How many people can live off of one acre of crops (eating nothing except things from that acre)?

Question

If one was a sustenance farmer, what crops--and how much of each crop should they plant (in a Los Angeles / southern California type climate)? Also--how many people would be able to live entirely off of those crops? Is that sufficient nutrition, or would one need sheep or chickens on their land? How many would they need and what would one need to plant for the chickens/sheep if they needed them? And if they had sheep and chickens, would it be sufficient to drink the milk and eat the eggs or would one have to slaughter them as well and eat them? Would rain water be sufficient for the crops--and a well for the people/animals? If they were to have a german shepherd as a guard dog, what would they need to feed it--would some chickens need to be slaughtered daily for the dog, or would it eat eggs, or what? If they had a horse, what would they need to plant for it, and how much of it?

Thanks!

Additional Details

I'm also talking about an entirely organic farm.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

One eighth of one acre per person. Awhile ago I had the exact same question and my research led me to a man named John Jeavons. You can look up his farming book on Amazon and even if you're not a farmer it's an interesting read because of the amazing and effecient techniques he uses. And he's legit - not just a farmer, he heads a worldwide program called Biointensive that teaches people how to farm their own food and gain self-sufficiency. His techniques are based on scientific research and include advanced topics such as crop pairing, soil structure and composition, sustainability (so you don't deplete the soil), etc. One thing to mention though is that the diet you would recieve from these techniques is 100% vegan (as well as organic/free of pesticides) and, as with a lot of similar diets, there is a defeciency in Vitamin b12. Jeavons was working on this last I checked and he may have found a solution by now. Rainwater would only be sufficient in that region if you had a separate cistern/rain catcher and could then use that to water your crops. And as for the animals if you want them, I have heard that feeding dogs and the like a vegan diet such as the one this system would produce will not only sustain them but keep them very healthy. I used to wonder about this kind of diet for humans and animals alike, I had always suspected that not eating meat or dairy would cause some sort of health problems, but then I remember that I know people who have been vegan since birth, never touched a piece of meat, and they are normal, healthy, athletic human beings.

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Asker's Comment:

Thanks, these were both good answers.

Answer 2

You would not be able to sustain larger animals on one acre - like sheep, cows or horses. You would need more than one acre for the feed crops alone.

Chickens, you could probably do. And if the entire one acre was intensively cultivated, you could probably feed 2 or 3 people on it.

Rainwater and rain-collection MAY be enough - it very much depends on WHERE the land is, and if it receives run-off from surrounding acreage, etc.

I have a book called "The Guide To Self-Sufficiency" which maps out the planting plan for a one-acre self-sufficient homestead. I don't have it handy - but if you want more info, you could check that out. There are no large animals in the plan, and needless to say, no "lawn" or leisure space - it's all very cleverly and instensely cultivated. Rotating crops, using succession planting, and extending the growing season with row covers, cold frames, and mini-greenhouses.