Adams Media - Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginners Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm

Adams Media

An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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Avon, Massachusetts 02322

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Copyright 2021 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Adams Media Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Adams Media trade paperback edition January 2021

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Interior design by Julia Jacintho

Interior illustrations by Eric Andrews

Cover design by Frank Rivera

Cover images 123RF/Vladimir Soldatov, Rebecca Bean, Foodandmore, Vladimir Gorsky

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Adams Media (Firm), author.

Title: Backyard farming.

Description: Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2021. | Series: Self-sufficient living | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020034710 | ISBN 9781507215234 (pb) | ISBN 9781507215241 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Subsistence farming.

Classification: LCC S441 .A326 2021 | DDC 630--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020034710

ISBN 978-1-5072-1523-4

ISBN 978-1-5072-1524-1 (ebook)

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Simon & Schuster, Inc., was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Contains material adapted from the following title published by Adams Media, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.: The EverythingBackyard Farming Book by Neil Shelton, copyright 2013, ISBN 978-1-4405-6601-1.

Are you constantly running to the grocery store just to keep your fridge and pantry stocked? Have you ever dreamed of owning a chicken coop or living off your own land? Do you feel more secure when you have a garden brimming with fruits and veggies? Wouldnt it be a wonderful feeling if you knew that you had everything you needed to survive, and even thrive, at home? The more self-sufficient you become, the more possible that outcome is.

Self-sufficiency means many different things to different people. Some simply decide to install solar paneling to reduce their electricity bills. Some (like you) find self-sufficiency in a backyard farm with a garden, small livestock, and grain storage that provide the fresh food their families need. And some may collect their own water, grow acres of crops, and tend livestock.

Lets not forget that everyones reasoning for becoming more self-sufficient is different as well. You may decide to start a self-sufficient home because you are concerned with security. You dont feel that the world is a safe place for you and your family, and you want to take steps to create a more independent and self-reliant lifestyle for yourself and the ones you love. Perhaps you want to save money and want to stop relying on big chain stores for food and supplies. Or maybe its just as simple as lowering your carbon footprint and living a greener, eco-friendlier life.

The good news is, depending on your resources and your motivation, living self-sufficiently can be done quickly, or it can be done in a series of small steps over a period of time! The beauty of your self-sufficient home is that you get to determine what you want to do and how far you want to go. You can start looking at your finances to see where you can economize. You can take an inventory of how often you run to the grocery store, the coffee shop, or the fast food restaurant and limit your exposure to any or all of them. You can look at your food preparation and substitute basic items for quickly prepared foods.

Whether you are prepping for an emergency or just looking to feel more empowered, starting a backyard farm is one of the most rewarding ways to become more self-sufficient. It doesnt matter if youre an experienced gardener and farmer or are just getting started, Backyard Farming will teach you all you need to know to get your farm up and running. From information about raising small livestock and planting fruits and veggies, to instructions on preserving your harvest and combating farm pests, this all-in-one guide has you covered. And it doesnt matter how much space you have to devote to your farming pursuitstheres a farm for every backyard, big or small. Backyard Farming is here to help you live off your land, whatever that means to you. Talk about self-sufficient

Today, more and more people are growing their food on small plots of land. Farming, as youll learn in this chapter, is something that can be done in your own backyard. Rather than rely on giant mega-supermarkets, backyard farming is first and foremost a way to rely on yourself; to grow the food you enjoy; to offer a safe, chemical-free diet; and even to boost the family income! Learning to farm will provide you with a greater understanding of the world you live in, as well as countless indelible lessons about nature.

Farming began about ten thousand years ago, when early humans first discovered that crop cultivation was a much more reliable way to feed themselves and their families than hunting and gathering. During the early part of the twentieth century as tractors began to replace horses and men, the number of farms, and farmers, began to decline. Today, amid stunning technological advances, many people are seeking a return to the self-sufficiency and independence of the farming lifestyle.

Five thousand years before the pyramids were built, some early human noticed that in places where grains had been spilled in the dirt the year before, new shoots of that same grain grew in lush abundance. That discovery, and the subsequent decision to spill some grains on purposethat is, to plant themwould result in a more bountiful, more independent existence for all of humankind. A millennium or so later, humans began to domesticate farm animals, leading to a lifestyle that permitted them to stay and prosper in one place instead of following a nomadic lifestyle that relied more on luck and strength than planning and forethought. Thus began civilization as these first small farmers enjoyed a greater bounty of crops and sources of protein that they didnt have to fight for. Farmers could not only provide food for themselves and their families; they could also provide an excess that could be traded to neighbors for other goods.

Today, 50 percent of all food is produced on the largest 2 percent of all farms. These factory farms have less in common with the farms of your grandparents or great-grandparents than those small independent operations had with the Stone Age cultivators.