Hello! We have limited land and aren't likely to be able to change that any time soon. On our almost acre, we've managed 60+ fruit cultivars (a mix of trees, berries, grapes, hardy kiwi, currants, American cranberry) two beehives, two KuneKune pigs, we butcher and replace one each year so we're constantly replenishing our pork supply, chickens, rabbits for meat and fertilizer, and a small flock of sheep. We have a large garden, we've repurposed trampolines that our kids have broken into a hoop house, and we catch water in IBC totes. There have been wild successes and crushing defeats. Some animals haven't worked for us with the confines of our space; for us, ducks, we love but are very messy/water intensive especially in the winter which is rough in a small area so we no longer have ducks. We have chosen sheep over goats after years of goats as we wanted fiber as well. We lose a beehive every few years and have to replace it, but the benefit for pollination is bar none. We've incorporated straw bale garden beds to maximize our growing areas, we've done mini versions of Paul's hugelkultur in split IBC totes and it has worked wonders! We've done modified swales using existing low spots that retain water in rainy seasons and put straw bale gardens on top to make use of mucky land...I genuinely think that if you are creative and determined, the sky is the limit!
