Does militia & survival/preparedness coincide?

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by Mircea

Are you aware it takes an acre of land to feed one person for one year?

That, of course, depends on where that acre of land is. There are areas around here wherein a full section of land wouldn't cut it for one person. It's mainly all about water (and of course, soil quality and climate).

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Mircea

Are you aware it takes an acre of land to feed one person for one year?

Only if you were an extremely bad farmer.

[Nor'Eastah]

Originally Posted by Mircea

Are you aware it takes an acre of land to feed one person for one year?

Absolutely not. A family of 4 can eat quite well on less than 1/4 acre.

This assumes that the land is cleared and tillable, that there is adequate water and rainfall, that it is not located in Siberia, and that some type of fertilizer is used. But just the land? Less than 1/4 acre for 4.

BTW, that is for a vegetarian family. Livestock will require more land.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Mircea

Are you aware it takes an acre of land to feed one person for one year?

Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah

Absolutely not. A family of 4 can eat quite well on less than 1/4 acre.

This assumes that the land is cleared and tillable, that there is adequate water and rainfall, that it is not located in Siberia, and that some type of fertilizer is used. But just the land? Less than 1/4 acre for 4.

BTW, that is for a vegetarian family. Livestock will require more land.

'adequate water' is a key factor in this. It may be different down South where they have repeated water shortages every year.

Here in Maine, we have plenty of water for our crops and forest. the state is over 92% forest, yet when was the last time you heard of a forest fire in Maine? Not in my lifetime.

My Dw and I are vendors in a Farmer's Market, we know many other vendors. It is very common here for market farmers* to work 4 to 6 acres of land, and to produce enough food to feed their family and by marketing the surplus to earn enough to support a family.

* - I know that to many people this usage of the word 'farmer' is up-setting. It upset my father, for example, a 'farmer' must have 5,000 acres, $4Million in equipment, and must be in debt all the time. But to some other people, when a person can grow crops for a living, that makes a 'farmer'.

What seems to never work in these scenarios is to pay for healthcare. Paying taxes is not too bad, but healthcare costs so much that I do not know anyone who is making enough from farming to cover healthcare expenses.

'In full-disclosure': I am not counting my farm in this conversation because I do not support my family exclusively from farming. I am a military retiree, I have a pension income and Maine has a low enough Cost-Of-Living that I can support a family on my pension.