We have clay soil on our property that drains very poorly and we believe is contributing to water in our crawl space during the wet months (we are in the PNW). We dug several holes around the perimeter of our house after some light rain and they had standing water in them within an hour that persists. Under the shed water often pools. We are in the process of re-doing our downspout drainage with new piping to ensure that is not contributing to the problem. They are currently all feeding to a pop up emitter in an alley that runs along our back fence line which is the lowest spot in our backyard. Any recommendations on how to remedy the drainage issue to keep water away from the house?

Hello friends,

I often hear this statement: “Organic farming isn’t a good choice for the environment because it requires much more land to produce the same calories as conventional farming.”

And yes, at first glance, that makes sense. A hectare of conventionally grown cabbage will likely yield a bigger harvest than an organically grown one—due to pest control and other factors. I understand these arguments, and as far as I know, they are true. Politicians use them to justify supporting large-scale conventional farming. Science podcasts and videos present this as evidence that organic farming is worse for the environment than many people assume. In my country, many believe that feeding the world’s population would be impossible if we switched entirely to organic farming.

But you know what really grinds my gears?
Most people don’t look hard enough for real alternatives. For them, it’s simply a matter of labels and prices, and agriculture remains an industrialized, large-scale, highly optimized process in designated areas, even for organic crops (e.g. when you look at the huge greenhouses in Spain where they produce tomatoes).

In my ideal world, there are so many more possibilities. What if we used land more efficiently? Through diverse crop systems, such as layered food forests or polycultures, could we actually make farmland more productive than conventional methods?

Let’s consider this hypothetical example (numbers are just made up, so don’t take them too seriously):

Conventional Farming:

I have 5 hectares, with each hectare dedicated to a single crop:
→ 1 ha = 1000 kg apples
→ 1 ha = 1000 kg beetroot
→ 1 ha = 1000 kg grapes
→ 1 ha = 1000 kg potatoes
→ 1 ha = 1000 kg beans

Total yield: 5000 kg of crops

Food Forest (or similar system):

I have the same 5 hectares, but instead of monoculture, I grow all five crops together across the entire area.
→ 2000 kg apples
→ 1500 kg beetroot
→ 2000 kg grapes
→ 3000 kg potatoes
→ 1500 kg beans

Total yield: 10,000 kg of crops

That means my food forest produced more calories than the monoculture. Labor costs are a different matter, but if we’re really smart, couldn’t we reduce them to the levels of work in conventional farms?

Now, my questions for you:

1. Is it really possible to produce more calories organically by using space wisely?
2. Does anyone have scientific evidence to support this theory? I’ve been searching for a long time!
3. If this is true, why isn’t it more widely known? That would mean conventional farming isn’t as efficient as everyone assumes?

+ a super simplified statement to start a discussion with you guys: With diminishing fertile land, someday soil will become more precious than human labor. And THEN we will really see big changes in our agricultural system towards sustainability.

What are your thoughts?

Hello!

I made a post a while ago, turns out I was lacking a LOT of info, so here is my attempt at an updated post. I’m trying to currently figure out how to make a sector map and plan out different zones but am struggling with how to actually make a plan.

Goal: Substitute a lot of my food, hopefully be able to grow/produce 85-95% of my food intake and be able to store for emergencies.

Location: NorthWest Florida (9a) Size: 1 Acre – 142′ x 302′ No current buildings

Planned house: 56′ x 108′ Barndominium w 3 car garage and workshop

Water: None, both rainwater and well are planned Electricity: None as of now, can have power ran easily Road Access: possible, very rough dirt road to property but I’m planning on smoothing it out for not only myself but the neighbors closer to the main road.

I have not been able to observe the land fully due to it being impossible to walk through.

Topo data attached.