Sustainable Food Supply on One Acre

Self-Sufficiency: Security For You and Your Family

Self-sufficiency is among the most valued, venerated, and celebrated American values. This is also true in other countries, especially those with strong, traditional ties to their history, heritage, elders, community, and country's prosperity.

What Is Self-Sufficiency?

Self-sufficiency is the ability of an individual, family, or community to survive and thrive solely on the fruit of their labor and efforts.

Self-sufficiency is most commonly found in small, close-minded communities. It is primarily a necessity rather than a desire or deliberate lifestyle choice, though this is not universally true.

In such communities, each individual's homestead produces enough produce (be it food, materials, labor, or other goods and services) to sufficiently provide for their own families, along with produce that serves as profit and a significant source of income for both themselves and the community as a whole.

To this end, food is the backbone of independent and familial self-sufficiency. When your means of survival are assured and protected, you will not have to rely upon anyone to survive.

Independent Food Production, Independent Living

Where To Start: Land  

To start, 1 acre of land, if used correctly, can provide enough for you and your family—although it takes a lot of work, education, knowledge, and time.

You shouldn't have this mentality of restricting your land to just 1 acre. You may need more land depending on your livestock and the crops you want to raise on your land.

You'll want to know each animal and crop's base needs and requirements before you decide how much land you need to accommodate them all.

First, concentrate your efforts on the land itself. While a single acre can be turned into a plot suitable for growing crops and livestock, you will want to tailor your land to the specific arrangements you plan to establish.

Soil Fertility  

First, you'll want to tend to your soil. Just as food is the backbone of sustainable living, soil is the backbone of sustainable food production.

You'll need to provide your soil with the necessary nutrients to be most fertile, productive, healthy, and resistant to erosion, overwork, and overgrazing/overfarming.

You must provide your soil with a complete range of soil minerals, including primary NPK minerals, secondary nutrients (including sulfur, calcium, and magnesium), and a complement of trace materials naturally found in healthy soil.

In addition to these nutrients, you'll need to periodically build organic matter within the soil to allow these nutrients to function within the ecosystem, such as using soil acids. You'll want to ensure these soil acids are also nutritionally balanced.

After you've learned what is needed for healthy, productive soil, you'll need to understand your area's zoning regulations.

Zoning Regulations and Livestock Needs  

Most areas have regulations on what kind of structures and animals you can have on your property. For instance, you most likely cannot have animals like cows or horses on your property but might be allowed a handful of chickens or other small livestock.

As mentioned earlier, you need to understand your livestock's needs and how much land they require (for grazing and living). You also need to account for the resources necessary for each type of livestock to satisfy their needs and the zoning regulations that govern your area.

If you want to be self-sufficient, you'll need to grow your hay and produce your feed for your animals. What kind of diet each animal needs will differ for each animal, and you'll need to know and be able to produce these dietary staples to be self-sufficient.

Food Production Planning

You'll want to establish what food to produce on your property immediately. Do you want to produce livestock for meat? If so, what kind of meat do you wish to make?

Do you have the skill to butcher and process these animals? And if not, can you outsource such services to someone you trust?

Next, you will want to decide what vegetables and other crops you want to grow, what their needs are, and how they need to be harvested to avoid waste and maximize your efforts and profit.

You'll want crops that provide a complete nutritional diet to you and your family, aren't too demanding to grow and maintain, and are in demand so that you can sell your surplus to make a profit.

Lastly, consider growing secondary flora on your property. Such plants can nourish the soil, provide your vegetables with additional nutrients, and add to the character and look of your property. Because of this, it is beneficial to add these to your land.

Milkweed Plant - TN Nursery

Milkweed Plant

Milkweed Plant: Asclepias Incarnata The milkweed plant is known for attracting monarchs. It is a native perennial with clusters of showy, pink to mauve flowers and lance-shaped leaves. The plant attracts pollinators while thriving in moist, wetland habitats. It boasts numerous benefits when incorporated into landscaping designs. Its unique features contribute to outdoor spaces' aesthetic appeal and ecological value. With clusters of vibrant and captivating flowers, it adds a burst of color and charm to gardens while also serving as a vital component in supporting local ecosystems. It is a flowering perennial that, in addition to its ornate floral growths, is highly beneficial for local ecosystems. Today, we will examine this truly stunning and unique plant. The plant can grow to about 59 inches tall and is known for the vibrant, clustering flowers at the top of the narrow stem. The flowers have a purplish-pink hue and pink shafts reaching the main plant stem. The plant's leaves have a sword-like shape and a deep green hue that remains for most of the year.  When the flowers are in full bloom, they create a stunning contrast against the natural earth colors of the leaves, making them stand out in any garden or landscape. The plant has opposite leaves that grow in pairs on either side of the stem. Thus, the plant alone has an elegant, tidy, and elegant air. The green leaves work well in drab areas of your garden that could use some brightening. Aside from the innate beauty of Asclepias Incarnata, with its green foliage and glowing pink flowers, this plant also attracts a different kind of beauty-monarch butterflies.   Monarchs frequently visit these flowers to nourish themselves with nectar and lay their eggs in them so the larvae can thrive. As a perennial with rich, nectar-filled flowers, the plant attracts beautiful hummingbirds. The shifting colors of the hummingbird breast will also contribute to the palette of your outdoor areas. The length of the Asclepias Incarnata leaves varies from 2 ½ inches to 6 inches. They are narrow and have light green veins running through them. They don't grow densely, leaving the flowers to take center stage in their bouquet. The near-neon hue of this plant's flowers makes them great companion pieces for other bright-blooming flowers. Gardeners and landscapers like to plant it to add a splash of unique color that instantly breathes new life into dull spaces. Benefits of Milkweed (Asclepias Incarnata) Yes, the Asclepias Incarnata looks stunning in full bloom. However, there are perhaps even more important reasons you should consider adding this perennial to your garden. It grows natively in North America. They have been observed to grow wild from Texas to Nova Scotia. This means they will be easy for you to plant, cultivate, and maintain even if you don't have much gardening experience. Asclepias Tuberosa Plant Supports the Local Honey Bee Population  Honeybees are vital to your local ecosystem as they are natural pollinators. In fact, according to Farmers.gov, honey bees are responsible for the pollination of nearly 80% of our flowering plants. Keeping it can attract bees that pollinate your garden's flowers and other plants. The honey bee population is dramatically declining, and providing sanctuaries for these critical links in the ecosystem has never been more important.  Keeps Pests Away Asclepias Incarnata contains a natural latex that repels invasive insects and animals that would otherwise feast on the plant. Therefore, this plant in your garden can repel these pests and keep your other plants healthier. Ornamental Value - If you look closely at the flowers, you will see they are made of smaller, intricate flowers. This gives them a stunning appearance, while the purple-pink coloration adds ornamental value to many landscapes. Plus, the flowers have a fragrant aroma that some have said is reminiscent of cinnamon. The Monarch Butterfly Population-Like honey bees, the monarch butterfly population is in decline. Some leading conservation groups have even classified them as endangered. You can do your part to support the migration patterns of the Monarch butterfly by keeping it in your garden.  The best time to plant it is in the fall, when the soil is likely wet. However, Asclepias Incarnata prefers wet and moist soil, so if your area receives a good amount of rain in the Spring, you can also plant it in early Spring. The best time to prune this plant is in the Spring before it sprouts new growths. Pruning helps make the plant look more attractive and encourages the development of new leaves. However, it may not be necessary if the plant is already healthy. Absolutely. The females lay their eggs on them as they provide a food source for Monarch butterfly larvae. Adult monarch butterflies are also attracted to the nectar of the flowers. No matter what type of plant you want, TN Nursery has it. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, making us a perfect choice for experienced and new gardening enthusiasts. Order now to paint your outdoor spaces with vibrant colors. It is a tall plant noted for its pink to purple flowers. It is one of 115 plants in the Asclepiadaceae family, named after Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine. This is appropriate because it is known for containing high levels of cardiac glycosides, which are used in some treatments for heart disease. This same substance also serves as the only source for Monarch butterfly larvae. Where Does Milkweed Grow It is native to the midwestern and eastern regions of the United States and Canada, but it can also be found further west. It is most commonly found in more open habitats, such as pastures, prairies, fields, and roadsides. It needs total sun to grow but can tolerate light shade as well. You’ll typically find it commonly clustered together into large patches, which are called colonies.  It can grow to be over five feet tall. The foliage can grow up to 8 inches, elongated nearly four inches wide, and is somewhat thick. The upper part of the oval-shaped leaves is usually darker greenish, while the underside is much lighter green and sometimes even white. When cut, both the leaves and the stems reveal a milky latex. The flowers can grow nearly an inch long and half an inch wide with a midrib that runs beneath them. They have a pink to purple coloring over them with a greenish tint and are very sweetly scented. Milkweed Plant Has Striking Pink-Purple Blooms The pink-to-purple colors contrast nicely against lush green fields and dry yellow prairies. Gardeners like it for its distinctive appearance and sweet, fragrant aromas.  Another reason why gardeners often like it is that it serves as the host plant for the beautiful monarch butterfly. These butterflies will lay their eggs on it, and as mentioned previously, the nectar also serves as the only food source for the Monarch larvae. Gardeners who like monarch butterflies or are otherwise concerned about their declining population can grow it to provide these butterflies with a natural habitat The flowering perennial is named for its cardenolide-bearing latex, which benefits butterflies and insects. Monarch butterflies use and require specific species, including Asclepias syriaca and Asclepias incarnata, as host plants: their genus name, Asclepias, honors Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine.  Asclepias contains hundreds of species native to Africa, North America, and South America. Asclepias syriaca and Asclepias incarnata are native to the American continents and standard across the central and eastern United States. The sun-loving Asclepias syriaca grows naturally in fields, prairies, and pastures, while Asclepias incarnata grows along creeks, ponds, and bogs. Their flowers typically bloom from June through August. Asclepias produces complex blossoms that have similarities to orchids. Their large, spherical clusters of five-petaled blossoms are at the top of their thick stems. Each Asclepias growth usually carries two to five clusters of flowers. The individual blossoms are about three-quarters of an inch long and emit a strong, sweet fragrance. Asclepias syriaca has greenish-pink to rosy pink blooms, while Asclepias incarnata's flowers tend toward a brighter purplish-pink hue. It can grow up to five feet tall. Their thick, bright green leaves are six to eight inches long and two to three-and-one-half inches wide. The leaves' upper surfaces are darker than their whitish undersides. Asclepias plants form colonies in nature and landscapes and need room to spread out. Asclepias incarnata is highly ornamental and fairly quickly contained, making it well-suited to perennial, butterfly, and pollinator gardens. Asclepias syriaca works well in meadow gardens without defined borders. Monarchs grow from seed and spread as their rhizomes expand. They can be propagated in the late fall or early spring. Asclepias syriaca and Asclepias incarnata are food sources for monarch butterflies, beetles, moths, and other insects that evolved to feed on their nectar. In the midwestern and northeastern regions of the United States, their leaves are the most crucial source of nourishment for monarch caterpillars, and their presence helps to fortify and increase monarch populations. If you want to encourage monarch butterflies and other pollinators to make your garden home, you'll surely want to add the plant to your landscape. It needs full sun and well-drained soil. - Grow somewhere where you receive 6-8 hours of full sunlight daily. The flower is a habitat for monarch butterflies. The plant grows on the prairie, meadow, and roadside. It is best established in the brightest places.  It is an herbaceous perennial that grows tall and has wide leaves and sweet-smelling flowers. It has seed pods that pop open and shed seeds containing silky hairs.It resembles common plantain and has wide-eared green leaves and pink, orange, or white flowers, depending on the variety. It blooms in oblong spikes and is good for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.  Milkweed can last for years in most cases. Annual plants are annual; that is, they seed to flower in a year and also self-sow

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partridgeberry plant - TN Nursery

Partridge Berry

Partridge Berry - Mitchella Repens L. Partridge Berry is a low-growing, trailing evergreen plant with glossy leaves and small, white to pinkish tubular flowers, followed by bright red berries commonly found in woodland settings. It is a charming and low-growing ground cover that offers several benefits when incorporated into landscaping designs. If you're looking for a perennial that will add delicate beauty to your garden all year, look no further than those evergreen groundcovers with delicate red berries in the cold season. Red Berries Near The Holidays Makes Partridge Berry Very Popular This flowering vine has beautiful red berries, bright green leaves, and star-shaped, white flowers. It blossoms in the late spring. As a creeper with long tendrils, it's notable because it doesn't use its tendrils to climb; instead, it creeps along the forest floor. It is native to many forests in eastern North America and has been seen as far north as Canada and south as Florida. The Dark Green Evergreen Leaves Of Partridge Berry This evergreen features small, compact stems under its flowers. Its dark green leaves don't change color or fall on the ground like other plants, so there's no messy cleanup. If you want to attract bees, birds, and other friendly visitors to your garden, you can do it with this attractive, easy-to-grow vine. It Is Resilient Perennial Ground-Cover Despite its delicate appearance, this flowering vine is hardy enough to create groundcover that stays attractive in any season. Its glossy green leaves stand out against the falling brown leaves in the fall. Enjoy the beauty and fragrance of its bright white flowers in spring and summer. The bright red berries will remind you of holly and other winter delights. Grows And Spreads Quickly It is also versatile. Although it grows thick on the ground, you can use it in borders, walkways, paths, or anywhere you want an attractive, hardy cover. It's ideal in rock gardens or other hardscape settings. Once set up in the soil, it spreads out thickly, rooting itself deeply into the soil and creating a thick layer of leaves. Frequently Asked Questions: Where should the plant be grown? These hardy groundcover do best when planted in shade or part shade in moist, drainage soil with plenty of organic matter. They also work well as ground covers in the shade and naturalized gardens.  Is the plant easy to grow? Growing is quite simple and requires little care once it's in the ground. It tolerates drought, spreads very slowly, and makes a lush, evergreen carpet, which is great for the shade.  What makes it such a popular and useful garden plant?  It stays green through the winter and turns red. This keeps the plant ornamental all year long and allows it to be used in rock gardens, forests, and shaded borders.  Can it be planted in pots? Yes, it can be planted in pots if you use well-drained, rich soil and in a partial shade location. This is a great plant for small gardens or those living on patios or balconies.  What are some companion plants for it? Here are some plants that are excellent with these plants: Ferns, hostas, trillium, and mosses work best with partridge berry plants, as they need a dark, wet place.

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Goat's Beard Plant - TN Nursery

Goat's Beard Plant

Goat's Beard Plant - Aruncus Dioicus Goat's Beard Plant is recognized for its feathery plumes of small, creamy-white flowers atop tall, upright stems and fern-like foliage, which add a graceful touch to gardens and landscapes. It is a charming and beneficial type with several advantages in landscaping projects. This perennial belongs to the Rosaceae family and is admired for its striking plume-like flowers and attractive foliage. One of the primary benefits of incorporating it into landscaping is its captivating appearance. The whimsical, fun aesthetic of the perennial makes it a lively contribution to any landscape. It is a welcome addition to any home or commercial garden, with striking fern-like foliage reminiscent of a goat beard. Goat's Beard Plant Is A Stunning Native Landscaping does not have to be complicated or time-consuming. By picking the right ones, you can easily enhance any landscape. Thanks to the fluff-like flair of this perennial flower, you can add a dash of eye-catching style to your lawn without the need for extensive digging or hardscaping. Scientifically known as Aruncus dioicus, this blossom is perfect for adding elegance, grandeur, and effortless sophistication to a garden. Goat's Beard Plant Can Reach 6 Feet Tall With an impressive height of 3-6 feet, the Arancus dioicus gives your garden an earthy, magical feel. Its flowers bloom in a rich cream color on groups of clustered branches; though delicate, they are unmistakable and sure to capture anyone's attention as they stroll through your garden. On a sunny evening in summer, these flowers, often called bride's feathers, boast plume-like foliage that sway in the breeze. You'll usually find them growing in woodland areas, forests, and meadows. For gardeners dreaming of a natural, wild feel for their landscape, this is a marvelous addition to their botanical collection. Attract Pollinators With This Perennial  In addition to their gorgeous blossoms, these flowers also sport strong sets of leaves that range from large to small, raising the stem and creating visual depth and fullness. Grouped, these flowers can form a gorgeous family of blossoms that enhance any landscape. Partnered with other flowers, particularly those in vibrant blue, orange, and pink hues, they are breathtaking features in any scenery. It Blooms May To June It flowers bloom from May through June, offering a beautiful display of plush, airy blossoms. Easy to grow and maintain, they are often popular among gardeners who like meadow-inspired flora and have large spaces they wish to fill with native species. Does It Grow Fast It grows relatively fast, especially when grown under the right conditions. It usually takes 2-3 years to grow into maturity, after which it develops pretty foliage and magnificent plumes of white flowers when in bloom. Where is the best place to put It It does great in part to full shade and prefers rich, moist soils that are well-draining. It is great for woodland gardens or shaded borders. What Is The Lifespan Of It Proper care for it assures it can survive for several years, often lasting about 10-15 years or even more. The perennial grows year after year, which means that it will make a lasting impression in your yard. Should I prune it? Trimming is not required, but if done, it will ensure that the perennial assumes the right shape and supports growth. How To Maintain It Goat's beard plant can be grown by watering it when the conditions are dry and applying a layer of organic material over the top to help the soil retain moisture. Frequent but light feeding is recommended in spring.

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