While not a great gardener, we have about 20 to 25 yards of feedlot manure piled-up for our garden! No “fertilizer shortage” here! Often, being a survivalist is a rural area is a very positive thing!
memtb
No substitute for bottom land, aka “made dirt” and manure. Small farmers need a corral and hay and then put the cows up for a month or two in the winter, then haul that manure to the garden in later winter. Cut hay on the bottoms in the summer then stack in it the barn for winter. Repeat.
You make 90% of your success by picking the right land and making sure it matches what you want to do and are capable of doing. A lot of people want to farm, but get their asses handed to them worse than a newb at a prs match, for a variety of reasons.
There are a lot of posts on here about farmers not making money. As long as you own the land free and clear, or the equipment (or cows) free and clear, then you wont be servicing borrowed capital, and can make good money, outside of dry years. The hunts, the hay, and selling your labor/equipment on odd jobs should be gravy.
Every time fertilizer goes high, there is wailing and moaning about the end of the world. That year is the year you live off the banked PK and be judicious about the N. Or just run it through cows. High prices bring low prices and vice versa.
Best crop I ever raised was hay, hands down. When I get back in, I Will run half the stocking rate, and excess grass will be hay and put it in the barns in wet years, then sell it for sky high prices in the dry years. But again I will pick a place near city folks with lots of cash and too many animals. And yes sir, I can deliver, for a fee. And yes, I can mow your lot.