This suburban apple farmer is a great example that, while it may remain impracticable for many people to achieve true food self-sufficiency at their present property, it is certainly possible for most people to take significant steps in that direction. Just a few more examples of people who are working on this transition as we speak: Farmlet (of Cryptogon fame), Mossback Farm, and Lichenology. I've also written about The Self-Sufficient Gourmand.

These examples don't specifically address the economic efficiency issue per se, but I think they do highlight that the ultimate goal of economic efficiency is to fulfill human needs--these people are all very bright and could easily be making six figures elsewhere if that was their sole desire. Instead, they seem to have realized that small-scale farming, while perhaps earning less money, fulfills their true needs far better than pure monetary analysis would suggest.

Thanks Will, nice to see someone enjoying his place like that, now if his neighbour to the left would grow carrots ,the neighbour to the right cabbage and the one behind beets they could invite Dmitry Orlov over for a bowl of Russian bostch and a slice of American apple pie. A bit of dill growing on the front drive would not go amiss.

one thing overlooked is the suburbs have a lot of basement space to grow food year round. my grandfather had a huge basement under his ranch home.