“Instead, growing crops like potatoes and squash gives much more food value for the same area. They are also less prone to insect attack.”
Agreed, to an extent.
I think if varies greatly by geography. I have clay soil, so root crops don’t grow well for me. I grow potatoes above ground in tire rings, and my onions are grown in my much-improved flower beds. Carrots? Fuggeddaboudit!
Thirty miles north of me is ‘sand country’ and I can get onions, potatoes and root veggie for a song...so they’re not worth the garden space to me.
But you’re absolutely right. To be totally self-sufficent takes some planning and hard work. I’ve had my farm for 15 years now and I’m about a QUARTER of the way there between my garden, orchard and laying hens. I really, really REALLY want a milk cow, but Husband isn’t budging on that.
For now...LOL! :)
I sympathize with clay, the soil in my area is caliche, which I learned to my dismay, needs a pick axe and a lot of determination.
The best combination of high nutrition food for my purposes is first, a hot weather apple tree. Very productive—I got about 10 gallons of applesauce this year. And gourds grow well underneath it, saving space. Pinto beans do very well on a trellis, and serve a double duty by blocking sun from a western wall in summer.
A real secret of the southwest is Amaranth, which very few people have discovered yet, but is a nutritional miracle plant. The greens are some of the highest nutrition greens around, and a seed head can produce a liter of fruit-grain. Very high in protein and amino acids.
It compares favorably with corn, but is far less susceptible to insects.
Its cooler weather cousin is quinoa.
BTW, if you want a giggle, instead of a milk cow, offer to meet your husband halfway and get a milk goat. It will be worth it to see the expression on his face.
that is a new one on me.
Can you describe that process? How is the tire cut, around the circumference ? creating two rings?
Living in Bubba country, I thought that I had seen all possible uses for old tires! :)