The only animals we have here are the dog/fish/children. We have 10 acres, 7 are meadow/lawn and 3 are woods. We have 2 tiny ponds and 2 vernal pools. The soil is compacted clay near the house, so I have been slowly putting in raised beds, and this year I am growing tomatoes and herbs.

My SIL has 10 acres too. She has a really lovely large pond with lots of trout and bass in it, and two huge vegetable gardens and a flower cutting garden. She also has a small barn and raises chickens and turkeys (the kids call them "meat birds"), pigs, and beef. They also have 3 horses.

With the canning and freezing they do, and the meat they grow, they eat organic for everything but the grains and dairy they have to buy. The kids have a rotating schedule of morning and evening chores, and I go help with the fruit & veggie preserving in exchange for some of the goods.

It's a beautiful set up, and works even though mom is a school principal, dad owns a sawmill, and all three kids are big into sports.

FWIW
Jo