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« ANSWERS FROM THE URBAN HOMESTEAD | Main | LIVING OFF THE LAND »

January 1, 2008

By Anais | email author

GROW FOR TEN THOUSAND

Our readers know that that we’ve been hinting for months about a great new project in the works. As we start the new year, the moment has come to reveal our plan, along with a new logo exemplifying the revolutionary spirit of PTF’s Homegrown Revolution™: To harvest 10,000 pounds in 2008 from 1/10 acre.

We had wanted this announcement to coincide with the launch of our new website, but it looks like the new website won’t be online for a few months yet. And nature won’t wait for the new site.

Once again, the driving force behind PTF, Jules Dervaes, has led the way with a radical challenge. Can we urban homesteaders deliver? PTF will be trailblazing a new path as we ask: How much food can be grown on such a small scale?

Back in 2003, we at PTF first shocked ourselves and “the world” by growing 6,000 lbs (3 tons) of fruits, vegetables and herbs on our 1/10 acre growing space and proved that we could approach a high level of self sufficiency both directly and indirectly from our city lot.

Learning through years of self-taught, hands-on growing experience, none of us has any agriculture accreditation or has taken permaculture or master gardening courses. From firsthand knowledge, mixed with a passion for the environment and growing things, Jules has dramatically upped the ante on the urban food movement. Living by example, we use our “hands as weapons of mass creation™” to create a better present and a real future.

Can 1/10 of an acre (about 4,300 sq ft) grow a cornucopia of 10,000 pounds without using ANY organic NPK fertilizers? We are talking about a piece of land equivalent to 66′x66′! Such an urban food production feat has not been undertaken and documented with stats to prove its possibility. Are we crazy? Crazy, you say? Yes siree, bob. Whether or not this happens all depends on the weather. God willing, we hope to be blessed with abundant rainfall and good weather to reap a bountiful harvest! Stay tuned to this journal for the out-of-this world developments.

Join us in our mission to be the change by living the solution! The seeds of PTF’s Homegrown Revolution™ have been growing for nearly seven years now and are reaching maturity. You can contribute your support through purchases from our online store or making a timely (tax deductible) donation. We need your help to spread the word to friends and family and throughout the cyber world (via message boards, blogs, etc.). It’s our mission to Grow the Future™, and you can help support our efforts in launching a new site to document this project along with our ongoing urban homesteading adventures.

We want to extend the challenge to grow for 10,000 pounds to our readers and propose that you pledge to match us penny for pound (or whatever amount you’d like to contribute). By donating one, half or more penny for each pound of produce we harvest ($100 over one year—if we meet our goal), you can help us purchase the necessary technological tools and services needed to document, publish and publicize this sustainability challenge! You can be involved directly in reaching others with this radical solution to save the people and the planet.

Also stay tuned for the final harvest tally for 2007!

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Topics: Bicycle, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Growing for 10K lbs, Homestead Life, In the Garden, Posts by Anais, Solar Ovens, Transportation | Tags: EM, gardening, tools

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8 Responses to “WHAT’S NEW FOR THE NEW YEAR? PROJECT #1”

1. lavonne Says:
   January 1st, 2008 at 10:21 pm

   should be easy as pie. all you have to do is harvest 27 pounds a day — starting today, of course. kidding aside, you are really inspiring me to get cracking on turning my 4′x12′ apartment balcony into a mini-farm.

2. Mia Says:
   January 2nd, 2008 at 6:56 am

   What an amazing goal! I wish all the best in reaching your goal! I’m hoping to grow more of our own food this year. Plans are in the works. God willing we will both meet our goals! May the rain fall abundantly! (but not too….)

3. ValP Says:
   January 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 am

   Sounds great! Hope it is a great growing year.

   I never have weighed the produce we have grown on our city lot. I might do that this year.

4. Sharon Says:
   January 4th, 2008 at 8:25 pm

   I think you can do this with really good planning. A few things that might help:
   1) Have lots of flats of transplants on boards on rollers that can grow in paths and be shifted out of the way when you need to get to a bed. Think Rubic’s Cube with bars instead of blocks to envision this.
   2) More hives and honey
   3) Weighing eggs if you don’t already
   4) Trying to take plants out when you have harvested the majority of what you can get from them, so a new crop can be underway. May sacrifice a few remaining items or they may be smaller than if harvested later, but over all yields should rise.
   5) Harvest frequently to keep plants maximally productive.
   6) Pull out nearly done plants and hang them upside down to finish.
   7) Have some crops/varieties that produce early and all at once. Use these for food storage and replant. Have some others for daily fresh use that have extended harvests. Make yourselves some really detailed seed starting, transplanting, harvesting, and food preservation planning charts. Info in Jeavons book is a big help with this.
   9) Order all your seeds now so backordered seeds or slow order filling doesn’t disrupt the plans. Order any food preservation items well in advance of being needed too.
   10) It seems like this could take twice the compost. A plan for having enough finished compost ready for each replanting would help keep things on track.
   11) When it’s rainy/cold/dark, it might be an opportunity to cook some extra meals and put them in the freezer for future days that are super busy. Plus that will help warm the house when you’d most appreciate it.
   12) Would one of your volunteers put daily harvest info into a spreadsheet once a week? That would give you an ongoing idea of how things are progressing.

   Hope you have lots of fun with the challenge you have set for yourselves!

5. Steffie Says:
   March 17th, 2008 at 9:44 am

   You are such an inspiration. Best of luck! You’ve taught me to be more purposeful and focused. This year I will weigh my harvest for the first time.

6. Anais Says:
   March 17th, 2008 at 1:26 pm

   Steffie

   Thanks for the positive comments.

   Good for you. It’s always such a reward to grow food and it’s an incentive to weight what you grow. The results may shock you! They did when we actually weighed our produce back in 2001….

   Happy planting and weighing!
   Anais

7. Alma Says:
   March 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am

   I live in a 3rd story condo, we have two patios. Right now I already have dill, basil, parsley, strawberries, sage, tarragon, onions, rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leafs, a tomato plant, two different kinds of peppers, and a surviving christmas poinsetta. That is all on the main balcony. We also have a balcony off of our bedroom which I have yet to occupy, but plan on doing it soon! I read the whole insight section, and I can’t even explain how inspired I was by it! I was talking to my roommate last night wondering if water ever got turned off, what would we do, where would the nearest watering hole be?!? My Boyfriend still laughs at these ways of thinking, but he is for having a garden, and wants to have a big one once we can get into a home. I keep telling him that he won’t call me crazy when we are not the starving ones….

8. Mary Says:
   April 4th, 2008 at 11:41 am

   I often share your story of the 6,000 pound harvest with kindred spirits of kitchen gardens. (Everyone is amazed - as am I) Our northern season is relatively short. We preserve as much as possible, and now are enjoying the end of last year’s tomato and squash crops. We cheer you on, and wish you the best. Thanks so much for the continuing inspiration!

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