Foundations of a Self-Sustaining Food System: Land & Supply Essentials
Hello, everyone! It’s Stacy here from Sincere Scribbles, back with another update on my journey toward a self-sustaining food system. In my last post, I shared how I began my homesteading adventure by purchasing land and setting up a free mobile home. Now, I’m diving deeper into the next exciting step—preparing to grow our own food and establishing our small backyard orchard and greenhouse gardens.
Step 1: Preparing the Backyard for a Self-Sustaining Food System
Right now, my backyard resembles a mini jungle or small forest. I haven’t cleared the back part of my property yet, but that’s my big project for the beginning of 2025. Once I get started, I plan to rent a mini backhoe to clear out all the brush, roots, and wild overgrowth until it’s smooth dirt. I want to create a blank canvas where I can plant, grow, and cultivate my very own self-sustaining food system.
Why Clearing the Land is Important
Before planting, clearing the land is essential for several key reasons:
- Better Growth: Removing unwanted vegetation ensures your plants won’t compete for sunlight, water, or nutrients.
- Pest Control: Overgrown areas can harbor pests like insects, snails, and even larger wildlife that might destroy your crops.
- Efficient Use of Space: A smooth, cleared area gives you complete control over how you design and organize your garden.
By early 2025, I envision my backyard transformed from a tangled forest into a clean, spacious area—perfect for planting and establishing a self-sustaining food system.
Step 2: Gathering Supplies for Gardening Success
In preparation for my backyard transformation, I’ve already started ordering all the supplies I’ll need to establish my greenhouse garden and small fruit orchard. I’ve found amazing deals on TEMU, and I always use the Rakuten Cash Back shopping extension to earn cash back on my purchases. Not only does this save me money, but it also allows me to reinvest in more homesteading supplies!
What I’ve Ordered So Far
Here’s a rundown of the items I’ve picked up so far to get my self-sustaining food system up and running:
Snail Guards: To keep pesky insects and snails away from my precious crops.
230ft Irrigation Systems (x2): To ensure my plants receive a steady, consistent water supply without wasting resources.
Black Plastic Weed Barriers: These long barriers with pre-cut planting holes will help keep the weeds at bay while allowing my crops to thrive.
Round Tree Weed Barriers (15-pack): Ideal for planting fruit trees in my orchard and keeping unwanted weeds away from their bases.
Solar Panel Kit: A small solar panel kit to power my irrigation system—taking me one step closer to being fully off-grid.
Melon Supports and Plant Clamps: To support the growth of melons and other vining plants.
Trellis Netting and Hanging Plant Bags: For vertical gardening, saving space and making my garden more efficient.
Egg and Fruit Picking Supplies: Including baskets, tools, and aprons for gathering fresh produce and eggs once I start raising chickens.
Hydroponic Pods and Fertilizer Spike Feeders: To experiment with hydroponic gardening and ensure my plants get the nutrients they need to grow strong.
Rain Barrel Mesh Covers and Spouts: For harvesting rainwater sustainably to water my plants.
Plant Ties, Stakes, and Seed Starting Pods: Essential tools for supporting plant growth and starting seeds indoors before transferring them outside.
The Importance of Smart Shopping
One of the best parts of this homesteading adventure has been finding creative ways to save money. TEMU has become my go-to for affordable homesteading supplies. Combined with the Rakuten Cash Back extension, I’ve been able to stretch my dollars further and get everything I need to set up a successful self-sustaining food system.
A great tip for anyone trying to start their own self-sustaining food system: shop smart! Look for deals, use cash-back apps, and order supplies during sales to maximize your budget. Even small savings can add up over time, and every little bit helps when you’re building your homestead from the ground up.
Step 3: What’s Next?
Once my backyard is cleared and my supplies are all set, I’ll dive headfirst into planting! I plan to start with a mix of fruits and vegetables, and I’m especially excited to experiment with the half-underground greenhouse I’m building to extend my growing season. The greenhouse will provide a stable environment to grow food year-round, even through the colder months.
I’m also planning to create a small fruit orchard in the back, featuring grapes, strawberries, and blackberries that I planted the year before. I have ordered some exotic fruit seeds that I’ll share with you in the next post, which will go into my tiny fruit orchard. With the irrigation systems and weed barriers in place, it will be easier to manage, and the solar-powered system will ensure my plants are watered consistently without increasing my energy bills.
Stay Tuned for More on Building a Self-Sustaining Food System
As we move into 2025, I’ll be sharing more updates on how my backyard transformation is progressing, as well as tips and tricks I learn along the way. From setting up the irrigation system to planting the first seeds in my greenhouse, I’ll take you along for the ride as I continue building my self-sustaining food system.
If you’re interested in starting your own food system or working toward a more sustainable lifestyle, I encourage you to follow along. Whether you have a large piece of land or just a small garden in your backyard, it’s possible to grow your own food, save money, and live in a way that’s better for the planet.
Until next time, keep dreaming big, and remember—every little step toward sustainability counts!
Stacy
Founder of Sincere Scribbles
