Howdy Cathy Cuddles. We have several folks from your part of the world. I'm about 120 miles north of NinnyMary, up in the woods. Up here I'm having a zone 7 winter this year. Most winters are more like zone 8, and we're also having a drought so far.
KT'sGirl is also from around your area, something like the opposite end of a ridge or something like that from Ridgerunner.
Raised beds are the way to go if you ask me, but I don't know about doing a full 40 acres that way. You know your gardening!
Bountiful Gardens has a lot of varieties designed for sustainable living. With 40 acres you'd be able to have a ton of bramble berries, some fruit trees. Those that need minimum freezing hours you'd need to look into which varieties. You could add Chickens. We have lots of Chicken keepers here, plus they have their own chicken forum, a sister forum to this one. There are some beekeepers here too. Not many, but some.
Ugh, I was pruning through my bramble berry patch today. I feel kinda stretched out again, but gaining on it.
With 40 acres, heck, you could have many gardens on it! Oh yea! Sure wish I had 40 acres!
We have fun here. Don't lose your login stuff, and come on in often.
We also have a network of bean collecting and growing.
