Can 2 people deal with 5 acres?

[caters]

I am wanting to grow apples, citrus, other fruits, grains, herbs, and vegetables.

Since I want a lot for my homesteading I am going to use the minimum spacing.

For the veggies and other fruits as well as herbs I figured 2 acres would be fine.

For the grains it would be 1 acre.

Apples are in 1 acre and citrus fruits in 1 acre giving me 5 acres of garden.

Minimum spacing for standard apple and citrus from seed: 30 ft NS and EW.

This means that my maximum # of apple trees is going to be 6^2 or 36 apple trees.

I figured that I could then separate this 36 into 7 areas as equal as possible in number of trees for different ripening seasons.
5 mid spring
5 late spring
5 early summer
5 mid summer
5 late summer
6 fall

and do the same division into separate areas for the types of citrus and ripening seasons of each citrus.
Everything I am growing from seed just like how nature grows things from seed.

This is a good start on my bountiful harvest in the goldilocks zone of New Earth where it is not too hot for things like lettuce and broccoli but isn't too cold for citrus.

1 thing I am a little worried about is cross pollination of unrelated plants.

Unlike most animals, plants can form fertile hybrids very easily.

What would happen if apples cross pollinate with my citrus or something? Would I get citrus flavored apples? Would I get apple flavored citrus? Would it be completely unpredictable?

 

[splinx]

Can 2 people deal with 5 acres?

Absolutely. As long as they have the required free time...

 

[Chuck]

I am wanting to grow apples, citrus, other fruits, grains, herbs, and vegetables.

Since I want a lot for my homesteading I am going to use the minimum spacing.

For the veggies and other fruits as well as herbs I figured 2 acres would be fine.

For the grains it would be 1 acre.

Apples are in 1 acre and citrus fruits in 1 acre giving me 5 acres of garden.

Minimum spacing for standard apple and citrus from seed: 30 ft NS and EW.

This means that my maximum # of apple trees is going to be 6^2 or 36 apple trees.

I figured that I could then separate this 36 into 7 areas as equal as possible in number of trees for different ripening seasons.
5 mid spring
5 late spring
5 early summer
5 mid summer
5 late summer
6 fall

and do the same division into separate areas for the types of citrus and ripening seasons of each citrus.
Everything I am growing from seed just like how nature grows things from seed.

This is a good start on my bountiful harvest in the goldilocks zone of New Earth where it is not too hot for things like lettuce and broccoli but isn't too cold for citrus.

1 thing I am a little worried about is cross pollination of unrelated plants.

Unlike most animals, plants can form fertile hybrids very easily.

What would happen if apples cross pollinate with my citrus or something? Would I get citrus flavored apples? Would I get apple flavored citrus? Would it be completely unpredictable?

Mathematics has no variables. Math is math. Gardening is nothing but a multitude of variables. For instance you want to grow apples along side of citrus. Not going to happen. Another thing, if plants aren't related they aren't going to cross pollinate. For instance you can't cross watermelons with wheat. I personally have a garden of about 1/4 acre and that is a PITA although I am what they call a senior citizen. IMO you should start out with 500 square feet instead of 5 acres. I don't want to pee on your parade but you are attempting something very difficult even for knowledgeable gardeners and from what I read in your post it will be quite some time before you even come close to that. Books and online blogs and seed magazines and Mother Earth News and New Earth and all of the other fountains of knowledge do not even come close to experience. You stated you are 16 years old. I am thrilled that you have shown a desire to grow you own food. Most kids your age don't even have enough sense to understand where their food comes from much less grow their own There are many, many things you must understand about how and why plants grow. You must learn to understand your local climate. Know what type of soil makeup you have. How to plant, how to germinate your seeds, how to feed your soil, learn about how to water your plants, what to keep insects from eating your crop, how to deal with plant pathogens and on and on. You don't just stick a seed in the dirt. It is much, much more complicated than that. I hope I haven't discouraged you. I hope I have whetted you gardening appetite, to learn all you can. Nothing discourages a novice gardener more than failure and the only way to avoid failure is knowledge and I personally will help you anyway I can. If you don't want to make your questions public don't hesitate to PM me

 

[R.R.]

Chuck has been helping me ever since I joined the forums. I'm learning a lot, and I'm sure you will, too, Caters

 

[gata montes]

I am wanting to grow apples, citrus, other fruits, grains, herbs, and vegetables.
Everything I am growing from seed just like how nature grows things from seed.

As I already grow all my own produce herbs, fruit, vegetables and nuts in an area considerably larger than yours almost entirely on my own - then yes I would very definitely say that - it is very possible for 2 people to be able to look after 5 acres.

Although I totally agree with everything that Chuck has already said - as that is what I would have suggested too and in particular - that when dealing with a large amount of land - its always best to start small and get each individual area sorted before moving on to the next - as that way not only will you rewarded as you go but also because you are more likely to achieve the end result that way - however as you mentioned that you are planning on growing everything from seed.

I would just add - that I wouldn't recommend you starting your fruit trees from seed - as unless you are wanting to grow a tree for its ornamental value - growing fruit trees from seed is not normally recommended - for the simple reason that not all varieties of fruit come true from seed and apart from the length of time it takes for a tree to reach maturity - you will often land up with a weak and diseased specimen - that may or may not resemble the mother plant - as well as one that rarely if ever bears fruit and if it did - you would probably wish it hadn't - as the fruit is very unlikely to taste anything like you were expecting.

Which is why the majority of fruit trees regardless of variety are grown - not from seed but grown as grafted trees - as apart from the fact that they generally take a long time to mature - its also because the grafting helps to ensure that the tree will be virtually pest and disease free - as well as being an abundant cropper of sweet tasting fruit

 

[Trellum]

Hi Caters! Welcome to the forum! I think you have already received some really good advice, so all I'm going to add is that 5 acres is totally doable by 2 people. My uncle did 5 acres yearly on his own, because he earned his living that way.

 

[caters]

As I already grow all my own produce herbs, fruit, vegetables and nuts in an area considerably larger than yours almost entirely on my own - then yes I would very definitely say that - it is very possible for 2 people to be able to look after 5 acres.

Although I totally agree with everything that Chuck has already said - as that is what I would have suggested too and in particular - that when dealing with a large amount of land - its always best to start small and get each individual area sorted before moving on to the next - as that way not only will you rewarded as you go but also because you are more likely to achieve the end result that way - however as you mentioned that you are planning on growing everything from seed.

I would just add - that I wouldn't recommend you starting your fruit trees from seed - as unless you are wanting to grow a tree for its ornamental value - growing fruit trees from seed is not normally recommended - for the simple reason that not all varieties of fruit come true from seed and apart from the length of time it takes for a tree to reach maturity - you will often land up with a weak and diseased specimen - that may or may not resemble the mother plant - as well as one that rarely if ever bears fruit and if it did - you would probably wish it hadn't - as the fruit is very unlikely to taste anything like you were expecting.

Which is why the majority of fruit trees regardless of variety are grown - not from seed but grown as grafted trees - as apart from the fact that they generally take a long time to mature - its also because the grafting helps to ensure that the tree will be virtually pest and disease free - as well as being an abundant cropper of sweet tasting fruit

I understand that but if you grow a grafted tree:

1) it is going to be seedless which isn't necessarily good, especially if you want to expand

2) you don't know whether it is diseased or not. The wood could be diseased and you wouldn't notice for quite a while.

3) Natural selection is better for the environment than artificial selection although both enhance genetics

4) while it might take a shorter time to mature for a grafted tree you might not get the best fruit from a grafted tree

and several other reasons.

Also I have watched videos and stuff on how to grow lots of fruits from seed like apples, citrus, blueberries, grapes, and strawberries(strawberry seeds are needed for your first strawberries but the rest grow from runners).


And because I am homesteading I need to grow lots of fruits, veggies, herbs, and grains so that I have enough flour, dried herbs, and preserved fruits and veggies(canned fruits and veggies, fruit jelly, dried fruit etc.) to last through the winter when I am making maple syrup and maple sugar.


On my property there is a big house that my dad and I are building and it includes a lab for my science experiments and a root cellar for preserved fruits and veggies and another cellar for aging cheese.

I have cows for milk and beef, pigs for bacon and pork, chickens for eggs and meat, and horses to power my mill and transport heavy stuff like grindstones or 10 gallon buckets of maple sap. When I get my meat I make sure to balance my slaughtering with the birth rate so that there is a constant ratio between animals slaughtered and animals not slaughtered

I have a river near my garden that I irrigate from. I also get some of my power from the water. I have solar panels and wind turbines as well and a bicycle powered generator in case we have a power outage which could happen if it is really windy, cloudy, and a drout.

I have a solar still where I purify rainwater. I still don't know how to store this purified rainwater so that it doesn't get acidic over time(which is what happens when water is exposed to CO2 from the air).

But what if my animals or me or my mom or my dad get injured or burnt or frostbitten? What if one of us gets a compound fracture for some reason? I might need a hospital with some first aid equipment and x rays and ultrasounds and all the rest on my property to treat these medical problems.

 

[headfullofbees]

Listen to what Chuck says; you could go through a whole lot of money and time for no gain, and be put off growing your own for life.
Learn your basics (We've all killed at least some of our plants by overwatering, yet 1 in 3 trees dies because it is underwatered) and you'll soon have the knowledge and experience to expand, and when you do, you can just about double your garden's size every year.

The fruit from grafted trees isn't (necessarilly) seedless.

 

[caters]

Listen to what Chuck says; you could go through a whole lot of money and time for no gain, and be put off growing your own for life.
Learn your basics (We've all killed at least some of our plants by overwatering, yet 1 in 3 trees dies because it is underwatered) and you'll soon have the knowledge and experience to expand, and when you do, you can just about double your garden's size every year.

The fruit from grafted trees isn't (necessarilly) seedless.

Since I am homesteading on New Earth money is of no concern.

Once again I need a lot of food for my mom, my dad, and I to last through the winter so I need those 5 acres right from the beggining.

 

[Chuck]

Since I am homesteading on New Earth money is of no concern.

Once again I need a lot of food for my mom, my dad, and I to last through the winter so I need those 5 acres right from the beggining.

Just what is your objective here? A virtual or literal lifestyle? Just where is this New Earth and its Goldilocks zone. What is the zip code where money is of no importance. Where cold weather and hot weather plants thrive side by side. Where you can tap into a tree and get maple syrup and squeeze OJ fresh off of your orange tree at the same time? Let me enlighten you. THERE AIN'T NO SUCH PLACE AS UTOPIA. It is not on this Old Earth nor is it on your fictitious New Earth. You are 16 years old. Don't you think it is time to escape Fantasy Island and move into Realville?

 

[caters]

New Earth's Goldilocks zone is at the same latitude and longitude range as Memphis TN. This means that the angle of the axis is larger.

Here I can get maple syrup and OJ in the same area at different times of the year.

And also here in the Goldilocks zone I can get a bountiful harvest of hot weather plants and cold weather plants. There is also an area of the Old Earth where hot weather plants and cold weather plants can thrive side by side.

 

[Chuck]

New Earth's Goldilocks zone is at the same latitude and longitude range as Memphis TN. This means that the angle of the axis is larger.

Here I can get maple syrup and OJ in the same area at different times of the year.

And also here in the Goldilocks zone I can get a bountiful harvest of hot weather plants and cold weather plants. There is also an area of the Old Earth where hot weather plants and cold weather plants can thrive side by side.

So can I presume Scotty has beamed you up so you could file a homesteaders claim and are now with Louis Farrakhan on the Mother Ship?