So, which crops would be the most important? When I get my commune, I will want to plant the important ones first so my people can eat well for a little while. I'm hoping to feed no more than six. As for cattle, I'm sure chickens will be the first to be raised, and then maybe a sheep and goat... I don't want my commune being a heavy meat eating commune. So I don't want to have to try and feed a bunch of livestock as well. Any tips?
The first crop that you should think about planting should be one that provides a lot of calories with minimum effort, and I think potatoes come out on top here. Pretty simple to grow and best of all you can harvest them throughout the year with nothing but a shovel. Plus, with a good root cellar they should keep all winter and into the spring. Other than that a few good growing varieties of beans for yourself and some sort of nitrogen fixing legume as a green manure should cover the essentials. As for other fruits and vegetables plant what you're comfortable planting and others can grow well in the area.
It does depend on your local climate. Some crops do not do well in some areas. I do agree with Redneck, potatoes are usually a good choice, they generally keep well, and are full of nutrients. And veggies are your choice, grow what you like. Peas and beans are great for your N fixing, but if you have animals, you can work the manure in, which will take care of your macro and micro nutrients. For animals, I definitely recommend chickens to start. Goats are very useful, and will eat just about anything. Sheep will give you three different products, milk, wool, and meat, which makes them a pretty good resource. After you are established, and you have the space, you look at hemp fibres for fabric for your clothing, and to give you a possible revenue stream. I do have a bit of an advantage, I was born and raised on the farm, so I have learnt a fair bit regarding crop production, plus I have always been interested in alternative crops, and have done a bit of research into various crops. There are some very interesting crops options out there.
I will be located in Volcan Panama, which has a year round average of 60*f - 80*f with moderate to heavy rains from May to November, and a dry season from December to April.
That's tough to say unless you know the soil and environment not just the climate. You never really know until you plant. My advice is to divide your land into many sections and rotate different types of crops through it each year and then after cycling through crops let it be grassland for 4 years. Chickens are always good, you said you don't want to be a meat heavy commune so how about a Jersey cow or a Holstein for milk, cheese, and butter? I have no clue what the agricultural scene is in panama though.
Land is ultra furtile, as it is volcanicly furtilized. Local culture has plenty of goats, but not a whole lot of cows and chickens..
