Like so many, I have the dream of retiring to a small island and living a simple life away from man. I would say the things of man, but I like science and technology and those things will allow me my personal self-sufficiency. I still haven't figured out a good way to get the internet, so I haven't left civilization yet.
Today though, I am experimenting with seeds and sprouting. Which led to a contemplation of consumption. Which led to wondering about space requirements. How much do I eat and how much space would it take to grow it?
I eat rice, love it, and probably consume about 40 pounds a year. How much land would it take to grow enough for me? According to Mother Earth News it looks like a farmer can get 10 pounds of rice per 100 sq ft of land. And they can get this every 3-6 months as long as the temperature stays over 70 degrees F for 40 straight days.
So I figure 2 harvests a year if it takes 4 months to grow, and here in Florida it might drop a bit below during the winter so to stay on the safe side I'll not push it. At 2 harvests I can grow 20 pounds each time, so I need 200 sq ft or if I put them in trays I need (2) 10x10 growing spots. Maybe get a couple of 8' kiddie pools and use them as a way of flooding and retrieving which a growing technique. Produce 5 pounds/pool which is easy to scale up or down as necessary. Plus it would be small enough to put the growing area on a pallet that can be raised and lowered to ensure that the rice is properly covered with water. Easier to harvest if I don't have to bend over all the time!
Then in the off season use the pools as aquaculture, fish ponds. maybe. I need to research other necessary items that I consume.
No comments:
Post a Comment