Re: Much Of The Key
You can't live off the land on Mars. First, the soil is self-sterilizing, plants will not grow in it. Second, there is no appreciable atmosphere, you would need a pressurized enclosure covering many square miles (good luck). Third, mars is as cold as antarctica, and no plants grow there either.
I think an orbiting colony, at one of earth's lagrange points, or even in low-earth orbit, would be easier.