What Is The Self-Sufficient Backyard?
The Self-Sufficient Backyard is a digital (and optional physical) guide created by Ron and Johanna Melchiore, a couple who have lived off the grid continuously since the late 1970s — across Saskatchewan, Canada and currently in Nova Scotia. Their core claim is that 1,020 square feet of land per person is enough to achieve meaningful food self-sufficiency, if the space is used according to their methods.
For $37, buyers get instant access to 265+ pages covering over 100 DIY homestead projects, plus three bonus guides. The content spans food production, water systems, off-grid electricity, greenhouse design, food preservation, and livestock basics — structured as a complete system rather than a collection of unrelated tips.
Unlike many products in this space, the authors are identifiable, verifiable, and have a documented history that predates the ClickBank marketplace by decades. That credibility sets this apart from the typical "off-grid" guide assembled from secondary sources.
What's Inside
Core Guide — 100+ Projects Organized by Category
| Category | What's Covered | Min. Space |
|---|---|---|
| Food Production | Raised beds, hoop tunnels, straw bale gardening, container growing, companion planting, year-round planting calendar | Any backyard |
| Water Independence | Rainwater collection, well setup, hand pumps, pressurized hot water off-grid, water filtration | Any property |
| Off-Grid Energy | Hybrid solar/wind electricity system, battery storage, controller and inverter setup, geothermal greenhouse heating | Medium+ yard |
| Food Preservation | Root cellar construction, living without refrigeration, preserving eggs, meat, vegetables and fruits | Any property |
| Livestock Basics | Chicken coop designs, 50+ management tips for 300+ eggs/year/hen, butchering guidance | Quarter-acre+ |
| Greenhouse | Year-round self-sustaining greenhouse, geothermal heat loop, cold frame extension, ventilation systems | Medium+ yard |
The Three Bonus Guides
Ready to explore the full program?Instant access after checkout — 60-day refund window applies.
See The Self-Sufficient Backyard →Pros and Cons
What Works
- Authors have 40+ years of documented, verifiable off-grid living — not assembled from secondary sources
- Covers the full homestead system in one place: food, water, energy, preservation
- Projects are designed to scale down to small suburban backyards
- One-time $37 payment, no subscription, digital + physical options
- 60-day ClickBank refund window — low financial risk to try
- Aquaponic bonus is a genuinely different system that adds scope
- Year-round planting calendar is practical and immediately usable
Realistic Expectations
- Full self-sufficiency on 200 sq ft isn't realistic — the authors are upfront about this
- Larger projects (greenhouse, chickens, hybrid energy system) require medium-to-large yards
- This is a gradual-progress system — results build over months, not weeks
- Some techniques are climate-dependent — geothermal greenhouse works better in certain regions
- Physical book ships separately; digital access is immediate but layout is PDF-based
Who It's For
| Profile | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Suburban homeowner, small-to-medium backyard | Good fit | Program was designed with this profile in mind — scalable projects |
| Rural property owner, quarter-acre+ | Strong fit | Full system applies — can implement all categories including livestock |
| Apartment dweller / no outdoor space | Partial | Container/windowsill gardening applies; most projects require outdoor space |
| Prepper / emergency preparedness focus | Good fit | Preservation, water independence, and energy sections directly relevant |
| Looking for instant results | Not ideal | Authors explicitly frame this as a staged, multi-month process |
The Credibility Question
Most homesteading products in the ClickBank marketplace are assembled by marketers, not practitioners. The Self-Sufficient Backyard is an exception worth noting: Ron and Johanna Melchiore are real, named individuals with a documented history on AskAPrepper.com that predates the product launch. Their off-grid living record across multiple homesteads is verifiable.
That doesn't make every project in the guide equally applicable to every buyer. Property size, climate, local regulations, and personal time commitment all shape what's achievable. Users who treat the guide as a complete roadmap and select projects that match their actual property and situation tend to report more satisfying outcomes than those who approach it as a one-size-fits-all solution.
The core principle — that meaningful self-sufficiency can be built incrementally on a small property — is well-supported by both the authors' experience and by the broader homesteading community's documented results with similar methods.
$37 one-time · 100+ DIY projects · 60-day guarantee.Digital access is immediate after checkout.
Get The Self-Sufficient Backyard →How It Compares
Against general homesteading books available on Amazon ($20–$35 each), the main advantage here is integration — food, water, energy, and preservation covered as a connected system rather than separate topics. The $37 price point is competitive with a single category-specific book while covering significantly more ground.
Pricing and Guarantee
The digital version is $37 one-time with immediate access. A physical book option is available separately at an additional shipping cost. No recurring fees, no subscription tiers.
The purchase runs through ClickBank and carries a standard 60-day money-back guarantee — processed by ClickBank directly, not vendor-dependent. If you request a refund within 60 days, it's issued without requiring vendor approval.
Tools to Get Started With Your First Projects
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$37 one-time · Instant digital access · 100+ DIY projects · 60-day refund window
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