Do you have a specific acre picked out? Productive organic land or former farm land will work better than an old gravel pit.

I'd suggest that you look at John Jeavon's book on BioIntensive agriculture, "How To Grow More Vegetables."

It deals with intensively planted raised beds. Not the Square Foot scheme, but traditional "French Intensive" agriculture.

Good luck.

Wayne

This is good quality farmland. I'll check out Jeavons book thanks.

Check out tinyfarmblog.com it has lots of hands on info!
Koren

Thanks Prairie Gal. Just out of curiousity, how many people here farm smaller plots?

Are you talking about farming (grow to sell) or gardening (grow to eat)? Jeavnons book is a classic but in a zone 5 I wouldn't give it too much weight. tom

I use an acre intensively. My profit will support my family.

In addition to Jeavon's book,which is the first book I read, check out Eliot Coleman's New Organic Grower. You'll learn from it even if you're not growing intensively.

Learn to grow intensively. When one crop comes out something else needs to go in. If you're going to transplant seedlings you'll want to grow them yourself versus paying someone. I'll have to charge $3.50 a six pack for seedlings this year because my costs have gone up so much.

I don't own a tractor. For the cost of one monthly payment I have the acre lightly turned over in the spring. I use TroyBilt Pony and Horse rototillers for the garden and the Tilther (designed by Eliot Coleman) in the greenhouses. It's a lot of work but I wouldn't go back to any of the jobs I had before becoming a market farmer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seasons Eatings Farm