Compact Farms

A modern classic of the new agrarianism "Chris Smaje...shows that the choice is clear. Either we have a small farm future, or we face collapse and extinction."—Vandana Shiva "Every young person should read this book."—Richard Heinberg In a groundbreaking debut, farmer and social scientist Chris Smaje argues that organizing society around small-scale farming offers the soundest, sanest and most reasonable response to climate change and other crises of civilisation—and will yield humanity’s best chance at survival. Drawing on a vast range of sources from across a multitude of disciplines, A Small Farm Future analyses the complex forces that make societal change inevitable; explains how low-carbon, locally self-reliant agrarian communities can empower us to successfully confront these changes head on; and explores the pathways for delivering this vision politically. Challenging both conventional wisdom and utopian blueprints, A Small Farm Future offers rigorous original analysis of wicked problems and hidden opportunities in a way that illuminates the path toward functional local economies, effective self-provisioning, agricultural diversity and a shared earth. Perfect for readers of both Wendell Berry and Thomas Piketty, A Small Farm Future is a refreshing, new outlook on a way forward for society—and a vital resource for activists, students, policy makers, and anyone looking to enact change.

Small is beautiful, and these 15 real farm plans show that small-scale farmers can have big-time success. Compact Farms is an illustrated guide for anyone dreaming of starting, expanding, or perfecting a profitable farming enterprise on five acres or less. The farm plans explain how to harness an area’s water supply, orientation, and geography in order to maximize efficiency and productivity while minimizing effort. Profiles of well-known farmers such as Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier show that farming on a small scale in any region, in both urban and rural settings, can provide enough income to turn the endeavor from hobby to career. These real-life plans and down-and-dirty advice will equip you with everything you need to actually realize your farm dreams.

"Since the middle of the last century, American farm policy has taken the nation into the dead end of industrial farm production and food distribution. Farming, at its core a biological process, has been transformed into an industrial process, thus demolishing the economic and cultural values upon which the nation was founded. Along the way, small farms have been ridiculed and dismissed as inconsequential -- but now the seeds of a rural renaissance are being planted, not by these industrial behemoths, but by family-scale farms. In this collection of essays by one of America's most eloquent and influential proponents of sustainable agriculture, the multifaceted case for small farms is built using logic and facts."--Publisher's website.

"Making Small Farms Work follows the first seasons setting up what has quickly become one of Europe's flagship farm scale Permaculture and regenerative agriculture sites. From a rural situation, nestled in the heart of Scandinavia, Ridgedale is a dedicated high-quality local food producer engaged in educating the next generation of agrarians with the design and management strategies to create farms for the future."--Page 4 of cover.

Josh Volk, author of the best-selling Compact Farms, offers small-scale farmers an in-depth guide to building customized equipment that will save time and money and introduce much-needed efficiencies to their operations. Volk begins with the basics, such as setting up a workshop and understanding design principles, mechanical principles, and materials properties, then presents plans for making 15 tools suited to small-farm tasks and processes. Each project includes an explanation of the tool’s purpose and use, as well as the time commitment, skill level, and equipment required to build it. Projects range from the super-simple (requiring a half-day to build) to the more complex, and include how-to photographs and illustrations with variations for customizing the finished implement. Along with instructions for building items such as simple seedling benches, a mini barrel washer, a DIY germination chamber, and a rolling pack table, Volk addresses systems design for farm efficiency, including how to design an effective drip irrigation system and how to set up spreadsheets for collecting important planning, planting, and market data. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

You Are A Step Away From Learning How To Have A Successful Backyard Garden Comprised Of Healthy, Organic Fruits, Vegetables And Animals To Supply You With Fresh Farm Produce For Your Own Consumption Or For Sale! Are you looking for a way to turn your tiny spare land into a mini-farm and make money out of it? Have you been having a dream to stay amidst a natural homestead with refreshing crops and soothing animals and spend the rest of your days fully healthy, independent, unflustered and happy? Or are you trying to improve your farming methods to have better yields, generate more income and generally increase viability of your farming efforts? Whatever your goal is, you are at the right place. It is true; farming can be discouraging and frustrating, especially for someone with precise goals which are being unmet, or someone who loves farming with a passion but is not seeing progress in the practice or seeing positive results. If you're new to this, you might even feel more confused as you don't even know where to begin! As such, you might wonder: What am I doing wrong? What does it really take to be a successful farmer? Is it about the space? The nutrients? The seeds…? How can avoid common mistakes and sail through? What do I need to grow or rear to be successful? How do I deal with weeds, pests and diseases? How do I combine crop and animal farming in my garden? If you can relate, this 2 in 1 book will prove extremely helpful. It contains the steps any beginner should take to get started with mini-farming successfully, as well as the dos and don'ts for intermediates to boost their farming and achieve their goals effortlessly and effectively. Here's a bit of what it covers: The basics of mini farming, including what it is, how it works and why you should venture into mini farming How to maximize your space to have a viable, productive mini-farm How to choose the right plants for mini-farming The steps you need to take to build the mini-farm How to select the right tools and equipment for your mini-farm How to maintain your mini-farm How to raise the beds, handle soil composition and maintain your setup. How to optimize plant nutrients, have the right timing and sufficient yields How to set up an irrigation system, proportion and sizing of your crops How to select the seeds, and prepare seedlings in your home for the best start in mini-farming How you can control pests and diseases effectively How to work with seasons How to grow the trees and vines for fruits How to rare chicken for eggs and meat How to store your harvest to last longer What you need to do to sell your produce …And much more! As you'll soon see, starting and maintaining a successful mini-farm doesn't have to be complicated, even if you've tried everything to get there but failed. All you need to do is follow the simple guidelines as discussed in this book, and you'll get around all those hurdles and challenges that have been keeping you from achieving your dream. Scroll up and click Buy Now With 1-Click or Buy Now to get started!

Turn your farm into a cash cow! Ron Macher offers a host of simple strategies for increasing your farm earnings, from purchasing durable equipment to growing economically viable crops. A seasoned expert in farm efficiency, Macher shows you how to locate a lucrative niche market for your products, optimize sales, and minimize costs. Whether you’re buying a new farm or jump-starting an old one, Macher’s savvy tips will help you turn your enterprise into a profitable business.

Small cattle breeds are manageable to control and care for and perfect for lifestyle blocks and small farms. They can be bred commercially for beef but their docile temperaments and small size also make them especially suitable for hobby farms. As more people have turned to the country for a 'tree change', interest in these breeds has grown tremendously. In this new edition of her popular book Small Cattle for Small Farms, award-winning cattle breeder Margo Hayes provides practical and easy-to-understand information for people interested in keeping small cattle for a range of reasons. The book assumes no prior experience with cattle and covers all the basics to help you set up an enjoyable and viable small farm, including: types of cattle and production systems available, how to select your stock, explanations of equipment required and basic cattle husbandry. It contains simple explanatory diagrams and photographs to make new concepts clear. With new and expanded sections on small cattle breeds, genetics and breeding systems, this second edition competently addresses questions asked by those entering small farming for the first time while providing a solid reference for those already in the industry. Detailed guidelines for raising healthy cattle through good nutrition, land management and herd monitoring are provided, in addition to tips for showing and marketing your cattle and up-to-date government requirements for land and stockowners.