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If you've discovered an interest in becoming completely self-sufficient, you'll almost certainly need to acquire some land. How much? Read on to find out.
For countless Americans, living off the grid has never held more appeal. Fed up with rising congestion, overpriced cities, and what has been described as a general malaise with modern, consumerist lifestyles, people are flocking to the country to set up their own homesteads at an unprecedented rate.
With so many Americans looking to kick-start their own self-sufficient lifestyle, knowing what you need is key. Land values are rising across the United States, meaning that the cost of being self-sufficient is rising all the time.
Fortunately, the amount of land you need to live off the grid is a lot less than you might think. Here's everything you need to know.
The Minimum You Need to Be Self-Sufficient
If you want to know how to live off the grid, you'll need the numbers. Many would-be homesteaders assume that they'll need a vast estate in order to meet their food and energy needs, but this isn't the case.
According to this handy infographic, you only need 0.44 acres per person to meet all of your food needs. This works out to about 77,000 square foot for a family of four, assuming that each person maintains a vegetarian diet of 2300 calories a day.
Eating meat, dairy and eggs will increase your land needs significantly, so you might want to start thinking about skipping the steaks.
How to Reduce Your Needs
Of course, you might even find that this amount of land can be a challenge to acquire. Therefore, you should consider all of the different ways you can reduce your resource needs.
As mentioned, one of the best ways to do this is to go vegan. Rearing your own livestock requires huge amounts of land and water, as well as considerable manpower.
When growing your own fruit and vegetables, you can also consider avoiding crops such as potatoes and tomatoes, which require more space than virtually every other crop in existence.
Living in a so-called 'tiny house' is also a way to get maximum usage out of your land.
Other Resources You'll Need
Of course, it's not all about the land. You'll need to meet your energy needs, which cannot be achieved with wood burning alone.
Solar panels on the roof of your homestead are the most efficient way to meet your energy needs if you're building off the grid.
One year of electricity for an individual only requires 375 square foot of roof space for solar panels. Given that the roof of an average American home if about 2000 square foot, this should not be a problem.
Legal Considerations
Those looking to lead a self-sustaining lifestyle should know that doing so is not a straightforward legal process. County and city zoning might prevent you from building a homestead in your desired location.
Likewise, you may find that it is illegal to live completely off the grid in a certain area, due to laws pertaining to energy and land usage.
Always check with the local authorities to find out what is legally feasible, to avoid problems further down the line.
Learn More
A self-sufficient lifestyle is only a few clicks away. If you want to learn more about the rural properties available to aspiring homesteaders, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today for expert advice and opinions.
FAQs
The Minimum You Need to Be Self-Sufficient
How much land do you need to live off the grid? ›
While the amount of land you'll need will depend on your personal preferences as well as how many people are in your family, it should be no less than a quarter of an acre. Before purchasing the perfect location to suit your off-the-grid lifestyle, brush up on all local laws and zoning regulations in that area.
How much land do you really need to be self-sufficient? ›
However, it is possible to create a more self-sufficient lifestyle on a larger piece of land. Estimates for self-sufficiency typically range from about 1 to 10 acres per person, depending on the factors mentioned above and the desired level of self-sufficiency.
Can you be self-sufficient on 1 acre? ›
The truth is you can be self-sustaining on a 1-acre property but it takes work, education, dedication, and time. So, if you have an oversized lot or small acreage and want to be as sustainable as possible, here are some ideas and suggestions on how to get started creating a self-sufficient homestead.
How much land do you need to feed a human? ›
This reminds me of a question I have been asked numerous times, i.e., “How much land does it take to feed somebody for a year?” To rid you of any suspense, I usually give the answer as about one acre when referring to the U.S. today.
How much land is enough to homestead? ›
For the average family of four, you can expect to grow a year's worth of food on three to five acres. We really do think that five acres is the sweet spot because it allows you to stack your animals and really utilize permaculture practices. One acre for gardens, perennials and fruit trees.
How many acres for a self-sustaining farm? ›
Wondering how much land is required for a self-sustaining farm? The good news is you don't need acres upon acres to start producing veggies. With efficient planning and the use of raised beds or intensive planting techniques, it's possible to have abundant yields even on just 1/4 acre.
How much land does a human need to survive? ›
A person living the profligate lifestyle of an average American requires almost 24 acres, ten times the world per capita share. Bottom Line: For everyone presently on this planet to enjoy the lifestyle of an average American, we would need about ten planet Earths.
How much land do you need to farm to make a living? ›
While it is possible to generate enough income through farming 20 to 40 acres, in most cases folks approach this as a part-time venture. It is much better to select an income-producing idea that you enjoy and want to do even if no profit is realized.
How much land do you need to be fully sustainable? ›
In USDA zone 6, I feel, for a family of 4, about 3.5 acres “could" be more that enough land, and water, to more than meet your needs. An intensely planted, and well managed acre, probably could provide over 80%, without meat, and dairy, besides chickens. With, a greenhouse, use of row covers etc.
Micro farming is a method of farming that involves using small plots of land to grow crops efficiently. It's based on the idea of maximizing productivity on a limited amount of space, by using intensive planting methods, crop rotation, companion planting, and other sustainable farming practices.
What is the most profitable crop to grow? ›
Dubbed "red gold", saffron's high market value makes it arguably the most profitable agricultural crop. Though it requires careful cultivation, the potential profits per acre are unmatched, highlighting its viability for small farms looking to maximize their earnings.
How many acres does the average person own? ›
The average American owns between 1/10 of an acre and an acre. That is because most landowners live in the suburbs and own their own house and the land under it, the size of which is determined by zoning. Zoning minimum acreage varies with a minimum of 1/10th and with about 1/5th acre being a rough average.
How much land does it take to support a human? ›
The FAO reports 7.9 billion acres of arable land in the world; If it takes 3.25 acres to feed one person the typical western diet, then our 7 billion+ people would required over 21 billion acres, or the equivalent of almost three planet Earths.
How many people can be fed off one acre? ›
Thus each bushel has 87,695 calories, and each acre provides 15,083,712 calories. At 2500 calories per day, a human needs 912,500 calories per year. Thus, an acre of corn can feed 16.5 people per acre.
Is there enough land to feed the world? ›
Earth is a pretty big place, but it's not as big as our appetite. That's the conclusion of a new study by researchers in Canada, who calculated that if the entire world population tried to eat what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) actually recommends, we wouldn't have enough farms to feed everybody.
How much money is needed to start living off the grid? ›
The national average cost of an off-grid system is $55,000*, though your investment could range from $20,000 to $100,000 based on your system design and energy needs. Going off-grid reduces your energy usage, lowers your carbon footprint, and enables you to live more independently.
Can you live off-grid on BLM land? ›
Land managed by the BLM is any adventuresome soul's dream. Folks in search of an off-grid experience without the hassle of permits or fees will be thrilled to know that the BLM administers more than 247.3 million acres of public land in the U.S. which constitutes nearly one-eighth of the country's landmass.
How many acres do you need to live off of? ›
The Minimum You Need to Be Self-Sufficient
According to this handy infographic, you only need 0.44 acres per person to meet all of your food needs. This works out to about 77,000 square foot for a family of four, assuming that each person maintains a vegetarian diet of 2300 calories a day.
