What can we raise/grow here?

[harvestmoonfarm]

What is the least amount of land anyone here has to work with? We have something - possibly - in the works, but it means going to a bit less than 3 acres (we're on 64 currently, though we don't use most of it). I'm just trying to figure out what we can reasonably keep on that amount of land.

[where I want to]

It depends on climate, sun exposure and water. But I gardened on a little more than a quarter of an acre and had 14 fruit trees, kiwis, blueberries,13 8x4 raised beds, an 8x10 little barn with attached 20x20 paddock, had an 6x8 greenhouse, a flower garden, dog run, with a 1200 sq foot house and detached two car garage.
It was intense, crowded, got good sun and no lawn. But very productive. You had to keep things in production as it was year round gardening for the most part and if you neglected it, it could easily turn into a jungle.

[rambler]

I'd think the house, septic, and well & driveway and such would consume about an acre of that, leaving you with 2 acres. Anything garden, sweet corn, modest fruit orchard, and so forth would work real well.

Small livestock like rabbits and chickens would work great.

Medium size livestock you'd need to put some planning and thought on that. Could feed a couple, but it gets crowded quickly. Doable but needs the right location, soil, etc.

I'd think large livestock like cow or cattle or horses would be more cost than benifit, as there really is not enough land to feed these off the land resonably, and managing the manure from large livestock can be an issue on small properties.

--->Paul

[Karen]

Under the right circumstances (despite what some may tell you) you could effectively raise just about all your food needs for the entire year on those 3 acres. I know because we've done it in the past.

[FarmboyBill]

As Ive said many times, Dad kept a Jersey cow in the lot, it around 50ftsq year round. He had pasture but he couldnt walk anymore, so he just fed her 1/2 bale hay or what she would care to eat a day alfalfa I dont think a cows manure amount would be overly much for an acre garden planted intensivly. Might even go 2 Jerseys, OR a jersey and a couple goats, OR 4 goats only so as to have a year round supply of milk, butter, cream, ect. Youd have to supply the hay and grain, BUT they would supply you with the above and a calf or 2, OR a 1/2 doz or more goats a year.
IF you going to buy hay and grain for cow/s goats, You might as well raise a hog for slaughter also. It could stay in the lot with the rest, for company.. It would rut up the manure and make it dry quicker and easier to handle.
IF you made the lot chicken tight, You could also run a doz chickens there also, And a turkey or 2 for the holidays.
Rabbits could be put round the outside of the lot fence to keep all close to feed source,

IF your going to be working out, What will you work the garden up with, and keep it weeded with?

[harvestmoonfarm]

Found the tax records and it turns out that it's actually 2.29 acres. We have dairy goats, American Guinea Hogs and chickens, as well as inside dogs and a few cats. I have 2 horses that I'm trying to rehome. We have to be out of here the end of March, so we're running out of time. Once we get moved and settled, I do plan on raising meat rabbits again, but they don't take up much space.

[Maura]

You may have more than 2.29 acres to use. They cut off the road right of way, 33 feet from the center of the road, then tax you.

If you fenced off an acre you could have fruit and/or nut trees, chickens, and sheep on the same area. Give your sheep 15 feet at a time to graze. You can buy weaned lambs in May, pasture them till November and butcher them. If you get dual purpose breeds, you buy chicks in the spring, keep them in your house for two or three weeks, then put in the acre. If they have a hen house in the center of the orchard they can free range. Just like the sheep, when they are big enough you butcher the roosters except one. Orpingtons will lay over the winter, so keep a few hens over the winter, though many people prefer Rhode Island Reds. If you have a rooster you can let them create the next year's crop of chickens.

On the rest of your land you should be able to have a couple of big gardens. I would use lasagne gardening, covering them with leaves in the fall. In late spring, compost the straw in the henhouse for your garden.

[harvestmoonfarm]

Originally Posted by Maura

You may have more than 2.29 acres to use. They cut off the road right of way, 33 feet from the center of the road, then tax you.

If you fenced off an acre you could have fruit and/or nut trees, chickens, and sheep on the same area. Give your sheep 15 feet at a time to graze. You can buy weaned lambs in May, pasture them till November and butcher them. If you get dual purpose breeds, you buy chicks in the spring, keep them in your house for two or three weeks, then put in the acre. If they have a hen house in the center of the orchard they can free range. Just like the sheep, when they are big enough you butcher the roosters except one. Orpingtons will lay over the winter, so keep a few hens over the winter, though many people prefer Rhode Island Reds. If you have a rooster you can let them create the next year's crop of chickens.

On the rest of your land you should be able to have a couple of big gardens. I would use lasagne gardening, covering them with leaves in the fall. In late spring, compost the straw in the henhouse for your garden.

I don't like sheep, but thanks I do see where you're going with this, however, and will utilize this when planning an area for goats (though they obviously can't go in with any fruit trees).

[motdaugrnds]

We live on 6 acres with at least half of it in pasture. This means we have a 3 bedroom trailer, a 30'-55' barn, a 32'x32' shed, a 16'x16' buckhouse & about an acre size garden/orchard on the other half.

We keep a small herd of dairy goats (3 does & 1 buck), a small flock of fowl (8 hens & 1 rooster with 7 Chinese geese and 20 guineas) that all "free-range" & a couple of large dogs. (Our front/back yard is part of the areas where all these roam.)

Thus, I would say a 3-acre tract of land would be fine if well planned and your family isn't too large.

[ronbre]

I have 8 acres, 5 of it is woods, the rest is pond, house, orchards and gardens..see my blog on what we are growing (plant list)

[sammyd]

we started with about the same as you.
We had a touch less than 1.5 acres in the back we worked with.
An acre had perimeter fencing and we would cross fence it when we had animals.
The second year we had animals I split the acre in half. I pastured on half and seeded the other down to oat and a pasture mix of clover and brome grass. I cut that and fed it as green feed as the oats started to show heads. The next year I pastured them on the new seeding and planted the old pasture down the same way. I kept the oats for grain that year. Been a few years now and it's time to do it again...
The rest was for the garden, fruit trees and chicken coop/run(s). We also have a few apple trees, a plum and 2 cherries. We had a good sized raspberry patch but that went away this fall.
We had 2 or 3 milking does, 2 dairy steers, usually 100 meat chickens/year, and did a lot of rabbits in tractors to use the front yard and any available opening out back.
The goats we kept in a pen in the garage over night in the summer and all winter long. The kids had a small shed and yard that we could move. The steers gazed all summer and were moved into the chicken yard for the winter and fed hay.
We have also raised some using tethering to take advantage of every possible square foot of available grass. The neighbors have been OK with it since it keeps the weeds down on the edge of their property and have even allowed me to run a bit of fence on some spots.
We bought hay for the animals but didn't complain too much, the manure and old bedding are welcome additions to the garden.
We ended up buying 7 acres right behind us with 4 or so tillable and that has really been a good thing with all the animals we've had.

http://www.sefsufficient.com/archives/all.jpg
http://www.sefsufficient.com/archives/magots.jpg
http://sefsufficient.com/archives/try01010009.jpg

[luvrulz]

Originally Posted by Maura

You may have more than 2.29 acres to use. They cut off the road right of way, 33 feet from the center of the road, then tax you.

If you fenced off an acre you could have fruit and/or nut trees, chickens, and sheep on the same area. Give your sheep 15 feet at a time to graze. You can buy weaned lambs in May, pasture them till November and butcher them. If you get dual purpose breeds, you buy chicks in the spring, keep them in your house for two or three weeks, then put in the acre. If they have a hen house in the center of the orchard they can free range. Just like the sheep, when they are big enough you butcher the roosters except one. Orpingtons will lay over the winter, so keep a few hens over the winter, though many people prefer Rhode Island Reds. If you have a rooster you can let them create the next year's crop of chickens.

On the rest of your land you should be able to have a couple of big gardens. I would use lasagne gardening, covering them with leaves in the fall. In late spring, compost the straw in the henhouse for your garden.

You absolutely cannot put the sheep in a fenced orchard. They will eat every tree down to a nubbins. Chickens, yes. Goats, sheep or anything else will eat the trees no matter how you try to protect the trees.

[Karen]

If you've never read it before, The Have More Plan, is an excellent source to see what you can do on very small acreage. It was written in the 1940's but is still very valid today. http://www.amazon.com/Have-More-Plan.../dp/0882660241


You can download a .rar file of it (will be in PDF format) for free here (click "regular download" to avoid having to pay for quick downloads): http://depositfiles.com/files/3983933

[Maura]

Originally Posted by luvrulz

You absolutely cannot put the sheep in a fenced orchard. They will eat every tree down to a nubbins. Chickens, yes. Goats, sheep or anything else will eat the trees no matter how you try to protect the trees.

People do put sheep in orchards. You would put a tube of fencing around your trees to keep them from eating baby trees, and from eating the bark of older trees. A mote point since the OP doesn't like sheep.

[Dusky Beauty]

Our place is also something between 2 and 3 acres. I was given this book a couple years ago; http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603421386/...sl_jfi9drfs7_b
and it's been one of the most useful books I've had. Since the plans are designed for a smaller property than even I have the advice is very practical. You should be ok with well planned fencing and feeding.

[quietintheland]

Dusky,

The link you provided does not work. Can you please repost? I'd like to see the book you are referring to.

Thank you,

QuietInTheLand

[Dusky Beauty]

P.S., please let us know if the place pans out--- I know how stressed you've been and determined not to give up your animals. Sounds like this lot can be made to work well for you!

[Wendy]

We have 3.5 acres. We have fruit trees, a huge garden, rabbits, chickens, goats, Dexter cows, & ducks. I also have berries & hope to plant a couple of pecan trees this year. We utilize every little bit of space we can.

[larryfoster]

Dusky Beauty, your link doesn't go anywhere for the book
What is the name and author, please?
Thanks

[Dusky Beauty]

Originally Posted by larryfoster

Dusky Beauty, your link doesn't go anywhere for the book
What is the name and author, please?
Thanks

Well shoot.
It's The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan, ISBN-13: 9781603421386