Hello, My name is Collin and I am a student (not at MSU, but a resident of Michigan) who has taken an interest in starting a homestead with the eventual goal of being able to supply a significant deal of my own food. I have no agricultural experience, though I do understand that this lifestyle would be an enormous task that would encompass the vast majority of my time. I currently plan to work alone, no family or friends, only growing enough to survive. I have written out some questions below. Please also note that I would prefer to do everything organically, meaning a minimum of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Also assume that I have a large enough plot of land with sandy soil. 1. I plan on fulfilling the majority of my daily caloric intake with potatoes. I would supplement this with other vegetables, though these would be grown on a somewhat smaller scale. This would, of course, mean that I would become vegetarian. It would also be feasible that I keep a few chickens (or ducks) in order to have a supply of eggs. I would also grow nuts and fruit on the property as well. What do you think about this overall strategy? Would I be able to survive comfortably? 2. I understand that total self-reliance (as assumed in the above question) is unrealistic. What would you recommend to combat this, if buying food traditionally was not an option? I could take up trapping and fishing, though those would be more skills to learn and would occupy more of my time. Do you recommend that I grow an excess of food, in order that I may trade with my neighbors? 3. I have calculated that, according to the above strategy, I would need roughly 8000sqft of space in a plot to grow a year's supply of potatoes. To do this, I plan on growing on a 90x90ft plot. With a two-foot row spacing, this translates to 45 rows of 90 feet each, or 4000 linear feet. Assuming one plant per foot in these rows, that means 4000 potato plants. Further assuming a yield of 0.5lbs per plant (this figure being hopefully low), I would be left with 2000lbs of potatoes at the harvest. With an expected 300-350 calories per pound of potato, this would leave me with 1600-1900 calories per day for the year, of course not including having to replant for next year. In your experience, is this math accurate, at least in a very rough sense? Please note that this is only for the potatoes, and that further calories would be supplemented with other crops. 4. Crop rotation would be a difficulty. Operating one of the above 90x90ft plots would occupy most of my time, so farming multiple over the course of the growing season, each dedicated to a different crop, would be unrealistic in my eyes. Would it be possible to have four plots in total, rotating between them, but only grow potatoes on one per season, leaving the other three fallow in that time? Assuming this method, what low-maintenance techniques could I use to restore the soil of the plots while they are not being used to farm potatoes? Could I grow non-crop plants there solely to restore the soil, without harvesting or having to maintain them? 5. I understand that pests would be a threat to the potato yield. What is your opinion on using ducks to control them? I understand that they eat all types of insects, and leave potato plants untouched due to their toxicity. I have heard of individuals letting ducks loose on their potato fields over the course of a few hours as a means of keeping bugs in check. 6. The harvest season would also be difficult as an individual. I understand that some root crops can be left in the soil over the winter, and be harvested as needed. This would be beneficial because it would greatly reduce my workload. What do you think of this strategy, assuming that I stayed in Michigan? Would the freeze cause the potatoes to rot? 7. If you have no experience with Jerusalem Artichokes, please disregard the following question. What is your opinion of them? I have heard that they are extraordinarily easy to grow, requiring basically no maintenance, with the trade-off being that they are difficult to digest. I think they may make a good "famine food," meaning that they could supply my caloric need in the event of an emergency, seeing as how their high yield can be relied upon. Would it be wise to grow them? If not needed to sustain myself, would they function well as feed for the ducks or chickens? 8. How could I obtain agricultural experience before starting a subsistence farm myself? Do you have any recommendations for Washtenaw County? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time.

Hello, My name is Collin and I am a student (not at MSU, but a resident of Michigan) who has taken an interest in starting a homestead with the eventual goal of being able to supply a significant deal of my own food. I have no agricultural experience, though I do understand that this lifestyle would be an enormous task that would encompass the vast majority of my time. I currently plan to work alone, no family or friends, only growing enough to survive. I have written out some questions below. Please also note that I would prefer to do everything organically, meaning a minimum of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Also assume that I have a large enough plot of land with sandy soil. 1. I plan on fulfilling the majority of my daily caloric intake with potatoes. I would supplement this with other vegetables, though these would be grown on a somewhat smaller scale. This would, of course, mean that I would become vegetarian. It would also be feasible that I keep a few chickens (or ducks) in order to have a supply of eggs. I would also grow nuts and fruit on the property as well. What do you think about this overall strategy? Would I be able to survive comfortably? 2. I understand that total self-reliance (as assumed in the above question) is unrealistic. What would you recommend to combat this, if buying food traditionally was not an option? I could take up trapping and fishing, though those would be more skills to learn and would occupy more of my time. Do you recommend that I grow an excess of food, in order that I may trade with my neighbors? 3. I have calculated that, according to the above strategy, I would need roughly 8000sqft of space in a plot to grow a year's supply of potatoes. To do this, I plan on growing on a 90x90ft plot. With a two-foot row spacing, this translates to 45 rows of 90 feet each, or 4000 linear feet. Assuming one plant per foot in these rows, that means 4000 potato plants. Further assuming a yield of 0.5lbs per plant (this figure being hopefully low), I would be left with 2000lbs of potatoes at the harvest. With an expected 300-350 calories per pound of potato, this would leave me with 1600-1900 calories per day for the year, of course not including having to replant for next year. In your experience, is this math accurate, at least in a very rough sense? Please note that this is only for the potatoes, and that further calories would be supplemented with other crops. 4. Crop rotation would be a difficulty. Operating one of the above 90x90ft plots would occupy most of my time, so farming multiple over the course of the growing season, each dedicated to a different crop, would be unrealistic in my eyes. Would it be possible to have four plots in total, rotating between them, but only grow potatoes on one per season, leaving the other three fallow in that time? Assuming this method, what low-maintenance techniques could I use to restore the soil of the plots while they are not being used to farm potatoes? Could I grow non-crop plants there solely to restore the soil, without harvesting or having to maintain them? 5. I understand that pests would be a threat to the potato yield. What is your opinion on using ducks to control them? I understand that they eat all types of insects, and leave potato plants untouched due to their toxicity. I have heard of individuals letting ducks loose on their potato fields over the course of a few hours as a means of keeping bugs in check. 6. The harvest season would also be difficult as an individual. I understand that some root crops can be left in the soil over the winter, and be harvested as needed. This would be beneficial because it would greatly reduce my workload. What do you think of this strategy, assuming that I stayed in Michigan? Would the freeze cause the potatoes to rot? 7. If you have no experience with Jerusalem Artichokes, please disregard the following question. What is your opinion of them? I have heard that they are extraordinarily easy to grow, requiring basically no maintenance, with the trade-off being that they are difficult to digest. I think they may make a good "famine food," meaning that they could supply my caloric need in the event of an emergency, seeing as how their high yield can be relied upon. Would it be wise to grow them? If not needed to sustain myself, would they function well as feed for the ducks or chickens? 8. How could I obtain agricultural experience before starting a subsistence farm myself? Do you have any recommendations for Washtenaw County? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time.