tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post9152529842197033843..comments2024-03-25T11:19:35.199-04:00Comments on The Small Hold - Will Not Go Down Without a Fight: Carrying Capasity - More on CornPioneerPreppyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-88425138487308885812013-11-19T22:07:01.869-05:002013-11-19T22:07:01.869-05:00Anon - You are pretty much 100% correct I think.
Anon - You are pretty much 100% correct I think.<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-56118116570534441062013-11-19T22:06:27.141-05:002013-11-19T22:06:27.141-05:00Jason - I agree with you partially. Or at least I ...Jason - I agree with you partially. Or at least I think you have misunderstood something. My discussion here is only a small part of my overall Small-Farm endeavors. I am certainly not talking about monocrops at all. There really isn't another type of grain better suited for livestock than corn.<br /><br />This discussion is about what I would need to feed to keep livestock sustainably and I PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-32513548185349866492013-11-18T10:17:14.494-05:002013-11-18T10:17:14.494-05:00Depends on the cause of the grid down situation a ...Depends on the cause of the grid down situation a close approximation would be the BBC's series Edwardian Farm, if you were already prepared that is. For most in the western world it would sink back to medieval systems very rapidly. Huge swathes of areas that are currently under the plough of monoculture crops have soil that is for all intents and purposes sterile, requiring massive amount sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-55523033838956706992013-11-18T09:16:21.247-05:002013-11-18T09:16:21.247-05:00My experiences with gardening would cause me to dr...My experiences with gardening would cause me to drop all grain production in a grid down environment. Corn might be king when it comes to grains, but if we are worried about starving in the winter then fields of corn would make me a little nervous.<br /><br />There are many plants that will produce more food that is more nutritious in the same or less space.<br /><br />In a grid down situation, IJason Crowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11006532708246443046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-30818585846897758862013-11-18T06:26:13.476-05:002013-11-18T06:26:13.476-05:00If your problem is wind damage with the corn stalk...If your problem is wind damage with the corn stalks it can be overcome. We've been organic farming for 35 years andwe extensivly use hedging as wind breaks and to cause prevailing winds to 'lift' over the fields, but it is an extremely long term project. It has however been very beneficial allowing us to grow crops that neighbouring farms cannot! It is why we grow the corn further Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-27381679728409322382013-11-17T14:40:36.379-05:002013-11-17T14:40:36.379-05:00Dan - I agree with you on GMO crops but at this po...Dan - I agree with you on GMO crops but at this point I think much like our current entitlement and immigration system they have gone too far to stop. The world population can't handle going back to normal non-GMO yields.<br /><br />As for the woodgas etc. I have looked into it. I am thinking methane production might work better for me but I will admit the explosive properties is worrisome. IPioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-7519612508643438772013-11-17T14:37:33.919-05:002013-11-17T14:37:33.919-05:00Russ - Well not having any fertilizer except what ...Russ - Well not having any fertilizer except what is around and naturally replenished is kinda the point here. It's gonna be a lot of old hay, sheep poop, grass clippings, wood ash and some long decomposing woody biomass for fertilizer.<br /><br />I had a problem with the three sisters method of planting. I could never get the corn close enough to support each other without shading out the PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-22850691288592456852013-11-16T23:00:00.082-05:002013-11-16T23:00:00.082-05:00Corn and potatoes are the new world miracle crops....Corn and potatoes are the new world miracle crops. However without seed potatoes, grown at high altitudes, nematodes will kill the yield on potatoes. Corn isn't without its issues too; google Pellagra. That said, corn is one of my favorites.<br /><br />Have you considered distilling the corn and feeding it to the tractor? Wood gas would also be something to consider. Spending an hour or so Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-34021207879843833302013-11-16T21:05:19.568-05:002013-11-16T21:05:19.568-05:00The Indians with their three sisters had a pretty ...The Indians with their three sisters had a pretty good mix. It is not exactly sustainable in the long term, but would work reasonably well short term. Having a decent supply of 10-10-10 on hand probably wouldn't hurt.russell1200https://www.blogger.com/profile/16258915475311426433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-86430109229285944682013-11-16T17:17:14.991-05:002013-11-16T17:17:14.991-05:00Anon - I have already addressed bean production. B...Anon - I have already addressed bean production. Been breeding my own and tracking yields for years and it requires about 1200 plants per person per year. I am looking at a good 3 acres of beans but that plot is already "conditioned" if you will. I finished plowing, discing, harrowing and seeded it in nitrogen fixing grass this year. Even hayed it off once. When the time comes it is PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-51862598990544988762013-11-16T17:14:28.367-05:002013-11-16T17:14:28.367-05:00GM - Varmints are not really much of an issue here...GM - Varmints are not really much of an issue here surrounded as we are by a mile or more of corn and soybean. The grazers and thieves don't usually get this far.<br /><br />I would more than likely go with a Mule if/when I add a working animal to the place. My plan right now is to have enough stored fuel on hand to last with the small tractor about three years. Using an Old 8N ground driven PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-33216560124511547452013-11-16T17:07:14.274-05:002013-11-16T17:07:14.274-05:00Harry - I think gardening will be a needed skill i...Harry - I think gardening will be a needed skill in the times ahead. It may not in point of fact be the only means of food production for many but what it can help with will certainly be needed.<br /><br />It is time and a skill that will not go to waste.<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-46032967393686818842013-11-16T16:31:11.681-05:002013-11-16T16:31:11.681-05:00SF - I think that is why the yields increase more ...SF - I think that is why the yields increase more in the larger fields. My bet is that they simply plant enough that the varmints don't make it as far into the fields. Also in a collapse situation how long before wildlife will become as scarce as corn plots in Virginia.<br /><br />If you get my meaning.<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-88153108763704796112013-11-16T16:29:43.912-05:002013-11-16T16:29:43.912-05:00Rob - I will check out the link. I am most interes...Rob - I will check out the link. I am most interested in early yields pre-1940's mostly as after that seems to be when the real booms got going.<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-20122553171608238912013-11-16T15:55:33.985-05:002013-11-16T15:55:33.985-05:00As well as field rotation you could try mixed crop...As well as field rotation you could try mixed crops in a grid down situation. Planting the rows of corn further apart and planting squash and beans in alternate rows. The pumpkins provide good ground cover against weeds and the beans fix nitrogen in their roots. Yes harvesting is harder but you will get a far greater combined yield. <br />Mostt modern farming methods rely on heavy doses of NPK Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-59055240756822304002013-11-16T13:51:57.409-05:002013-11-16T13:51:57.409-05:00PP-
20 bushels acre is respectable. Remember you a...PP-<br />20 bushels acre is respectable. Remember you are trying to be self-sufficient - you're not commercial farming :-) <br />Small holders can do lots of things more economically that Debt Farmers can't do. If it we me, and I was just starting out and getting serious about corn, I'd be checking into ground driven equipment & a draft animal. If you don't want a horse, a Granny Millerhttp://www.granny-miller.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-20842037287870794782013-11-16T13:25:21.187-05:002013-11-16T13:25:21.187-05:00We're going to try a big garden this spring. I...We're going to try a big garden this spring. I have plenty of room for one. Corn is one thing we are going to plant, potatoes and tomatoes are another. I have never been any good with gardening but seeing how well so many other people are doing makes me think I should try again.Harry Flashmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05071021900005041592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-73690338206914247242013-11-16T12:47:39.701-05:002013-11-16T12:47:39.701-05:00FYI Have you seen this...USDA
http://www.nass.usda...FYI Have you seen this...USDA<br />http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_Subject/Economics_and_Prices/index.asp<br /><br />Trying to find out yield here in MNRobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16800149852939042454noreply@blogger.com