Recommended reading – Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre (2010):

Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre (2010).

By Brett L. Markham.

ISBN-10: 1602399840

ISBN-13: 978-1602399846

Description:

Here is a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family’s food on just one quarter acre – and earn $10,000 in cash annually. This is not back-to-the-land utopianism, but a tested and pragmatic method that can be applied in small lots in rural, suburban, and even urban areas. Even if you have never been a farmer or a gardener, Brett Markham’s advice will teach you what you need to know:

Saving, buying, starting, and selecting seeds.

Maintaining and improving soil.

Preventing and eradicating pests and diseases.

Compost, crop rotation, and timing.

Using organic methods.

Garden planning to meet dietary requirements.

Raising poultry.

Raising and pruning fruits and nuts.

Canning, freezing, and dehydrating.

Selling your excess and produce for top dollar.

And more!

More than just a how-to guide for self-sufficiency, Mini Farming teaches you the underlying principles of mini farming so you will have the knowledge to make you own unique applications. Materials, tools, and techniques are detailed with over a hundred photographs, tables, diagrams, and illustrations.