Max Osterhaus visits his father's Wisconsin ranch in the winter, when there are fewer crops at his Glenview home to worry about.

Inspired by his dad's back to the land move and driven by self-sufficiency dreams, this 27-year-old game designer harvests everything from his own grains to water.

"I want to get to a place where I grow everything I eat," Osterhaus said.

It helps that he works at home and can afford to spend hours tending his backyard. It also helps that he has iterative tendencies.

Every year the scope gets bigger, he says. Last year, he started saving his own seeds. Eventually he will produce his own honey.

For now, Osterhaus makes his own juice and entrees. Not bad for a small, 0.1 acre, hillside plot.

See the full photo set of this garden at http://bit.ly/NoSYiN.