Have you heard of micro-farming? Well, a micro homestead is similar. Micro-farming is defined as a farm that's five acres or less. Micro homesteading has a more subjective meaning that can range from growing vegetables, raising livestock, or just having productive and aesthetic permaculture. So, what is a micro homestead? Read below to find out.
What is micro homesteading?
For us, micro homesteading is more than micro-farming. Micro homesteading is a combination of sustainable gardening and landscaping that is possible in urban and suburban areas. When you're pinched on space but want a farm, you've got to make the best of your space. What do you want most? To provide fruits and vegetables for your family? Maybe you'd like to have chickens to produce some eggs. Whatever the goal is, a micro homestead is the best way to achieve that.
Where Do I Start?
Budgeting is the first thing you need to think about. Depending on what you want, the budget will change. If you're looking at growing some vegetables and getting chickens, you need to plan ahead of time when it comes to budgeting. If you dive headfirst into a micro homesteading project like this without laying out a budget, expenditures will get away from you before you know it.
What Do You Want?
Once you have your budgeting in order, you need to figure out the specifics of what you want. This depends on many factors. Where do you live? What is the season? What kind of foods do you like most? This can be the most fun but also the most difficult stage in the micro homesteading process, so don't rush any decisions. Think about how many tomatoes your family actually eats each week. There's nothing worse than planting too much or too little of a crop.
Planting Plan
So, you've got your budgeting and plan for what you're going to grow. Where's it going to go? You may want to create a sun map. A sun map will help you figure out exactly where to plant some things and where not to plant others. Also, how far are you from your irrigation source? Once you figure out where you're going to plant, perform a soil test. With this soil test, you can see your test results online in about a week. Undoubtedly the most important thing when it comes to growing anything is the soil content. Too acidic or alkaline, and your crop will die. A lacking potassium or nitrogen content can also affect the crops in various ways.
We're Permaculture Experts
As you can see, there's a ton of planning and organization that needs to go into a micro homestead plan in order for it to be successful. At Gardens of Eatin', we specialize in the design, installation, and maintenance of beautiful permaculture landscapes, like micro homesteads. So, if you're looking to develop a beautiful permaculture landscape or micro homestead, schedule an appointment today!
