GaryD
13th December 2010, 10:04 AM
Hi,
I recently came across something called SPIN Farming (http://www.spinfarming.com/).
SPIN (short for Small Plot Intensive) farming is the brainchild of Canadians Wally Satzewich and Gail Vandersteen.
They’ve evolved a system of farming using urban plots which they claim is easy to learn and inexpensive to implement. Their system removes the two most significant barriers to entry for ‘wannabe’ farmers – land and capital.
Unlike other (Earn a Million Dollars in Your Backyard) approaches, SPIN Farming uses precise revenue-targeting formulae to give a predictable annual income.
To achieve maximum profitability, urban farmers need to target high value crops and market them effectively.
The SPIN model offers a templated approach to urban farming – for hobby, intermediate or deluxe - that can be operated on less than an acre of land. Some of the people who are involved actually utilise a number of small urban plots......even to the point of leasing unused backyards from other people.
Prospective SPIN farmers can purchase and download a range of inexpensive guides that lead them through the whole process from designing a SPIN farm, growing the produce and then marketing it.
Key Concepts
Standard size bed - 25’ long x 2’ wide.
High value crop – one that produces $100 per harvest per bed.
Relay cropping – the sequential growing of crops.
Intensive relay cropping – growing 3 high value crops per bed per season.
Bi-relay – growing two lesser value crops per bed per season.
Single relay – growing one low value crop per season.
1-2-3 rule – divides the farm into three different areas of crop intensity.
Land allocation – the smaller the farm, the more of its area needs to be devoted to intensive relay production.
Revenue targeting formula – one acre accommodates 480 standard size beds – including paths, walkways and infrastructure. If all are intensively cropped they will produce $300 per bed per season – 480 beds x $300 = $144,000 per acre per season.
I haven’t got my head around all of it yet, so I can’t comment on the projected income, but as someone who is interested in business systems and integrated backyard food production, I find the concept very interesting.
It certainly ticks several of my Microponics boxes. I can see several ways to integrate micro-livestock and fish into the SPIN model, too.
Anyone come across SPIN Farming before?
Gary
I recently came across something called SPIN Farming (http://www.spinfarming.com/).
SPIN (short for Small Plot Intensive) farming is the brainchild of Canadians Wally Satzewich and Gail Vandersteen.
They’ve evolved a system of farming using urban plots which they claim is easy to learn and inexpensive to implement. Their system removes the two most significant barriers to entry for ‘wannabe’ farmers – land and capital.
Unlike other (Earn a Million Dollars in Your Backyard) approaches, SPIN Farming uses precise revenue-targeting formulae to give a predictable annual income.
To achieve maximum profitability, urban farmers need to target high value crops and market them effectively.
The SPIN model offers a templated approach to urban farming – for hobby, intermediate or deluxe - that can be operated on less than an acre of land. Some of the people who are involved actually utilise a number of small urban plots......even to the point of leasing unused backyards from other people.
Prospective SPIN farmers can purchase and download a range of inexpensive guides that lead them through the whole process from designing a SPIN farm, growing the produce and then marketing it.
Key Concepts
Standard size bed - 25’ long x 2’ wide.
High value crop – one that produces $100 per harvest per bed.
Relay cropping – the sequential growing of crops.
Intensive relay cropping – growing 3 high value crops per bed per season.
Bi-relay – growing two lesser value crops per bed per season.
Single relay – growing one low value crop per season.
1-2-3 rule – divides the farm into three different areas of crop intensity.
Land allocation – the smaller the farm, the more of its area needs to be devoted to intensive relay production.
Revenue targeting formula – one acre accommodates 480 standard size beds – including paths, walkways and infrastructure. If all are intensively cropped they will produce $300 per bed per season – 480 beds x $300 = $144,000 per acre per season.
I haven’t got my head around all of it yet, so I can’t comment on the projected income, but as someone who is interested in business systems and integrated backyard food production, I find the concept very interesting.
It certainly ticks several of my Microponics boxes. I can see several ways to integrate micro-livestock and fish into the SPIN model, too.
Anyone come across SPIN Farming before?
Gary