The Hunger Gap
The other day we harvested approximately 3,372 calories on our little homestead. Almost all of that was goat milk with eggs and okra bringing in the rest. That is roughly one third of the calories I have calculated that our family of seven might need in a day. Lest you think this is terribly uncommon because of some false notion that we are, in fact, growing much of our own food, please know that it is not.
There are periods of time in which I don’t have to buy vegetables but those times are generally in the late spring and late fall. With the pasture up we are one step closer to adding more homegrown animal foods – a huge calorie source. But so long as we are buying grocery store food in any real quantity, I feel obligated to bare that little part of our agrarian journey, possibly ad nauseum.
So we are in the agrarian hunger gap, metaphorically and, where we are in Texas, August is the hunger gap during the yearly cycle. The squash and beans and sunflowers and black-eyed peas and tomatillos and watermelons have all kicked the bucket. This is in part due to the heat and the fact that it hasn’t rained in a month or two, but also due to pest problems often brought on by such conditions. It is simply a fact of the land here, and one I am still struggling to wrap my head around five summers in.
Because, in the north, this is a time of abundance and the short window given in which to put up an entire year’s worth of food. Here, it is the fall garden that often outshines the summer; the cooler time of year that is more abundant.
I think my gardening and food preservation clock needs some sort of southern reset, y’all.
I love that you are so real with us. Thank you for sharing, what many glaze over. There is no shame in not being ‘there’ yet, actually, we’ll never be ‘there’, but as long as we are moving in the direction we are called to, all is well. Could that desert gardening book help you get the reset?
Interestingly in cooler climate ( I’m thinking England ) the hungry gap was historically the period before spring really happened. They would be at the end of their stores of all foods, and animals not lactating Etc. I hadn’t thought the same could be true for hot summer places! I wonder if there are foods you could grow that would survive this period?
I do not pass on reading your articles. I have been seriously astounded by what you and Stewart have done. I can hardly believe what you have accomplished. Thank you for sharing.
We have been on our 5 acres for nearly ten years, and we still have a lot of hunger gaps. We suffer the same conditions of heat and months without rain. I am learning some new tricks though. Like growing a lot of perennial, chop and drop crops, like lemon grass, vetiver grass, pigeon peas and other leguminous trees. When I chop it down during the growing season it really helps the soil, when the weather is being difficult. I was doing this, but I wasn’t doing it on a large enough scale. So I’ve upped my game this year and propagated more sacrificial crops. These grow so I can cut them down, to feed the soil that will feed my family.
You could grow these around the parameter of your pallet fence, then chop them down, a few times a year, and mulch your vegetable patch with them. This is how God intended for us to grow food. To feed the soil, much more than we take away in calories. Living in a harsh climate like you, God’s instruction on caring for the land, becomes that more important. People living in pleasant climates, can get away with ignoring his instruction that much more.
I’ve actually been doing some research on gardening, and happened upon a great site which spoke about preparing the soil, in the scriptures. It meant a lot to me, because we garden on slopes too, like those in Jesus time, did. Here is the link if you’re interested: http://www.linearconcepts.com/travelog/2007-israel/19-nazareth-village
You two amaze me – would love to pitch a tent on the corner of your yard and visit a while. Hugs and blessings
When I was young my family decided to homestead, my mother and step father traveled the country to try to find land that was affordable and would provide. It took much time, but they indeed found it, good for gardening, lots of wildlife, low cost of living. I am just curious what brought your family to such a difficult area in which to homestead?
I know how incredibly hard it is, we literally HAD to raise, garden,hunt or fish.
I am just curious, this is not a judgment.