With the price of food constantly rising, and the quality, sustainability, and availability of food sources increasingly coming into question, a great many people who might never have thought they would pursue such a path are now seriously considering becoming farmers. It makes sense, we all need food, so the question arises, “Do I want to just be a consumer who is subject to the whims of fate and the economy, or do I want to take matters into my own hands and ensure a dependable food supply for myself and my loved ones”? If you are the latter and self-sufficiency sounds good to you, here is some inspiration to help you make that happen.
For today’s purposes we will look at starting an actual farm, not just an urban pea patch in the corner of your garden. Let’s posit that we have sufficient acreage to create a self-sustaining rural farm that can support most of a family’s nutrition needs throughout the year. Once you have secured your living quarters on the property, the next thing you are going to need is the services of farm shed builders to install a sturdy prefabricated structure to house the equipment and supplies necessary to get your farm up and running much sooner than it would be if you had to hand build an old fashioned wooden structure. These great sheds can go up in a day, and they even come in a colour called ‘Heritage Red’ if you want to uphold old-time barn tradition!
Living on and maintaining a self-sustaining farm will provide great stability in your life, allowing you to manage resources with a hands-on, personal approach. Your farm should be able to produce enough food for you and your family, and most likely extra to share with your community! The self-sustaining farm lifestyle is very independent from the larger outside world, which is one of its great values- if things should go awry out there, you still have the means to survive. It won’t be easy by any means, you will very likely have to acquire some new skills unless you come from a farming background, and will need to learn how to grow everything that you and your family will need.
A complete step-by-step guide to all the processes involved in this project is beyond the scope of this article, but we would like to at least give you a snapshot of what’s attainable.
A grazing pasture.
A couple of dairy cows to provide dairy products and fertilizer for your garden.
Chickens for eggs and occasionally dinner, depending on your diet preferences.
A reservoir and canals for access to water in drought times can also grow edible fish.
Basic crops are corn, squash, and beans which together form the foundations for a healthy diet.
A garden for everything else, tomatoes, carrots, onions, etc. Companion planting with herbs and flowers naturally deters pests.
Australia is a farmer-friendly nation, check here for more information.
