Suggestions on dividing up acerage- new homestead

mrswonderful · #1 09/15/10, 11:09 AM

Any advice y'all could give me on dividing up our land would be greatly appreciated ....we're new to homesteading so we have a pretty clean slate to work with ... We're young very excited & not afraid of hard work ...we have 2 acres- 1 wooded & the other open with trees dotted on about half.... We have half dozen free range chickens & hope to get a cow in the spring... We're building a small cabin (debt free- so we have plenty of time to work on our land while saving $) we're heating with wood (have endless supply fr husbands job)...would like to have a good size garden...& considering a pig or two to fatten in the future..., any suggestions are welcome , thanks

HOTW · #2 09/15/10, 11:26 AM

I'd suggest havign a look at the "Have More Plan" I have found it to have some great ideas I hope to incorporate once we get some land!

oth47 · #3 09/15/10, 12:47 PM

I second the motion on the Have-More Plan,very good book.I personally would be looking for a place for a few fruit trees and a grapevine,but that's just me..

rambler · #4 09/15/10, 02:01 PM

Congrats, lots of fun, lots of work.

You might want to fill in your info on this site, anyhow the state you are in. It sure helps on answering questions if we are talking cold north like me, sandy soils out west, humid southeast, etc. Lots of particulars on what to grow, what to build, depend so much on the climate & soil you have....

--->Paul

motdaugrnds · #5 09/15/10, 03:00 PM

Aaahhh the joys of homesteading a new place! You are smart to get ideas from this forum before you actually start developing that 2 acres.

If I were starting to develop 2 acres such as yours, I would find out from which directions your worse storms come; what the water retention/flow is like and what type of soil it has. (Your agricultural agent can walk over your place with you and talk with you about what he sees & knows relative to my above comments.)

I would want to plan my well so it will be "above" where my livestock will be housed; and my septic system "below" where my well will be.

I would specifically focus on what types of "meat" foods I can raise there and what each would need to stay healthy; and I would develop part of my land around "their" needs. If you're going to want fruit trees, they do better 100' away from forestry and need to be started as soon as possible (protected from wild life). [I planted mulberry trees along with fruit trees so as to feed the birds. They prefer mulberries and it will help keep them off "my" fruit.]

I would divide the acreage up in such a way that keeps all buildings on the high grounds, fruit trees on slopes & driveways on high grounds.

Hope this helps.

Jenn · #6 09/15/10, 07:31 PM

Just a comment that I was pretty happy with the crossfencing by the folks before us at a rectangular 6 acre lot: 3 acres with a barn (the sheep), 1.5 acre with sheds I converted to a chicken coop and with orchard in it, and other 1.5 acre with house and gardens. Of course my dogs weren't chicken proof or I wouldn't've needed that last fence as much... but it did help keep the chickens out of the garden a little.

Anyway keeping livestock out of your garden and maybe your own dogs out of your livestock are important points. Pigs and goats could go in the wooded area if you fence it.

mrswonderful · #7 09/15/10, 07:51 PM

Thanks for the input so far!

rambler · #8 09/15/10, 09:45 PM

On a practical note, assuming you aren't on 'city water' you need to keep the well seperate from the septic area, as well as from the livestock areas. That can take up more room than one thinks. Depending on your state rules, and just good common sense if none, to keep 100-300 feet between the well and assorted poo.