Food post-Z day will come from three places. Crops, Livestock and any Stockpile that has been built up. Where possible, crops should be consumed first, with leftovers being preserved. This will mean a good stockpile will have empty jars that can be filled with your hard-earned fruits and vegetables.

Any milk, butter, cheese and other products should be considered before killing livestock. One chicken dinner, or a year of omelettes? Protein is necessary, but don't diminish your animal headcount too far. It will take time to breed back up, and you will have lost genetic diversity.

Your stockpile gets eaten last. It can be saved for when you need some variety in the meals, or in more drastic situations, like crop failure, it will allow you to recover. But remember that the Expiry/Best Before dates are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Try and eat things before that date if you have plenty of crops preserved, but don't be afraid of hanging onto cans that are old. They may not taste great, but they will keep you alive. Just remember to check the smell and taste of each item separately.

Crop List

Right now this is just a list of the areas that have been marked out on each tier, to give an idea of the size of available land for growing. This does not include the greenhouse, since that will be used for either seedlings to allow a more intensive growth season, or for crops that need more controlled conditions than the BOL has to offer.

Plot number	Dimensions and area	Proposed crops, area
1	655' x 75', 49,125 sq ft	Crops: Potatoes (28,314), Beans (6,154), Corn (5,663), Flax (1,518), Oats (5,525) 1,951 free
2	275' x 205', 56,375 sq ft	Crops: Oranges (5,663), Apples (2,230), Lemons (1,656), Limes (1,132), Pears (603), Cherries (850), Bananas (4,247), Peaches (1,172) Avocadoes (3,077), Plums (545), Walnuts (504), Olives (637), Coconuts (105), Dates (110), Plantains (566), Apricot (472), Mango (189), Gourds (1,510), Coffee (12,134), Cotton (18,460) 513 free
3	235' x 215', 50,525 sq ft	Crops: Herb Garden (3,000), Tea (12,870), Cocoa (14,157), Sunflowers (708), Quinoa (18,876) 914 free
4	245' x 125', 30,625 sq ft	Crops: Oats (30,625)
5	165' x 100', 16,500 sq ft	Crops: Oats (16,500)
6	275' x 165', 45,735 sq ft	Crops: Tomatoes (3,185), Onions (2,860), Carrots (1,459), Asparagus (6,370), Cucumber (3,370), Lettuce (9,334), Strawberries (1,416), Turnips (1,180), Radish (472), Spinach (515), Celery (566), Peppers (4,103), Pumpkins (1,665), Peanuts (4,973), Soybeans (1,573), Zucchini (876), Blueberries (1,416) 402 free
7	235' x 50', 11,750 sq ft	Crops: Wheat (1,040), Barley (10,150) 560 free
8	120' x 110', 13,200 sq ft	Crops: Lingonberries (203), Grapes (1,529), Melons (4,339), Peas (6,435), Chickpeas (364), Bamboo (150) 180 free
9	120' x 110', 13,200 sq ft	Crops: Tomatilloes (315), Leeks (377), Eggplants (572), Broccoli (3,879), Cauliflower (2,621), Beetroot (787), Sweet Potatoes (2,360), Cabbage (1,777), Garlic (486) 26 free
10	235' x 85', 19,975 sq ft	Crops: Sugarcane (18,816) 1,159 free
11	320' x 130', 41,600 sq ft	Crops: Oats (41,600)
12	290' x 90', 26,100 sq ft	Crops: Barley (26,100)
13	290' x 90', 26,100 sq ft	Crops: Barley (26,100)
14	290' x 110', 31,900 sq ft	Crops: Barley (31,900)
15	290' x 110', 31,900 sq ft	Crops: Wheat (31,900)
16	340' x 150', 51,000 sq ft	Crops: Wheat (51,000)
17	340' x 150', 51,000 sq ft	Crops: Wheat (51,000)
18	390' x 190', 74,100 sq ft	Crops: Wheat (74,100)
19	390' x 190', 74,100 sq ft	Crops: Wheat (74,100)
20	440' x 240', 105,600 sq ft	Livestock: 5 goats (54,450), 7 pigs (30,492), 4 turkeys (1,742.4), 65 chickens (14,157), 10 geese (4,356) Crops: Comfrey (201.3), Alfalfa (201.3)
21	440' x 240', 105,600 sq ft	Livestock: 4 sheep (43,560), 5 goats (54,450), 1 pig, (4,356), 7 turkeys (3,049.2) Crops: Comfrey (92.4), Alfalfa (92.4)
22	490' x 300', 147,000 sq ft	Livestock: 3 cattle (130,680), 1 sheep (10,890), 1 pig (4,356), 2 turkeys (871.2) Crops: Comfrey (101.4), Alfalfa (101.4)
23	490' x 300', 147,000 sq ft	Livestock: 2 cattle (87,120), 5 sheep (54,450), 1 pig (4,356), 2 turkeys (871.2) Crops: Comfrey (101.4), Alfalfa (101.4)
Edges	Various	Roses, blackberries, raspberries, cacti, holly, pyracantha

That adds up to 1,220,010 sq ft. 28 acres. From the 51.5 acres, that means half the land is unavailable for crops. However, there is a lot of the land unallocated (45,000 + 40, 000 + 33,000 + 25,000 + 20,000 + 20,000 from the tiers) so I would say that there is 32 acres total space for crops.The estimate of people the BOL can handle is based on that number.

Land management will be key to survival. So far I have picked up some general advice:

• Dig the soil to a depth of two feet. This allows the roots to spread further down, accessing more nutrients from below, and saving them from spreading horizontally.
• Space the plants close enough so the leaves touch when they are mature. Maximising the acreage means more crops.
• Companion Crops. Don't just grow one crop in an area. They benefit from having others around. Green beans love strawberries. Corn gives shade to sensitive plants like cucumbers. Radishes grow well in-between carrot plants.
• Planting in rows. Whilst modern farms plant in circles because of the machinery, and to minimise run-off, they don't take into account two factors prevelant in post-apocalyptic survival: Manual labour, and defending an attack. To minimise crop damage, the plants will be in lanes running parallel to the internal road. This will provide clear lanes for the attackers to move through, and good line of sight for the defenders when shooting.

Fruits

Produce	Notes	Avg yr consumption (lbs)	Yield (lbs/acre)	Space req per person (sqft)
Blueberry		1	2,000	21.78
Lingonberry		1	14,000	3.12
Grapes		8	14,770	23.53
Melons		15	9,800	66.75
Banana		30	20,000	65.34
Oranges	Valencia, Hamlyn, Pera, Rubi	220	110,000	87.12
Lemons		20	34,200	25.47
Limes		10	25,000	17.42
Apples		20	25,400	34.3
Strawberry		20	40,000	21.78
Avocado		4	3,680	47.34
Peach		13	31,400	18.03
Pear		6	28,200	9.27
Cherry		2	6,660	13.08
Plum		2	10,400	8.38
Pumpkin	Used for scaring away witches	10	17,000	25.62
Apricot		2	12,000	7.26
Mango		2	30,000	2.9
Olives		1.8	8,000	9.8
Dates		0.35	9,000	1.69
Plantains		2	10,000	8.7

Vegetables

Produce	Notes	Avg yr consumption (lbs)	Yield (lbs/acre)	Space req per person (sqft)
Asparagus		1	4,400	98.01
Tomatillos		1	9,000	4.84
Peppers		10	6,900	63.13
Lettuce		30	9,100	143.6
Spinach		2	11,000	7.92
Leeks		4	30,000	5.8
Eggplants		2	9,900	8.8
Tomatoes		90	80,000	49
Broccoli		10	7,300	59.67
Cauliflower		10	10,800	40.33
Zucchini		3	9,700	13.47
Cucumber		10	8,400	51.85
Beetroot		3	10,800	12.1
Carrots		10	19,400	22.45
Onions		20	19,800	44
Radish		2	12,000	7.26
Potato		300	30,000	435.6
Sweet Potato		5	6,000	36.3
Turnips		5	12,000	18.15
Corn		20	10,000	87.12
Peas		5	2,200	99
Beans	Navy, Broad, Pole, Runner, French	10	4,600	94.68
Celery		6.4	32,000	8.71
Cabbage		8.6	13,700	27.34
Chickpeas		0.45	3,500	5.6
Quinoa		10	1,500	290.4
Garlic		3	17,500	7.47
Soybeans		2	3,600	24.2
Gourds	Storage	2	3,750	23.23

Grains

Produce	Notes	Avg yr consumption (lbs)	Yield (lbs/acre)	Space req per person (sqft)
Wheat		240	2,400	4,356
Barley		45	1,350	1,450
Oats		85	2,555	1,450
Sugarcane	Molasses for alcohol, alcohol for vinegar	121 (refined)	18,240	289.47

Nuts

Produce	Notes	Avg yr consumption (lbs)	Yield (lbs/acre)	Space req per person (sqft)
Walnut		0.53	2,980	7.75
Coconut		1	27,000	1.61
Peanuts		6.5	3,700	76.52

Other

Comfrey - Chickenfeed
Alfalfa - Chickenfeed
Tea || Non-essential food - 5 lbs per year, 1,100 lbs/acre, 198 sqft
Coffee || Non-essential food - 6 lbs per year, 1,400 lbs/acre, 186.68 sqft
Cocoa || Non-essential food - 7.5 lbs per year, 1,500 lbs/acre, 217.8 sqft
Bamboo || Support for other plants - 66,000 lbs/acre 150 sqft total
Sunflowers - 0.5 lb year, 2,000 lbs/acre, 10.89 sqft
Cotton - 5 lbs per year, 766 lbs/acre, 284 sqft
Flax - 1 lb per year, 1865 lbs/acre, 23.36 sqft

Current free space = 5,705 sqft
Total emergency space = 6,308 sqft


Herbs

Herb	Culinary	Medicinal	Other uses
Basil	Yes
Oregano	Yes
Feverfew	No	Reduces fever and chills, Relieves migraine symptoms
Dill	Yes	Digestive
Thyme	Yes
Rosemary	Yes
Spearmint	Yes	Digestive Aid
Peppermint	Yes	IBS/Peristalsis
Sage	Yes	anti-spasmodic, hypoglycemic, helps mild to moderate Alzheimer's
Cilantro	Yes
Cumin	Yes
Lemon Verbena	No	Anti-fungal	Deodorant
Lavender	No	Anti-inflammatory	Deodorant
Chamomile	Yes	Calmative, Reduces swelling of eyes, Skin irritation
Bergamot	No	Anti-malarial, other	Calmative
Stevia	Yes		Sweetener
Borage	No	hypocholesterolemic
Violets	Yes
Lemon Grass	Yes	Anti-fungal, Cough, Cold
Digitalis / Foxglove	No/POISON	Anti-arrythmic, Positive inotropic
Poppy / MORPHINE	No/POISON	Strong Pain Relief (Narcotic Opiate)
Parsley	Yes
Chives	Yes
Valerian	No/POISON	Sedative (Mild), Anti-convulsant
Liquorice	Yes	Expectorant, Helps ulcers, Anti-Viral (May lower testosterone levels)
Yarrow	No	Wound staunching, Eaten to counter poisoning
Ginger	Yes	Relieves nausea
Belladonna	No/POISON	Sedative, Anesthetic (Dangerous to use, Drug of last resort)
Fenugreek	Yes	Increases lactation, helps mild diabetes (causes cannibalism :) )
Bay	Yes		Repels Moths and Cockroaches
Cardamom	Yes
Mustard	Yes	Purge
Curry	Yes
Cinnamon	Yes	Increases circulation to contact area when applied to skin (may cause redness and irritation)
Wormwood / Sagewort	No	Anti-malarial	An earth-ending prophecy
Fennel	Yes	Digestive calmative, Diuretic
Hyssop	No	Improves lung function
Anise	Yes	phytoestrogen, antiparasitic, anti-spasmodic
Garden Angelica	No	anesthetic, immune boosting, anti-infective	Makes a musical instrument
Alkanet	No		Dye
Calendula	No	anti-viral, anti-genotoxic, anti-inflammatory
Caraway	Yes	Colic	Roots Edible
Cloves	Yes	Dental anodyne
Saffron	Yes	Anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, antioxidant
Aloe Vera	No	Wounds, burns,digestive, improves blood sugar levels in diabetics, has antibacterial and antifungal properties
Comfrey	No	Mends broken bones, anti-infective
Witch Hazel	No	Anti-septic, astringent, relieves postpartum tearing of the perineum
Indigo	No	Analgesic, anti-inflammatory	Dye
Meadowsweet	Yes	Analgesic, anti-inflammatory	Dye

Livestock

Cows eat about 100 lbs of feed per day. 100 lbs of grain takes up about 4 cubic feet. So each cow will eat 4 cu.ft of grain per day on an all grain diet. One silo can hold 25,000 cubic feet. So that's 6,250 days for one cow. Now 48.18 lbs of grain per cubic feet means 1,204,500 lbs of grain per silo, which would need 502 acres. All grain clearly will not work, since once the grain silos are exhausted, the amount of land needed to feed the cattle will be too great. Pasture is needed to form the mainstay of the diet. Luckily, by implementing a crop rotation on the tiers, the livestock will fertilize each tier as they graze it, and minimise the need for cutting the grass. The type of cows will need to be selected for an all-grass diet, something like a Jersey or Friesian, rather than a Holstein.

A 900 lbs cow will give about 325 lb edible meat for humans. The rest will go to bone and fat. If we use an 8oz steak as the average meat portion for a meal, that is 650 meals. Male to female ratio is 1:4.

Apparently, 6-8 inches is the best length for grazing land to grow. Goats, cows and sheep will all be grass feed, with grain as a supplement in the diet.

Sheep weigh around 100-150 lbs, and will provide about 60 lbs of meat, or 120 meals. 2:8.

Goats weigh around 175-210 lbs, and will provide about 80 lbs of meat, or 160 meals. Goats can be milked, and they make good cheese. 2:8

Pigs will also be bred, fed mostly on root vegetables and scraps.

A 250 lbs pig will give about 120 lbs edible meat for humans. The rest will go to bone and fat. Using the 8oz average again, that is 240 meals. 2:8.

Chickens need protein, carbs and calcium. Growing four or five Comfrey plants per hen will meet much of their protein needs. Since Comfrey is good for making organic fertiliser, it will be on hand. Wheat, rice, oats and corn are good for carbs. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds for calcium. Watercress for minerals. Granite chips, gravel or other small pieces of rock are also necessary, so that they can break up the food.

An 8lbs live chicken will provide about 6 lbs edible meat, which is 12 meals. One laying hen will provide around 260 eggs per year, which is 130 meals. 4:61.

Turkeys need much the same feed as chickens, but more of it. A 36 lbs live bird will provide about 20 lbs. 2:13.

Geese are fed similarly to turkeys, and an 18 lbs bird will provide about 10 lbs of meat. 2:8.

The males will be kept apart from the females until their breeding is desired, and strict lineage details will need to be kept to limit genetic cross-over.

1 cow = 1 acre = 43,560
1 sheep = 0.25 acre = 10,890
1 goat = 0.25 acre = 10,890
1 pig = 0.1 acre = 4,356
1 turkey = 0.01 acre = 435.6
1 goose = 0.01 acre = 435.6
1 chicken = 0.005 acre = 217.8

Beehives will be situated on tiers 2, 3, 5 and 6. Twelve hives per tier. The reason for this is to allow for the loss of multiple hives due to storm damage or flood. The ones on tiers 2, 3 and 5 will be against the wall closest to The Castle. Tier 6 hives will be along the side walls. The hives will be mounted on individual movable platforms so they can be evacuated to the higher tiers.

Rabbits will be introduced to the area outside the walls, and encouraged to proliferate in order to provide an alternate source of meat. Where possible they will be monitored for diseases and parasites to keep the food source clean.

Stockpile

The larder can hold 140,000 cubic feet of supplies. These will mostly be canned goods, although there will be a significant amount of flour, corn, oats, rice and wheat stored as well. There will also be 3,000 cubic feet of Triple Velvet toilet paper. That's 60,000 rolls. At about one roll per week per person, that's enough for 18 years with 64 people.

The canned goods will be kept on-site at about one-third the maximum capacity, and the dry goods at about one-fifth that. The flour, corn and oats can be replenished yearly from the crops grown locally. The rice will need to be sourced from the markets, and since it is the one crop I can't grow on site, it will take up the largest portion of the stockpile

Once a disaster occurs (and looks like it will affect my Bug Out Point(s)), I will place multiple orders with food wholesalers to have the rest of the stockpile delivered. Because there is a possibility of shortages, the orders will total around 350% of the stockpile capacity. The bonus of ordering just as a disaster hits is that cost will seem inconsequential, and payment may not even be taken if the disaster is as devstating predicted.

Fresh and frozen meat will also be on that list. Whilst I won't have the room to store more than a few weeks worth, it will help until the next harvest or slaughter time, stretching out the stockpile a little further.

Beneath the larder is the access to the infrastructure. Certain non-food goods will be kept here. Because of the risk of damage from water, electricity or sewage, and the likely variances in temperature/humidity, each item will need to be stored in sealed containers. They must also be non-essentials, because of the higher risk of loss.

Animal tags, test tubes for blood collection, notebooks, etc will all be on-site to catalogue the traits of the animals, so they can be bred for specific traits.

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