How many pounds of produce?

[Wannabefree]

As an alternative, a greenhouse with a little heat would be cost effective as well. You can grow fresh stuff year round in a greenhouse. My advice would be to get gearing up to build a greenhouse, and like fem said grow everything you possibly can during your growing season, and put it away by either canning, freezing, and drying.

My greenhouse is costing about $5-8 a month to heat right now. It would be a bit higher for you, assuming your season is colder longer, and the heat would have to run more constantly, BUT we can get enough food out of there to offset the cost by a long shot. Initial costs will be significant, buying planters, seed, soil if you don't have access to good soil from your property, cost of the actual greenhouse, and heater, lighting, etc.

All told my greenhouse costed about $100 because we used a lot of recycled materials. I found planters and made planters out of everything on the cheap. Soil was a mix of compost and existing garden soil, though I do buy seed starter the beginning of every season to start the seeds. We very likely have $250-300 invested, with an output of about $20-25 worth of produce in the slowest time of the year and upwards of $50-100 during the most productive times. The greenhouse is shut down for about 6 months of the year here, because it's either too hot, or I have been too lazy/forgettful/busy to start things

I personally think greenhouses to be VERY worthwhile investments, and at least worth looking into.

Ours, actually a hoop house, is made out of old swimming pool and trampoline frames for the structure, along with about $80 worth of wood. The rest of the cost was hardware for the screen door, and plastic. We got windows and screens for the door, from the dump, so it is very low budget. Maybe that will give you some ideas.

 

[sleuth]

My greenhouse is costing about $5-8 a month to heat right now. It would be a bit higher for you, assuming your season is colder longer, and the heat would have to run more constantly, BUT we can get enough food out of there to offset the cost by a long shot. Initial costs will be significant, buying planters, seed, soil if you don't have access to good soil from your property, cost of the actual greenhouse, and heater, lighting, etc.

What are you using to heat your greenhouse?

 

[Wannabefree]

I'm using a cheap little heater fan from Walmart. It stays pretty toasty in there in comparison to the outside. Last night it maintained 52 degrees inside, while it was just below freezing outside. I don't have it set higher because I have cool weather crops in there right now anyway. If we needed it could maintain 70 plus inside.

 

[me&thegals]

I think you should just start growing and learn by experience.

We have a 1-acre vegetable field and we were getting up to 1/2 ton of produce per week from it when the tomatoes were going crazy and yielding 800 lb/week. My best guess estimate would be 2-3 TONS of produce from 1 acre. I grow intensively in 5'-wide beds, and we manure every year and work hard to build up the soil. We had probably 1/2-1 ton in potatoes, 2+ tons in tomatoes, almost 1/2 ton in beans, another 1/2 each in beets and carrots, at least that much in cabbage. And we would have had 1/2-1 ton in melons, cukes and winter squash if it weren't for a devastating bug year.

It's insane how much food a person can grow in a relatively small space. Good luck!

Are you limited in your space? How large is your family? How much room do you have to start seeds indoors? What planting zone are you in?

 

[Blaundee]

I think you should just start growing and learn by experience.

We have a 1-acre vegetable field and we were getting up to 1/2 ton of produce per week from it when the tomatoes were going crazy and yielding 800 lb/week. My best guess estimate would be 2-3 TONS of produce from 1 acre. I grow intensively in 5'-wide beds, and we manure every year and work hard to build up the soil. We had probably 1/2-1 ton in potatoes, 2+ tons in tomatoes, almost 1/2 ton in beans, another 1/2 each in beets and carrots, at least that much in cabbage. And we would have had 1/2-1 ton in melons, cukes and winter squash if it weren't for a devastating bug year.

It's insane how much food a person can grow in a relatively small space. Good luck!

Are you limited in your space? How large is your family? How much room do you have to start seeds indoors? What planting zone are you in?

We are not limited in space, and have very little room for stating plants indoors. I want to build a greenhouse, but it's a ways down the list of projects lol The maps say we're in zone 5, but it's actually zone 4 if you go by temps. Our last frost date is June 10, first frost is Oct 10, and getting a season that is actually that long is a PLUS! lol We've been gardening my whole life, but it was supplemental- this year I want to can, dry, and store enough for at least 10 people.

 

[me&thegals]

Menards sells windowsill mini-greenhouse kits. We use them for the kids and they work great. You could get 100s of plants started this way inside. Or get grow lights for a basement table. Good luck! I only have 4 people I need to store for yearround

 

[baymule]

Blaundee, sounds like you could grow awesome potatoes! I covered the breakfast table with pots and have two 4' flouresent lights over them. They have hooks and chains, but I don't want to put holes in the ceiling, so I stacked bricks on both ends and put the lights on them!