Podcast Summary
Focusing on growing a diverse range of food in succession: Limit resource usage by growing a variety of food in succession for a sustainable and productive garden
Growing all of your own food on a home scale can be a challenging endeavor, and trying to do everything perfectly may result in growing none at all. While some exceptional individuals like Joel Salatin and others can successfully grow all their food in succession, most home growers face resource limitations that make this a difficult feat. Instead, focusing on growing a diverse range of food in succession can lead to a more sustainable and productive garden. It's essential to recognize the limitations and focus on what can be realistically achieved while striving for consistency and efficiency in food production.
Start small and focused in food production: Begin with a manageable-sized garden, master its care before expanding, and tackle challenges incrementally to ensure success in food production
Starting a food production system from scratch without proper infrastructure can make it difficult to yield a significant amount of food. It's tempting to dream of growing all your own food, but without a solid foundation, the result might be a weedy garden with little to no actual food production. Instead, it's recommended to start small and focused, mastering one area before expanding to the next. Begin with a manageable-sized garden, perfecting its care and maintenance before scaling up. Taking on too much at once can lead to frustration and failure, as the learning curve is already steep enough. So, in the context of food production, as well as in life in general, it's essential to be cautious about the size of the undertaking at the outset and to gradually build upon a solid foundation. Our minds and ambitions can often outpace our abilities, making it crucial to tackle challenges in a manageable and incremental manner.
Start small and build experience: Start with something manageable and proven before scaling up to save resources and build confidence
Starting small and simple is key to success, especially when it comes to new ventures such as farming or agriculture. I've made the mistake of going too big too quickly, and it resulted in wasted time, money, and resources. Therefore, I strongly advise starting with something manageable and proven before scaling up or adding complexity. For instance, in beekeeping, it's essential to master the basics before attempting more advanced techniques. Similarly, when it comes to growing exotic species, it's crucial to have a solid foundation before tackling the more challenging ones. This approach not only saves resources but also builds confidence and experience. I've learned this lesson the hard way, and I encourage you to learn from my mistakes. If you want to hear more about my experiences and the mistakes I've made, sign up for the free Eat Your DIRTT Summit coming up in early March. You can learn more at eatyourdirtsummit.com. Don't make the same mistakes I did - start small, build experience, and then add complexity when you're ready.
Supporting causes and learning from experiences: Participating in events or projects without monetary compensation can bring valuable lessons and connections. Be nice, thankful, and do the work for the sake of contributing to a cause or learning from the experience.
Sometimes, it's worth participating in events or projects without expecting monetary compensation, especially when you believe in the cause and the potential value it can bring. The speaker in this discussion did just that, supporting a woman organizer and contributing to a promising event with excellent speakers. The presentation, which can be found at eatyourdirtsummit.com, offers lessons and mistakes to help listeners save time, money, and resources. If you attend the presentation and have additional insights to share, the speaker encourages you to email them. Overall, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being nice, thankful, and doing the work, even when it doesn't come with immediate financial rewards.
