(edit title) Anyone here a farmsteader? Seeking tips on what works best in this climate :) Options

[mjennin2]

Wondering if there are any farmsteaders in here, and any tips on how to be as successful as possible in this climate?

Husband and I are absolutely in love with our little slice of heaven here. We sit on about 2 acres and have been slowly developing it over the past several years, but even still, hardly a fraction is being used by us; mostly it's just free range for our goats, chickens and kids.

This year we developed what we thought was a small vegetable garden (in relation to our land size) and the excess we produced was so much that we couldn't give away our produce quick enough. We have fallen so in love with the work and lifestyle of produce farming that we are preparing to expand and try our hand at a small scale farmstead next year with the hopes that we can slowly ramp up production over the years and do it for a living.

So with that as a preface, I'm curious to know if others do this as well? Do you have any tips or advice on stuff you wish you knew in the beginning? YouTube has been a fantastic resource for us in learning stuff, but I'm interested to learn more about what crops do well in this climate in things such as cold frames. We'll be buying a poly tunnel next year but as of right now, only have small indoor greenhouse tents to pre-propagate.

Shot in the dark, but figured I'd hop on here and see if anyone has any input!

[ChocOwl]

Try reading stuff on alternativ.nu

Also, it would help if you specify your zone coz this is one long country we got here and there are very different outlooks in Korpilombolo vs. Tomelilla.

[mjennin2]

Also, it would help if you specify your zone coz this is one long country we got here and there are very different outlooks in Korpilombolo vs. Tomelilla.

Good point! I live in central v?stra g?taland

[*Guest*]

Forget the supermarket you need to go niche. Aim to sell to local cafes or hotels that market local produce on their menus. Supermarkets want year round stock, where you are really looking at seasonal produce. The bonus is you'll get a better price for your many hours work. Don't expect it to make you rich! I suspect you know that already but you'll have a commitment to meet and you need the financial reward to be sufficient to offset that pressure; when the summer is dire, the slugs rampant... you need to feel it's still worth it.

You'll need a greenhouse or poly tunnel to get an early start and to provide a reasonable product range.

You know your local area best, but things are always worth a try if the financial outlay or risk is low. Get around the cafes etc now and network, see what's on their menu.

[*Guest*]

What to grow. That really depends on your location, full sun or shaded, are the trees yours to thin. Soil; thin, low nutrient and stoney. Or are in a flat glacial plain which have some of the better soils in sweden. Then there is compost, manure or a wood burner for ash to modify the soil according to crop. The science can go deep, but some very slight changes can make a difference.

[mjennin2]

What to grow. That really depends on your location, full sun or shaded, are the trees yours to thin. Soil; thin, low nutrient and stoney. Or are in a flat glacial plain which ... (show full quote)

What to grow. That really depends on your location, full sun or shaded, are the trees yours to thin. Soil; thin, low nutrient and stoney. Or are in a flat glacial plain which have some of the better soils in sweden. Then there is compost, manure or a wood burner for ash to modify the soil according to crop. The science can go deep, but some very slight changes can make a difference. ... (hide full quote)

All great input! We have begun to source contacts for the local stores and restaurants near us. I think we'll wait to make contact until next fall because we want to scale up and see what is reasonable before we try to set any ball into motion. "Don't quit your day job", ya know? We have a lot of trees that are ours to fell but we also live on the countryside and getting flis is pretty easy to come by. Compost will be a big cost next year, we do need to enrich our soil a bit. We have 3 years' worth of it at home but it still won't be enough to cover the area we are planning. We have our chicken and goat waste, though, and our neighbors have horses that use some of our acreage so we're doing a trade off and they're giving us all the manuere, so we have that. Stony land that I'm working right now to remove as much as I can, but that will be something done over time too. We've been looking heavily into no-dig beds and will be testing things out on a small scale this fall/winter and next year before we make any big investments, but I agree - we are quite eager to get our hands on a poly tunnel. Hard to remain patient when you get excited about something eh?

[*Guest*]

I'll comment more later, but beware of horse manure. Leave to stand for a year, their digestive system isn't like cows so many weed seeds will survive and you could just be sowing weed seed as you add it. Also if you wish to push the ecological route, consider what feed and medication the animals you get manure from have been given.

[Martin565]

[*Guest*]

[mjennin2]

[mjennin2]

Our main interest is just to provide as close to all the needs for our family, and then to make a few bucks on the side by selling the excess. Our pumpkin patch is currently on the scale of "global takeover" ;D I can't wait to invite my american friends (and swedish family) up so they can pick their own pumpkins. We're going to make apple cider and a hay maze for the kids and make a whole classic American experience out of it. It will be a spectical, I'm sure

[Martin565]

[Martin565]

About 1 million people left between 1850 and 1900 mainly from Sm?land and surrounding counties. Yeah tough rocky low fertility soil. But things have improved niw rural farms m ... (show full quote)

About 1 million people left between 1850 and 1900 mainly from Sm?land and surrounding counties.

Yeah tough rocky low fertility soil. But things have improved niw rural farms make more from forestry than fields. In the 1800s there was no global timber trade, diesel trucks to transport etc. Timber use was entirely local within horse dragging distance. Rail in the 1900s started the change.

Farms, yeah only money in niche crops and low density stocked grass grazing. ... (hide full quote)

The Brits had a proficient railway system up and running by the 1830s why was this place so slow off the Mark.heheh

[*Guest*]

The Brits had a proficient railway system up and running by the 1830s why was this place so slow off the Mark.heheh

The first ever railway Darlington to Stockton was in 1825. The Manchester Liverpool was the first ever goods or passenger route in 1830. You might wish to revise your timeline.

Either way, it took a while before rail was an efficient means of assisting the moving of timber to global markets, however fortunately for many folk the human population still needs to eat and post covid the desire for local produce is only going to increase.

[Martin565]