Integrated Backyard Food Production

[GaryD]

Hi,

My interest in Aquaponics is an extension of a 30 year old commitment to Integrated Agri/Aquaculture......the fore-runner of Aquaponics.

I am working on the development of an Integrated Backyard Food Production concept which will eventually see all viable elements of backyard food production working in harmony with each other.

The core principle is that (as far as practical) all waste products become feedstock for other elements or processes. In essence, there is no such thing as waste - everything that is produced by any of the system elements is recycled.

So far, we have freshwater fish, vegetables, herbs, laying chickens, meat chickens, duckweed and black soldier flies. We usually have Japanese quail (for meat and eggs) but we are currently waiting on some new breeding stock.

Future integrations will include muscovies, bantams of various breeds, more worms, dwarf fruit trees and vines, water gardening, freshwater crayfish, snails, Azolla and native bees.

We'd include meat rabbits but for the fact that Queensland law forbids it. We originally came from another state where we bred them so rabbits will also form part of our concept.....for the purposes of discussion.

To give you an idea of how it all works......our kitchen s****s and vegetable plant residues go into a compost bin where we encourage Black Soldiers to lay eggs which become larvae. We feed the larvae to our fish and the BSF castings become soil conditioner or worm bedding.

Of course, the waste products from our fish contribute the food for our plants. When we start to process the fish for our kitchen, all of the parts that we don't eat will be boiled up and added to the compost bin.

Our laying and meat chickens are housed in night quarters which are lined with shredded paper that I bring home from my office. Periodically, the manure-laden paper becomes worm bedding. The worms become fish food and the worm castings and worm tea are used on our gardens.

Everything that comes from the chickens finds a use. We eat the eggs and the chicken meat and the BSF larvae and worms get almost everything else. Egg shells are crushed and are given back to our layers as a calcium supplement.

The duckweed helps to remove nutrients from our fish water and ends up as fish food.

......and so on.

There's nothing new about most of what we do.......it's simply mixed farming (in an Asian context). What makes my concept a little different to similar systems elsewhere is that it is designed around backyard food production.

Gary

http://www.aquaponicshq.com/forums/images/misc/progress.gif

[Quietly]

Hi Gary,
The Integrated Backyard Food Production (IBFP) is the principal idea through which I discovered Aquaponics earlier this year. I have been thinking about all of the components and what to do for about 20 years now. I have just never quite been in the position to implement it all.
I am curious as to whether you are doing your research on the "How much can I grow in a set area" idea or "how much do I need to grow to sustain say 2 people" idea.
I often spend bits of idle time (like 3am can't sleep too cold to get up) drawing up floor plans of IBFP systems based purely on size 15m x 15m, 20m x 20m etc etc. Therapy tells me if it's not dangerous to other its OK. It just an obsession.:D
On other relevant matters, whilst totally understandable it is a shame we can't also have rabbits here in Queensland. Its almost worth living just the other side of the border for.
Now that we have had a bit of rain I will be doing a search for some suitable snails for my next project. "The Snail House".
I have to check with the council about the chooks but that is nearly ready if I get the OK.
So much information, only just enough time and no where near enough money.
Quietly

[GaryD]

Hi Quietly,

I approach the design of IBFP systems from a variety of perspectives.

Like you, I'll sometimes design for a given number of people or a given yield.....like a rabbit buck and five does for a meal a week....or I'll focus on fitting a quail farm into a three square metre footprint.

On other occasions, I'll work on various integrations......like quail, worms and vegetables.....tiered within the same unit.

The inspiration for my efforts had its origins in the work of the New Alchemists back in the 1970's. In one particular integration that I can recall, they integrated fish, vegetables, worms, rabbits and chickens within the one system.......all housed within a large greenhouse.

I agree with you.....it is a shame we can't keep farmed rabbits in Queensland. If I move, it will be to a place where I can farm rabbits.

Snails are also on my 'To Do' list. Take a look at Sonia Begg's site at http://www.snailfarming.net/index.php and here's another one that sells kits that could be scaled down for home production.... http://www.snails.com.au/kit.html

I agree with you about the time and money, however, the challenge (and the opportunity) that attends backyard food production is to be able to scale it down to what you need to feed yourself and your family. This generally means that cost is less of an issue than if you were trying to set up a commercial operation.

Think of IBFP as a journey rather than a destination......and enjoy the trip.

Gary

[damien little]

Quietly, some councils have pretty funny ideas about what we can and can't have in our backyards. I had a 400m2 backyard once and rang the council to ask if I could have a sheep. The answer was a resounding no! But when asked about chickens, I was told I could have one chicken per .4 sqare metres of backyard space, so 1000 chookies in my backyard. Someone please explain to me how 1000 chooks could be less disturbing or nuisance in a urban setting than one sheep? Personally, now I just don't ask if I don't know. I just do what I want and if someone complains, deal with it then, otherwise, red tape will control everything we do and any attemps at sustainability will be thwarted by ****heads in government. rant over.

[Murray]

Well said Damien.... I have adopted the same set of rules. I have 10 acres which is zoned rural/residential ....but if you read all the council rules about what you can and cannot do you would go mad.
The big rule is to get on well with your neighbours. It pays big time to be nice.
The interesting thing is the list of fees attached to anything you seek permission to do. In my council, if you want to put up a greenhouse of more that a few sq m. you have to apply and the fee is in the order of 900.00
And now their latest trick is to say that one is not permitted to have a garden that is more than 200 sq m.:eek: Can you believe that !!
Local councils can ruin your life. They are not there to help that is for sure.

[Macca]

Can hares be grown in Queensland?

[GaryD]

Hi Macca,

Last time I checked (a long time ago) there were very few examples of successful captive hare breeding.

I just Googled the subject and it appears that it may still be a very hard thing to achieve.......something to do with the extreme wildness of the animal.

Gary

[Jim Bedford]

Hi Gary,
You've mentioned BSF larvae as integral to your system. How do you seperate them from their bedding material? Do you need to purge the insects you use as food? Have you used mice as food for the fish?
Cheers,
Jim

[GaryD]

Hi Jim,


You've mentioned BSF larvae as integral to your system. How do you seperate them from their bedding material? Do you need to purge the insects you use as food? If you look through the BSF (http://www.aquaponicshq.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283) thread, you will see various types of harvesting arrangements that I used prior to buying a Bio-Pod which is has the growing chamber and harvesting arrangement designed into a single unit.


Have you used mice as food for the fish?No.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi Jeremy,

You raised some interesting matters in the following post. I moved it here because this thread already responds to some of your ideas.


I have been doing some investigation into the viability of growing crops on a semi-commercial scale. What with transport/fuel costs and the choke-hold that Coles and Woolies seem to have on the growers, its a very 'iffy' proposition at the moment.

The answer is to eliminate the likes of the large supermarkets from the equation. Forge a relationship directly with the consumers. There are several ways to do that including Farmer's markets, Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) and food buying cooperatives.


Nevertheless, one step at a time. In 'Phase 1' we are simply going to be producing enough for ourselves and to those in need. I really feel for those who are struggling with these food prices at the moment. Cost of living is a real problem for many families.
This is the best way to start. I am committed to the idea that, if you can't run a small system, you won't be able to run a large one.


I love the idea of what Gary has termed 'integrated backyard aquaponics'. We are going to be pushing ahead with this concept on a large scale ourselves. We have quite a list of vegies/fruit/grains/herbs/vines that we think are viable to grow... now just to figure out how to pull it all together with the animals we need. We are considering goats/sheep,chickens,ducks and a milking cow. Quite a list but we need some good poop-producers!
With some of the issues that are confronting us right now (water shortages, fuel prices, food quality, etc), the whole arena of Integrated Backyard Aquaculture is timely.


The reality is I have absolutely no clue how to pull it all together. While I have always loved the idea of this I have not been exposed to the realities of it before. No doubt I am going to be doing a lot of reading and talking to the experts over the next 6 months... Gary beware!
Keep asking questions.


I guess our idealistic aim is to become as self-sufficient as possible... I wonder how far you can go with it?

We think of food self-sufficiency as a journey rather than a destination. That way, you don't get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task. Every step you take is in your own interests and those of the planet.


From a commercial 'Phase 3' point of view I feel that the path of least risk would be to grow a mixed salad of produce for restaurants (have to be high quality and consistent production) as well as perhaps something more specialized to go with it such as bulk gourmet pesto's. As mentioned before the transport/fuel costs are the great inhibitor. Transporting product for 2 hours from Urbenville to Brisbane is costly, especially if you are having to deliver to lots of individual restaurants/cafes etc. On the flip side of the coin, if you sell through a distributor you are going to have the margins squeezed on you again... and you become somewhat of a slave to the big boys... so, still figuring out that one.
I mentioned some of the solutions earlier in this post. Other things to consider include adding value to the products that you grow and attaching to niche markets where possible. One example you've already addressed is that of the gourmet pesto. Basil is widely grown and you're competing with other growers for market share. Gourmet pestos are less widely produced and may find favour with cashed up yuppies at farmer's markets. This a simple example of adding value......there are thousands of others.

I'm a Sirolli Institute-trained Enterprise Facilitator and a former small business adviser so subjects like these strike a chord with me.

Gary

[Jonathan Dyer]

First off Shires, Shires f****** Shires I live in the central Wheatbelt of Western Australia with half our farm divided in the Shires of Kellerberrin & Tammin about 200km East of Perth; our land is zoned rural and to cut a very long story short (Don’t want to bore you) we wanted to establish a vineyard (20ac/9.5ha) in the Shire of Tammin in 2003 and under the town planning act that a vineyard falls under ‘intensive agriculture’ an approval by the council was necessary. And as you guessed it the answer was ‘No’ therefore we took an already long drawn venture to State Tribunal and not much luck there we pulled out because we were not getting results through the Tribunal (just kept delaying the process) spent close to $10,000 on lawyer bills, yet, we did find out that every decision made by the Shire Councilors was null and void due to a Quorum not existing as Councilors should of declared there financial interest on there behalf and didn’t but that’s life I guess. Our next option is to take our case to the ACCC but we know corruption starts at the highest level and infiltrates down. So I understand Shires and its red tape.

On to more intimate discussion I do think that ‘Backyard Food Production’ is both impractical and very unsustainable. Having said that with 100 sq m in mind; really how sustainable is it to support even a family of 2 people entirely and I mean entirely not having to go to the supermarket for anything no bread, potatoes, tomatoes, meat or whatever on such a small area in order to keep up with the standards you are accustom to now and not having to live of on watermelon for 3 months of the year when something is in season. Yes, a small area of land in the perfect conditions will assist the burden but not sustainable.

I do strongly believe that ‘Self Sufficiently’ is obtainable on a much larger land scale. Yet, as Australia the world for that matter is so diverse you are restricted to your local environmental conditions (you live in an area that has snow for 6 months of the year is much harder than someone living in the tropical zones for sustainable food production) saying that the amount of land required to be sufficient and sustainable will differ enormously; secondly if not the most important factor especially in Australia is access to fresh water (and no scheme) in a high rainfall area could get away with a small dam and roof catchment intern less land, low rainfall area equals larger dams supplemented with fresh underground water supplies if available and much more land for both rain harvesting and in dealing with the higher unpredictable environmental conditions as is generally the case, or possible an underground water supply, permanent creek or river may be sufficient alone.

The fact of the matter as we know one food product is used to supplement or support the next moving up the food chain to the largest consumer of them all us; all is possible however, remember one milking cow requires many tones of feed per year to remain healthy and productive (and don’t forget drying off for at least two months of the year) and that a cow will produce a round 15-20L of milk per day, now I don’t know about you but I don’t drink that much, so is it butter, cheese, ice-cream that will be made or excess feed to the pet pig?

One tone of wheat produces around 2,500 loafs of bred so if bread is a must in your diet room must be allowed for a small wheat crop. Instead of continuing the story out I think you get the idea. I believe a large enough area can support a family given the right circumstances (I would say a ball park figure of 10ac/4ha/400,000 sq m.), combined with lots of freezer room to store produce long term (who eats a 40Kg sheep in a week?) is obtainable if managed correctly.

[GaryD]

Hi,

Good to see you back again Jonathon.


On to more intimate discussion I do think that ‘Backyard Food Production’ is both impractical and very unsustainable. Having said that with 100 sq m in mind; really how sustainable is it to support even a family of 2 people entirely and I mean entirely not having to go to the supermarket for anything no bread, potatoes, tomatoes, meat or whatever on such a small area in order to keep up with the standards you are accustom to now and not having to live of on watermelon for 3 months of the year when something is in season. Yes, a small area of land in the perfect conditions will assist the burden but not sustainable.I believe that Backyard Food Production is practical and can be sustainable.

I believe that I could demonstrate (even on the 100 square metres of land that you've proposed) how a substantial quantity of food could be produced.

You seem to be speaking about self-sufficiency in absolute terms where I think of it as a journey rather than a destination. While I agree that it would be impossible to cater for your every food need on any pieced of land (much less the small block you suggested), that ought not prevent someone from attempting to grow as much food as they can.

I suggest that on 100 square metres of land, I could grow enough fish, vegetables, soft fruits, herbs, poultry and game to punch a good-sized hole in the weekly food budget of a small family.....with the only external inputs being some grain, a few kilowatts of electricity and some captured rainwater.

The key to sustainability (and the secret to successful competition with conventional farming) is integration.....and that's why I preach a doctrine of Integrated Backyard Food Production.

GaryD

[Murray]

JD, I think most folk know that total self sufficiency is not really possible from a typical suburban back yard. But working toward that ideal will bring a lot of satisfaction and provide much better quality food for the family. In the long run there is big money savings to be made.
Personally, I would never attempt to have a cow, very inefficient way to produce protein. Same goes for sheep. Goats are the only 4 legged animal that might be worth the trouble in a backyard situation, but even they are marginal.
Beef cattle should not be grown at all, they eat too much and pass too much methane. The only justification here in Aussie is that they can be raised on otherwise useless country.

Fish, mate, that's the way to go.....Fish and veggies..... a few chooks and more veggies.......I would like to try growing some grain...but I know it will never happen.

Local councils ? No words can come close......They are a blight on the landscape and it's time we collectively gave them some stick.

[Hamish]

Here are a few really interesting videos on backyard food production:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iZ8TcrDT5g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPEBM5ol0Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-6eDQ8c-A

http://www.youtube.com/user/dervaes

[Jonathan Dyer]

Ok, I do agree that 100m sq. could be obtainable but what about room for error? Plant failure (due to environmental stress (freak frost), disease (mildew, as I’m sure you would be aware of in Queensland guys), extensive insect damage beyond human control (locust plague), in some cases theft all play a role in food production and it is never without risks.

Another thing I must make myself clear if a plant is grown without proper nutrition then the nutritional value passed onto the consumer may/will lack certain elements without supplementation. Iron deficiency in Aquaponics is a classic example and without supplementation the plant a) produces poorly b) is not passed on to the consumer, intern, may lead to other health side affect with the consumer (scurvy).


I suggest that on 100 square metres of land, I could grow enough fish, vegetables, soft fruits, herbs, poultry and game to punch a good-sized hole in the weekly food budget of a small family.....with the only external inputs being some grain, a few kilowatts of electricity and some captured rainwater.GaryD

You can say that Aquaponics is an adventure but it has practical implications that are now being realised across the globe and may play a vital role in any form of integrated food production, however, a fully planed and integrated operating system will cost thousands of dollars (providing most items are purchased new including a hothouse) to establish. In saying that it may take some years to cover the initial costs in just food savings alone; I do realised once paid for it will be there for years to come and given food prices may triple in the next few years making backyard food production more viable, trust me I’m not against it by any means that’s how I started out just suggesting too look at the bigger picture in real terms with real dollar for dollar savings.

[Jonathan Dyer]

Hi Hamish,
Just watched those videos and this one in particular http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-6eDQ8c-A they said they had a solar power system able to produce 10kw of power (which should run the average home) yet, in Australia a system like this would cost $40,000 and up if they had a battery bank with that system you would expect a figure of around $60,000 installed here in Australia. Just keep that in mind.

[Hamish]

Hi Hamish,
Just watched those videos and this one in particular http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-6eDQ8c-A they said they had a solar power system able to produce 10kw of power (which should run the average home) yet, in Australia a system like this would cost $40,000 and up if they had a battery bank with that system you would expect a figure of around $60,000 installed here in Australia. Just keep that in mind.
Yes - I think it was a grid connected system so no batteries - I would have though that running a biodiesel generator and a bank of batteries with an inverter would have been a better option for them to produce power. Perhaps the noise of a generator would not be so good in suburbia - thats why I want some land and no damn neighbors :)

[djs-sa]

Mr dyer, can i see your system as u are very negative towards others, we are hobbists not professional outfits as u seem to refer to alot I think any way

[Jonathan Dyer]

Hi djs,

Not so negative towards others just looking at the bigger picture on a much bigger scale. There are simple answers to most things in life “Work Smarter, Not Harder”

Sorry I live, work, play in a practical world as a horticulturalist I see things in black & white, what’s better is better but it then must fit a financial framework to be of common everyday use ie solar generated electricity is great but very expensive. Besides as hobbyists doesn’t mean you have to lose a level of professionalism in what you do, taking some pride and passion means a job better done and greater fulfillment I think.

As for my Aquaponic system I run a continuous flow gravel bed now in operation for near 3 years and as of yet I have not lost one single fish. Mainly growing silver beet, spring onions, parsley and chives year round. If you are ever driving to Perth feel free to drop by and check out my system I only live 3km off the Great Eastern Hwy.

[gavinl]

Hi all

Regarding a Remote Area Power system...don't forget that if you live in Queensland and many other states, that you may be eligible for a 50% grant on power generation (wind/solar/hydro), batteries (battery chargers and cross-overs) and installation (including inverters and controllers). http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/sustainability/energy/renewable_energy_rebate_programs/

In QLD at present, you have to either live 1km away from the grid or live on land that will cost more than $30000 to have power put on - in many cases that might involve only being 350m away from the nearest pole. Even with the 50% grant, I think that a half decent system would still cost $30000, however with RECS payments, increases in power prices and infrastructural investment...I reckon this is not that bad considering that for many houses it would probably represent about 10% of building costs. After 5 yrs the system belongs fully to the owner (this might have to be checked with the new grants). Considering the increases in RAPS over the last 5 yrs (at least doubled), even if someone bought the system, used it for 5 years and then sold it...they would probably come out even.

Over the last five years the price of lead has nearly tripled, making lead-acid batteries quite expensive. The good news is that lithium and other technologies (such as vanadium) are relatively better priced than in the past. From my point of view, I reckon a 1.5KW solar system would be the minimum a house of three to four would need depending on location (ie amount of sun), house design, appliances and consumption behaviours. The biggest energy suckers for a moderate climate are a house water pump (assuming there is no town water), the sewerage system and the fridge.

The first can be solved by selecting a sloped block and using gravity instead of a pump or at the very least purchasing an efficient pump. Also, in QLD now, most rural areas can receive at least $1500 for a plumbed water tank. The second by chosing a good composting/greywater system or using a sewerage system like Biolytix (http://www.biolytix.com/index.php). Fridges today are becoming more efficient and common brands usually stock at least one that is well-priced and reasonably energy efficient. Additionally, aquaponic/hydroponic systems can be run using very low amounts of energy.

I am presently running an NFT system 24hrs a day (150w or about 9min of normal toaster use) and a flood and drain setup (150w also per day) for 9 min of every hour - every 90min from 1am to 5am. I've found that it is not taxing the batteries. With a lot of advice from Gary regarding system design and the heads up on Rio Hyperflow efficient pumps, I reckon I could easily add another NFT system (or another 2 x 250L growbed system)without any dramas, which would provide a lot of vegies.:)

Although self-sufficiently might not be possible in every sense of the word, it is possible to generate your own power, harvest water and a produce a lot of fresh food relatively easily in rural Australia (or in most cases within 30-60min from a major regional city). Any shortages such as seafood, meat, eggs or fruit/vegies are easily traded with locals - I'm amazed what a few lettuces will get you. If someone wanted to go a bit more hardcore and try for true self-sufficiency, then perhaps a change of diet would be better than trying to grow every crop.

Hope it helps

gav:)

[Jonathan Dyer]

To my knowledge here in WA the rebate is only 50% of the renewable component (the solar panels, wind turbine) and nothing else.

I needed a new power connection up my irrigation shed to operate pumps etc. we installed a grid connection for $20,000 about 900m away, if I was to install a solar power supply with the power consumption required on a daily basis it would have cost us $200,000. Now that equates to about a break even point on the connection cost alone of 80 YEARS compared to our grid connection of only 8 YEARS.

[Hamish]

Yes there are some amazing incentives to installng solar electricity and water tanks in qld. I recently claimed back $200 for my new water efficient front loader washing machine - and also $50 back for my BioPod as a composting device! The latter I stumbled on when filling in the paperwork for the washing machine!

[echidna]

First off Shires, Shires f****** Shires

Come the Revolution add Councilors to the Politicians and Lawyers!



On to more intimate discussion I do think that ‘Backyard Food Production’ is both impractical and very unsustainable. Having said that with 100 sq m in mind; really how sustainable is it to support even a family of 2 people entirely and I mean entirely not having to go to the supermarket for anything no bread, potatoes, tomatoes, meat or whatever on such a small area in order to keep up with the standards you are accustom to now and not having to live of on watermelon for 3 months of the year when something is in season. Yes, a small area of land in the perfect conditions will assist the burden but not sustainable.


Disagree there. 100 sq. m. is 10 "sot" which is the size of the average Russian garden plot/dacha. That's enough to grow all the potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, plus fruits and flowers for a typical extended family of 7 or 8 people. Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, onions and garlic store in root cellars for almost 12 months. Tomatoes and fruits and mushrooms are preserved. You can add a beehive to that, maybe some chickens, ducks or geese, milking sheep or goats, (everywhere bar QLD) rabbits. People do it. Yes, some things have to be bought in - sugar, salt, tea or coffee, bread or flour etc. but the amount you have to buy in is fairly limited, especially when you have like-minded neighbours who are willing to barter.

And in most of Australia, there's absolutely no reason you can't grow greens all year round in a dirt garden, let alone an aquaponic one. My mother didn't want to know about Chinese greens 'til I planted them and started serving them in stir-fries, now she loves them and grows so much in her little garden in Sydney that she's always giving away stuff to friends and neighbours.



I do strongly believe that ‘Self Sufficiently’ is obtainable on a much larger land scale. Yet, as Australia the world for that matter is so diverse you are restricted to your local environmental conditions (you live in an area that has snow for 6 months of the year is much harder than someone living in the tropical zones for sustainable food production) saying that the amount of land required to be sufficient and sustainable will differ enormously; secondly if not the most important factor especially in Australia is access to fresh water (and no scheme) in a high rainfall area could get away with a small dam and roof catchment intern less land, low rainfall area equals larger dams supplemented with fresh underground water supplies if available and much more land for both rain harvesting and in dealing with the higher unpredictable environmental conditions as is generally the case, or possible an underground water supply, permanent creek or river may be sufficient alone.


Don't get me started on water! My mother grew up in Cobar during the Depression. We had water tanks in Sydney 'til the '70s when laws forced us to remove them. They stopped the need for stormwater run-off and dams, but "experts" (has-been drips under pressure) knew better. I've got reticulated water where I live and value it, but I've also got rainwater tanks. We can live for a week or more without food, water is a bit different.



The fact of the matter as we know one food product is used to supplement or support the next moving up the food chain to the largest consumer of them all us; all is possible however, remember one milking cow requires many tones of feed per year to remain healthy and productive (and don’t forget drying off for at least two months of the year) and that a cow will produce a round 15-20L of milk per day, now I don’t know about you but I don’t drink that much, so is it butter, cheese, ice-cream that will be made or excess feed to the pet pig?


Yes and no. Land that is not available for normal or economic production can be used for other food production. Green crops like peas and beans can be grown for land refurbishment, and the by-product can be used for secondary food production. Peas and beans feed fowls in Russia in winter, but the plants have provided valuable nitrogen for soil refurbishment. It's not a closed system, but it's not open either.



One tone of wheat produces around 2,500 loafs of bred so if bread is a must in your diet room must be allowed for a small wheat crop. Instead of continuing the story out I think you get the idea. I believe a large enough area can support a family given the right circumstances (I would say a ball park figure of 10ac/4ha/400,000 sq m.), combined with lots of freezer room to store produce long term (who eats a 40Kg sheep in a week?) is obtainable if managed correctly.

Why wheat? Why not rye, barley, amaranth, rice? Why not potato bread, or even better sweetpotato bread. Mmmmm! If you intend to survive for more than one or two generations - a community is necessary. As a society in the west we've forgotten how to store food. Dry, pickle, salt, sugar, smoke or a combination or can/jar it. Then there's freezing or low temperature storage, and a hole in the ground can often do that. Then why a 40kg sheep? There are many breeds that max at 20kg and can twin or better, far more suited to "Integrated Backyard Food Production". Romanovs (not found in Australia) and Finnish Landrace can have four or more lambs. Some of the milking sheep are also quite small. Don't think only in terms of animals and crops developed for commercial agriculture.

Sorry for the long-winded response.

[Jim Bedford]

Well said, Mate
Jim Bedford

[Jonathan Dyer]

First off there is a massive difference in the quality of soil of Russia some of the most productive land in the entire world compared to my backyard where water is scarce, good depth of soil is scarce, fertility is poor (and that is before white man stepped foot on this land) and where our average stocking rate per hectare for a cow is 0.3 (of a cow) to the hectare (to be sustainable in a average rainfall year) so it is impossible to have cow in the backyard on 100m sq. So if you are able to have everything perfect one could produce food for a entire family on 100 sq m yet, in most of Australia it would be hard too achieve keeping in mind of the lifestyle we are accustom to now; yes this can change if necessary or are forced to like the great depression but don’t think having a block of land next to Airs Rock is going to be as easy as having a productive block in Bundaberg.

Don’t forget any animal like a sheep during lactation needs more nutrient rich feed and then more feed is required for the lambs regardless of size they still need food to remain healthy the same rules apply regardless of what animal. I do know about those breeds of sheep they are quite suitable once again same rules apply.

Ps. I dry, pickle, bottle, smoke and freeze a great deal of what I grow in order to have a supply of food year round when something is not in season and to preserve waste.