Hi Don,
As I mentioned, using the whole plot was for an export business, just a joke! I think the recommendation is for 25-33%. I meant dedicated growing of green manure in part of the new plot, such as semi-permanent growing of comfrey, alfalfa and grazing rye, rather than dedicated use of the whole plot. Sorry if I misled you.
I also think I would take issue with you over ‘even more wasteful of available resources’ if 50% of the growing area was used. Growing your own compost precludes the use of resources in importing goods. Even importing a load of manure or foraging in garden centres for cardboard has its own carbon footprint.
It’s back to the original quote from Nick Pawson’s experimental plots – ‘Can a given level of food production be maintained, or even increased, with systems that are, as far as possible, self-contained?’