food needs and yields

1. Food Needs & Yields
Ben Stamats

2. Summary
 Considering I will need less than one acre of land to grow a year’s
worth of vegetables, my ability to produce it all does not concern
me. I grow for two adults, and as of now I have 1/8 of an acre of
garden space to use. ¾ of my garden was in cover crop last season
and I used about 1/32 of an acre, which is also how much I
calculated I will need for vegetable production for this
assignment. What concerns me is my ability to harvest all that is
grown. Last season I failed to harvest all of what yielded, though
we still ate vegetables daily. I am slowly transitioning into
consuming only vegetables I have grown year round. What I store
in the freezer lasts me into early January. I believe, my next step is
learning to preserve in different ways, other than just freezing.
 I would also like to note, while calculating servings per year to
pounds per year, some of the crops seemed miniscule compared
to how often I eat them.

3. Challenges
 The first challenge that came to mind, not getting my
calculated yield for each crop. Causing a setback in
household food consumption.
 Germination can be spotty, due to poor irrigation or bad
seed.
 Weather varies. Flooding can wash away seed, or even
cause seeds to rot. Extra moisture can cause disease to
show up in plant species in close-quarters.
 Methodical understanding of food preservation to
maximize food storage.
 Harvesting as much as possible. Not letting things go to
waste.

4. Opportunities
 Gaining maximum yields through companion
planting.
 Becoming fully self-reliant as a producer.

5. Vegetables Chart
Vegetables Servings/year Pounds/year Number of 100
square foot beds
Cabbage 156 55.7 0.5
Carrots 156 55.7 0.5
Beets 156 55.7 0.5
Onion 312 15.14 0.2
Winter Squash 52 20.8 0.5
Green Beans 104 23.6 1
Broccoli 104 33.5 1
Garlic 312 2.3 0.3
Spinach 260 22.2 0.5
Tomato 156 67.8 1

6. Grain & Protein Charts
Grains Servings/year Pounds/year Number of 100
square foot beds
Sweet Potato 156 50.3 1
Irish Potato 52 18.5 0.25
Corn 52 2.2 0.25
Protein Servings/year Pounds/year Number of 100
square foot beds
Pinto Bean 156 10.9 1.1
Black Eyed Peas 104 7.6 1.25
Kidney Beans 104 8.1 1

7. Fruits Chart
Fruits Servings/year Pounds/year Number of 100
square foot beds
Apples 52 18.5 0.4
Peaches 52 15.3 0.25
Strawberries 52 8.7 0.2
Raspberries 52 12.7 0.5
Cantaloupe 52 20 0.5

8. Cultivate Diversity
 The more plants species I can have growing in my
homestead, the better. Especially if these plants can help
each other grow and produce maximum yields. Not only
is diversity in plants good for healthy soil, it also makes
for a healthier diet. “It is estimated that humans have
used 100,000 plants for food, medicine, fiber, dye, fuel
and weaponry, yet today only 20 plant species make up
90% of the human diet.”(p.38, Bane) The healthier the
soil, the easier it will be for different plants species to get
the correct amount of required nutrients, the more my
garden will yield. Ultimately, diversity will provide my
body what it needs and allow me to sell to the
community, whilst preserving the land.