Coop gardening

[Grunt]

I will apologize up front for any rambling that might occur during this post. I am trying to figure out a way
To start a coop for gardening. I own a nice 19 acre tract that I would like for a small farm for 3 or 4 family's
I would supply everything needed and work the farm but a few more family's would not only make it easier but would increase the production. Does anyone know of a web site for getting people togather for such a coop. I would like to have a jersey and it produces enough mike products for 4 familys. I have started clearing the land and put in a stock pond and started a new well. I have started planting fruit tress already
And are getting ready to build carrols for a few cattle but before I barter for the cattle I would like to have my grains planted for the feed.

I think that with a little help we could support 4-5 family's with produce, eggs, fruit, milk (and related products) Beef and grains at least wheat and corn.

I am really just thinking out loud here and figured someone in this group has done this before or are doing it now.

[Grunt]

I have read a few post that I found after writing this. I see where people are charging or paying to be part of the co-op and for their money they get curtain veggies per week. I am not looking to charge anyone to join the co-op I am looking for labor. In order to grow all that I want along with the animals it will take more then just me so for coming over and helping your family gets feed. Fresh milk everyday eggs fruit, veggies all for just a share of the operating cost and your time in the garden. I forgot meat from the chickens cattle.

[crashdive123]

Here are several resources that you may find helpful.

http://extension.unh.edu/hcfg/start_garden.htm

http://communitygarden.org/learn/sta...ity-garden.php

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/cir7/cir7rpt.htm

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/k...com/commun.htm

[kyratshooter]

Been there, done that. Only we called it "Grandad's farm", me being Grandad.

First, you are not going to support 4-5 families on 20 acres. Crops and output are seasonal with long lags between when the work is needed and when the crop comes in. We live in an instant gratification society. They want their stuff now, often before the work is done. They will also not understand why there are worms in the corn, why the milk tastes like onions or why the cow has suddenly gone dry.

Second, ametuer help often messes up more than it produces. Do you really want 15-20 kids running wild, chasing your cattle, digging holes in the garden and "borrowing" you tools. You will spend more time showing the adults what to do and how to do it than it would take to do it yourself.

Third, you will find that the "work ethic" is stronger in some than in others and generally leaves completely when scoccer, basketball and band practice causes scheduling problems even if the beans are in and need picking before noon.

So....

Good luck with that!

[Grunt]

Enough said.... 20 kids running around and digging holes! I have a headache just reading your post.

[kyratshooter]

On 20 acres I would put in an acre of garden, another 5 acres of corn and run a couple of cows and a steer on the pasture. Feed the cattle the corn over the winter. If you do that you can keep one freezer full of veggies, one freezer full of beef and milk year round if you stagger breeding the cows.

You can do that alone with a minimum of machinery.

[hunter63]

They have been trying that out here at "The Place", for the last few years......Lots of enthusiasm to start with, even a few bucks in start-up money....i kicked in $30 bucks on a tiller although I chose not to take part in this one.
I have done this in the past, and just turned out that a few did the work,(me) and the rest didn't, then even expected you to harvest and deliver the proceeds to them.

I have my own garden I take care of at home, so the idea of coming out here to the cabin, and spending my time weeding isn't in the cards.

So it is up and running, two families do most of the work and they live here year around, even built a veggie stand to sell extra stuff....but so far that's pretty much it.

Great soil, have a tractor and a tractor drive tiller beside the small tiller, a water supply, and tool shed....just need people to work it.

Good luck with that.

[wildWoman]

@Grunt - get in touch with communities who have community gardens to find out what works and how, and what doesn't. It's a great concept in general, I just always wonder what about when it comes to the grunt work or tools get broken or disappear or something needs to be bought or replaced. Totally depends on the people, I guess.

[hunter63]

I guess if you look at it just as your own garden that you have over planted, (always do that), and have extra produce to give away, too bad, everyone's crops pretty much comes in at the same time.........and if you can get some help with it, so much the better.
Just seems like good intentions will be greater that the grind.....or so was my experience.

The most successful program was simply renting a small plot in a large garden....with access to the tools, but you are on your own with everything else.

[kyratshooter]

I lived in a university town for most of my life and my Dad was a prof at the U. They had a lot of excess land and the AG department ran a garden program each year. They went in and plowed, disked and harrowed one huge field and laid it out in strips 20'x300'.

If you were enroled in the U you got a strip free, if you worked at the U you got a strip free. It there were strips left, and there always were, alumni got a strip free.

My Mom would talk anyone she could find into getting a garden strip and letting her use it! My senior year in college she had stips for me, one brother, my Dad and my x-wife and three other faculty members. She nearly worked my butt to death that year!!!

Moma did not take NO for an answer! If beans were in and you had a class at 8am you better be in that garden at 05:30!!!! You want food this winter, get out there and sweat for a while!

[Rick]

KY - When I was about 5 or 6 we had to pick bugs off grandpa's potatoes. He had about a 1/4 acre of spuds so everyone got to help. We had to put them in a sack and then the sacks were burned when we finished. Have you ever tried to keep 30 or 40 spud bugs in a sack? Yeah, those were the good ole days.

[Sparky93]

My Aunt and Uncle are doing this exact thing, they also happen to be the hippies in the family. The live in a cabin, poop in a hole, just recently got solar panels to power a washing machine, yep their living the dream of a lot of people (just not mine)... anyhow the grow organic veggies and sell them to the big wigs in Nashville, they also have interns that live in a bunk house on their property and pay them to weed their gardens... (haven't figured that one out yet...) They basically live off the food they grow or raised and barter for most of the rest, I've got a great story about my Uncle thinking he invented crop rotation if anyone wants a chuckle (He is not the brightest bulb in the box, luckily he is not blood relation...) They make big bucks doing it though, organic veggies are expensive... I use Sevin Dust in my garden...

[hunter63]

You know there is something about being into organic gardening and being (or looking like) a hippie....LOL.

Must be like advertising being Amish for well made furniture/hand made stuff...LOL
Ya gotta look the part.
Would pay $5 bucks for some wormy carrots from someone in a suit?

We have a lot of both around "The Place"........