Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre

by Brett L. Markham

Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family’s food on just a quarter acre—and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require. Even if you have never been a farmer or a gardener, this book covers everything you need to know to get started: buying and saving seeds, starting seedlings, establishing raised beds, soil fertility practices, composting, dealing with pest and disease problems, crop rotation, farm planning, and much more. Because self-suf?ciency is the objective, subjects such as raising backyard chickens and home canning are also covered along with numerous methods for keeping costs down and production high. Materials, tools, and techniques are detailed with photographs, tables, diagrams, and illustrations.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference, Food, Agriculture, How To, Sustainability

240 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

About the author

Brett L. Markham is an engineer, third-generation farmer, and polymath. Using the methods explained in his book, he runs a profitable, Certified Naturally Grown mini farm on less than half an acre. Brett works full time as an engineer for a broadband ISP and farms in his spare time. He lives in New Ipswich, New Hampshire.

Reviews

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book much less satisfying than others of its type (Backyard Homestead and The New Self-Sufficient Gardener are better). The chapters were basically an outline of what should be covered, but the coverage of various topics, from compost to accounting, often left a lot to be desired. The thing which sets this book apart from others is its focus on the economics of mini-farming. The back cover says that this book: "will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family's food on just one-quarter acre -- and earn $10,000 in cash annually." It failed to deliver on that promise. The author leaves a lot out when calculating the average family's food consumption, and the section on making money boiled down to, "Yes, you can do it! Look at these numbers." I don't get the sense that the author has done this himself, or that he has much business sense.

This book has a lot of big pictures which mostly take up space, to make the book seem longer. There are also some interesting and useful charts, and I did find the author's economic calculations interesting and fun to read, but I don't think they're particularly useful.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll preface my review by stating that I'm a huge fan of gardening. I have always gardened once I moved to a state where I could have all 4 seasons and one of those was the growing season. So for me, there wasn't much new in here.

This might be a little more indepth for beginners. He talked about a lot of things in detail. The author is a huge fan of raised bed gardens and the square foot gardeing method. He also uses more chemicals than I do. This book is only 5 years old but it had a dated feel to it especially when talking about chickens. But overall, I sitll liked it. When I finished this one, I honestly started getting antsy to go outside. If I didn't have a ton of snow in my yard, I would have gone out to find something to work on. So 3 stars.

[Aaron Bolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book expecting a good general overview based on the cover and table of contents. In my opinion, Markham delivers exactly what the cover promises. Because he covers a lot of topics, the level of detail is broad and focused around general knowledge: gardening, raising poultry, food storage, etc.

In terms of criticism, the level of detail is sometimes at too high a level to be useful. At other times, the author goes very deep into tagental topics.

Overall, I liked the book and feel like I got my money's worth. I wouldn't recommend it to experienced farmers though. This book is best suited to someone who is just starting out on a mini-farming journey.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. It's to the point, and its illustrations and helpful advice get you through the seasons and on your way to self sufficiency. It was first recommended to me by a young man in Asheville, NC who had devoted himself to a plot of land which eventually grew into a large enough farm to support volunteers who wanted to learn about farming naturally, and being self sufficient on the land you have.

I bought the digital version of this book years ago, and was very excited to win the paper one in a giveaway. It's a large book, which leaves me room for notes. I prefer the paper one.

Mini Farming walks you through everything from identifying your market (be it just family or restaurants, or farmers markets...if you're raising organic, there can be a good market for that), to soil testing, choosing the right seeds, composting, how to get the best yields, raised beds, trellising, pest control, raising chickens, and more. There is even a chapter on how to slaughter a chicken, because...that's daunting. Personally, we're just in it for the eggs.

All in all, this is the perfect hand book for newbie, or would be farmers. Self sufficiency, or near self sufficiency in food could mean that one partner could stay home with the kids instead of needing to pay for child care... even the math's all in here. The pictures are full color, the charts are extremely helpful and clear.

Of all of the books that I've read about planting, square foot gardening, lasagne gardening, companion planting, grey water usage (in flower gardens only), rain barrels, composting, humanure (again, flower gardens), raising chickens, etc...this is my favorite. It's the only one that I've been able to really connect to. It's clear. It's concise. It's simple. I highly recommend it.

[Jenika · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hardest part about doing something where you're still relatively new to it: Figuring out what you still don't know. If you're in that place with gardening, this fills in a lot of holes and then points you to where you need to learn more. There were also lots of little tricks that probably used to be handed down parent to child in farming communities but were lost when family farms changed.

This was a great overview of an enormous number of aspects to running a high-yield garden. It also explained things I saw my father and grandfather do that I never thought to ask about. It's an extremely practical how-to manual rather than a "good read" but I liked it.

I have no interest in selling produce, just in growing it well and understanding the year round picture of a garden. So for those purposes I give it five stars. For readability I'd give it three. If you're a beginner you'll find it useful, if you've read several books of this type you'll find diminishing returns.

[Josh Ritchie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library with expectations on how-to details across the spectrum of chapters. Most of the chapters lacked much depth into the topics and I felt it to be a general read without learning much. The book does cover raising and harvesting chickens in greater depth than the other topics, in case that’s something you’re interested in. The book has a few good tables on seeding timing, blanching timing for some vegetables, etc, as a quick reference, however I’ll be referring to other books for a clearer and deeper understanding on farming before moving forward with any plans. This just didn’t cut the mustard.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mini Farming is probably the beginner book I'll start to recommend to aspiring gardeners. It still tells you to use a lot of storebought materials, but it's better than Square Foot Gardening. Nothing really there for the intermediate or advanced reader though.

[Matt Sears · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good beginner's guide. I skipped some of the parts on chickens; maybe eventually.

[EP · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of a $7 for me. Everything I wanted to get out of the book was in 2 sentences :(

[Lady Saga · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book offers a great overview of things to look out for when growing vegetables. I honestly forgot to take the soil quality into consideration when initially setting up the garden planing. I wished the book would have gone a little bit more into detail as far as set up of the garden itself. Nice beginner overview but it seems like I have to get 10 books to bits and piece my garden together.

[M Aghazarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A broad range of information. Each chapter stands on its own and the final chapter keeps you from being two overwhelmed if you choose to read it straight through. Wow it is unlikely that I will follow the mini farming technique as outlined in this book, I appreciate the author's perspectives and experiences particularly with regards to pesticides and growing for market.

[Wes Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if I wasn't excited enough for gardening this spring, I read Mini Farming by Brett Markham. This book is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of mini farming, including soil treatment, intensive organic farming methods, crop selection, seed-saving, raising chickens, food preservation...the list goes on. The author even includes plans and supply lists for a homemade thresher and chicken plucker! Now I have grandiose plans for multiple raised beds and expansion of my own little 1/4 acre. If you are even slightly interested in self-sufficiency or intensive small-scale farming, read this book!

[Ryan Deer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re interested in gardening, homesteading, or going off-grid, Markham has just about everything covered in well-paced, logical, and sequential lessons.

Just be aware that this book was written in the early 2000s, so things like Amazon didn’t exist and prices are way different.

[tricia larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book was super stoked when I realized the guy who wrote it lives in New Hampshire so the info was really relevant too me

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of basic useful information with good instruction and illustration. I’m excited for spring and new garden beds!!!!

[Ryan Eperjesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic practical book on methods of small-scale farming. Not only did it give great advice, but it gave so much more information about additional ways you can have a thriving farm such as raising chickens, selling produce, and provided logistical information regarding the benefits of home grown produce. Would highly recommend!!!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it inspiring to read what others have done in small spaces since we're also trying to do a lot in a small space. There was some useful information here, but not quite the all-natural/permaculture approach I usually read. I think there are better resources out there, though this book can get you started thinking about what might be possible.

[Molly B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This was hard as an Audiobook. I cant go back and reference certain things, but it gave me some ideas and websites to check out. I learned a few "no-nos" that I had no idea could be potential disasters, and I got a little more direction in learning what I need to know more about. The narrator was very clear and precise, but almost to the point that I felt like I was listening to a robot. Weird.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emphasis on breadth rather than depth.

The sections on soil improvement, compost, and fertilizers were good.

The author recommends biochar.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a free Audible audiobook and I thought I might pick up a few pointers. I did! The reading was very dry and sounded like an engineer. The author is an engineer, and maybe the reader is too. Also, it was written to be read, so many parts were tedious in audiobook format. The author attached multiple pdfs to the file, so listeners could read tables instead of having them read to them (thank goodness!). Even though I've been gardening for years, I learned lots of little tips, as well as had some verified that I'd already figured out. I wanted to be able to refer to it again, so I bought the ebook version, which was inexpensive. One thing I liked was that the author talks about cost of growing food, with the understanding that without actively trying to find inexpensive solutions to gardening, you will break even or even spend more to grow your own food. He's got lots of good ideas on how to make this an economical proposition as well.

[Alex at lost Haven Homestead · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars (Liked It / Okay)
Level 4: Comprehensive and actionable
Level 3: Clear and informative
Nonfiction, Reference, Agriculture, How To, Sustainability
9 hrs and books at same time
Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family’s food on just a quarter acre—and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.
💭:
providing comprehensive, detailed, and actionable advice for gardeners and homesteaders. It covers a wide range of topics, including planting, composting, pest control, and raising chickens. The book empowers beginners to take on the project of becoming more self-sufficient, making it a very useful guide.
clear, logical writing and easy-to-follow format, which allows novice gardeners to grasp concepts quickly.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just tough to follow because it touched on tons of stuff, mostly basic gardening and when it did finally touch on an interesting subject I.e. compost, it explains all the sciences of the break down but doesn’t give you a recipe. Once you’ve gotten through all the grueling chapters about types of raised beds, how to build them, what soil composition should be, but doesn’t directly tell you ways to achieve it... it ends with short basic chapters on raising chickens and selling your vegetables in market. I guess if you want a basic overview of what the author’s mini farm looks like, this is the book for you. I thought this was going to help plan for maximum space given the title.

[Gold Dust · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers composting, watering, raised beds, plant nutrients, seed starting, seed saving, season extension, fruit trees/vines, food preservation, produce selling, time and yield, crop proportions and sizing, soil composition and maintenance, pest and disease control, and raising chickens for eggs or meat. I liked the color pictures which showed things like how to dig your raised bed, an example of a chicken coop, a chicken plucker, a grain grinder, a grain thresher, etc. I also liked the helpful charts which compare cover crops, carbon to nitrogen ratios of compost, & when to start or transplant different vegetables. Written to an audience who wants to make a profit out of what they grow on a small amount of land. I’m more of a hobby farmer but I still liked the book.

[Kinnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been growing veggies for years and am always learning. Not looking to grow enough to sell, but am always looking to learn a thing or two. This book touches on a lot of subjects and doesn't promise answers, but is perfect for beginnes

I give it 4/5 because it says right from the beginning that it's not going to have your answers and that you need to take this and learn from it what you can and investigate more. I would have dropped that amount to 3/5 if this was more of a "this is the greatest book ever"

Is it for everyone? No. But I think if you're looking for another book to be able to pick some good info out of and take some notes then this is worth it for the price.

[Felicity Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Factual, detailed read

This is a "just the facts" guide to everything I wanted to know about mini-farming. I was initially put off by the lack of personality in the writing. But having taken a break from this book to read one with lots of personality and very little information, I have a new appreciation for the author's direct informative writing style. I learned a lot about plants, gardening, and preserving and found this book a useful primer.

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nonfiction book focused on how to get more out of less land. I do like that the author focuses on sustainability and has a lot of helpful information on taking your garden to the next level. This is a great beginning book to see what you r be doing wrong or could do better. Topics do range into composting and soil testing. There is a portion about raising chickens which was interesting as well. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book for anyone wanting to farm on small acreage. I was impressed with all the information that it contained. It gave me some new ideas on how to improve my small garden. It covered a lot if different issues and even had some recipes for canning items. This book will have a place on my bookshelf for many years to come. I would recommend it to anyone.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good info

There were some useful bits of information in this book but obviously its intended for people who want to operate on a larger scale than an allotment. Also, it’s a US book so all if the website and store recommendations are useless for the UK, certain other things like measurements and US pests etc.

[Lovely Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book gives you a lot of information about some popular crops. I was excited about all the things you can grow on 1/4 acre. I currently have a raised bed garden and went overboard but it was nice to know I was on the right track. Good information about bugs and a good amount of information on soil PH. I would recommend this book to a new gardener.

[Bram · Rating 1 out of 5]

I find this book very unsatisfying. It is full of contradictions, sometimes within the same paragraph, rarely goes for an in-depth treatment of a topic, and offers a lot of unsustainable advice without the author seeming to be aware of it. Also the unnecessarily heavy, glossy format and the fact that it was printed in China (for the US market) rubs me the wrong way.