How much land would you need?

[preppingsu]

Having just eaten a tea comprising of our own grown new potatoes, peas and carrots, I was discussing with hubby how good it would be to be able to grow more produce and raise animals so all our meal could be own grown.

So he asks the question - How much land would we need per person to feed ourselves for a year?
That would include growing wheat/grain for flour and animal feed, to keep a couple of cows (for milk and meat) as well as pigs, hens, plus space to grow veg/fruit during all the seasons.
(Although you would need space for sheds, outhouses etc I'm more interested in field/pasture land)

I'm sure someone, somewhere, has worked this out and we would love to know.
Thanks.

[bulldogeagle]

John Seymour reckoned to be successful you needed 5 acres.

[counsellor]

I’m making this up as I go but I seem to remember something about land division in the middle ages
I have a feeling that in Norfolk where the land is really good many of the houses have a two acre strip of land.
This was part of a system that allowed each household to support themselves
And while its probably isn’t enough to be completely self supportive it is the amount on land that a man can work with basic equipment. Additionally there were other areas such as common land for grazing and woods for pigs etc
The two acre plot allowed a three crop rotation growing plan to be used

[Big fat bill]

for 2 people you need in the region of 12 acres to be completly self sufficient.

[Triple_sod]

for 2 people you need in the region of 12 acres to be completly self sufficient.

Quality of land is a big factor but I think it mainly boils down to what you consider to be ‘true self-sufficiency’. Obviously whatever you do, you’re going to have to buy some stuff in from outside, it’s just a question of where you draw the line. Some would limit this to things they couldn’t possibly produce on site (and there are quite a few). Others would see nothing wrong with say, buying in the majority of their animal feed, because once sold they would repay that cost and then some.

As bulldogeagle pointed out though John Seymour (who really knew what he was talking about) reckoned 5 acres would support a family of 6, providing them with all the food they needed and bring in money for other essentials.

[buttystella]

my views are that large livestock would be to much work especially if you lived in a colder area. I would go for goats,hens,ducks and rabbits for meat. 5 acres would seem adequate in my opinion but am no expert.

[metatron]

Two people, with rotating crops so you don't damage the soil structure and have time for replenishment of nitrogen, I'd want at least 20 acres to be safe.

[preppingsu]

Thank you for all the comments. This has certainly raised some discussion in this household....

I will try and get hold of John Seymours book from the library as I believe he has some interesting comments on the size of land needed.

[Technik]

That's something I would like to know as well! I would also add some space for growing trees.

[axelt123]

also you would need a coppice going so that the log are cut at the right size to save splitting them

axel