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07049476969325691637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-44306538663199008142011-01-19T06:28:05.463-05:002011-01-19T06:28:05.463-05:00Are you going to replant any of those lovely thriv...Are you going to replant any of those lovely thriving pines?<br />The goats can drive you nuts when you have to work outside. They love to bother Gene, jump into his truck bed and make a right pain of themselves. I like to watch the antics from the house window i I can, if I go out then I'm usually asked to lock them up. The horses too are fascinated when we work on the fence or the shelter. Nick specially likes to remove tools from the back bed and the tool box. On more than one occasion I have heard some pretty hot cursing when he's tipped the socket and wrench set over. Good job on the grain patch planning!Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09574936988046982209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-90790332294037760292011-01-19T02:57:52.550-05:002011-01-19T02:57:52.550-05:00Growing your own grain is a great plan! You will ...Growing your own grain is a great plan! You will learn so much and each year you plant there will be a harvest..one way or the other! <br />Love the goats!! They are favorites on our farm!!Flowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08561651773885570068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-53660497927136260542011-01-19T02:37:37.208-05:002011-01-19T02:37:37.208-05:00I wish we had more room to do this! We were just ...I wish we had more room to do this! We were just talking about it the other night too. <br /><br />Looking forward to you meeting your goals and sharing that with us. It's very exciting!The Apple Pie Galhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10340020795649093810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-59510817158318163022011-01-19T00:51:32.095-05:002011-01-19T00:51:32.095-05:00I'm so happy to see you're able to get in ...I'm so happy to see you're able to get in the field: yeah! I just ordered my flint corn, pasture mix, and soft white wheat (first for me). I'm doing an experimental patch, too. I have a friend's son that grows hard red and white wheat in the Northern most part of the state. By the way your beets look terrific...do you grow mangles for livestock feed? They also break up hard packed soil.Lyndahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14189157322930654023noreply@blogger.com