Some getting started questions.

lurnin2farm · #21 07/17/12, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimrod

I just bought a piece of land and have been thinking about some of the same things as you.

The house should be oriented facing south with lots of windows on the south side, few on the north and west sides. Have overhangs that will let the winter sun in the south windows but block the summer sun. Decidous trees on the south side to shade the house in summer sun but let in the winter sun. Evergreen trees on the north and west sides to block the winter winds. Build the house into a hillside for earth insulation. It will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The cheapest heat is wood. The best stove is the Russian stove. If you want to have a heat system you don't have to mess with, look into Geothermal.

Fruit trees need lots of sun. Plant them on the hillside facing north. If the sun can warm them up when they are frozen you will get sunscald and the north slope will minimise this. If they are planted close to the house the deer may leave them alone. I put up deer netting around each one until they are tall enough that the deer can't eat all the leaves. Put a corregated plastic sleeve around the base of each one so the mice and voles don't girdel them. They need to be pollinated so plant two different ones (some, like cherries, are self fertile). Plant them close enough together so the bees get to both. Many apples only set fruit every other year. Buy them at the same time so they flower in the same year and can cross-pollinate. Plant only the kind you really love. They are too much work to have ones you don't like to eat. Get ones that grow in your growing zone. If you try to make one grow in too cold a zone it may survive but never set fruit. My orchard will be close to a water source so they can be watered. They need water for the first few years untill the tap root gets deep enough. In many places they need to be watered because of the drought.

Good luck and keep us updated.

The house is already in and is pretty much what you described. Built into a hill with south facing windows. Unless it's under about 25-28 degrees at night I don't even need to light the wood stove. I love my wood heat.

Great info on the trees too. In the first photo I posted i was going to put the fruit trees down at the bottom of the hill. I'll look for a different location though thats more suitable. There's a spring there though so they would have plenty of water. I have tomatoes there now that I never though would grow, I was just experimenting and seeing what I could get out of the soil. They are doing great now though. Would be a lot better of the pines were going.

Quote:

When you said severe hills I was picturing a piece of land we looked at in Hocking County. those are HILLS! 7 acres that would wash away with a sprinkle of rain.

For some crops you'll need to thin or remove a lot of trees. But there are other crops you can grow that will do just fine in dappled shade. Currants, pawpaws, brambles, herbs, spring crops are just a few that will thrive in your conditions.

Unless the well is contaminated by oil it will be just fine for watering crops or trees/shrubs.

The upper part of the property is very steep I can do it with 4wd though. Not panning on using that for anything except firewood.

There may be oil in the well. I have to check it out. The former owner said they hit oil when they were drilling it. I'm not sure how deep it is.

solidwoods · #22 07/17/12, 02:45 PM

Lurnin
Howdy
Your land isn't real steep in the pics, maybe some areas are more steep.
In your first pic you say you may cut the pines, I'd consider looking at an area that you want cleared and pick the trees that can stay. Seeing through the ones that go and picking the ones that stay to create the area is important.

Hilly areas could be utilized by goats.

The logs could be made into barn lumber and firewood.

On the split driveway pic, I like the left path because its in more high and dry ground.
jim

lexa · #23 07/17/12, 02:47 PM

You have perfect property for goats, they need a lot of browse.
Also, if you have not done so, look into Permaculture principles and it will help you set up your property in the way that it will work for you without having to fight aganist your land.

stef · #24 07/17/12, 02:51 PM

I don't have anything useful to add, but I'd like to say you sure have a wonderful piece of property.
May you enjoy it (and all the work you will put into it) for many fruitful years!

lurnin2farm · #25 07/17/12, 02:52 PM

The house is facing south and these photos are from the deck. That smaller hill I was going to clear for berries but fruit trees could go there instead!! And its close to the house..

Starting to get a plan now

..

Some getting started questions. - Homesteading Questions

salmonslayer · #26 07/17/12, 03:05 PM

Dont confuse the HP claimed by your riding lawn mower with HP of a tractor; they arent comparable (particularly if your tractor is Diesel) but I would think a nice used utility tractor in the 30 - 40 hp range with a loader would be a better fit if you need a tractor. A dozer would be nice but they cost a bunch to maintain in my opinion unless you really know what your doing so the suggestion to hire that part out makes sense to me. There are a lot of older tractors you can pickup with all the attachments you would want for the price you indicated. I have three tractors and the one I use most is a 1966 IH 424 that I picked up with a couple attachments for $2800.

wvdexters · #27 07/17/12, 03:21 PM

I think you have a beautiful piece of ground. Speaking as a West Virginian, I like the hills. If you are thinking about a cow or two have you considered Dexters. They are ideal for your situation. They are small, easy going, and eat about half as much as others. They thrive on forage and pastures other breeds could not survive on. I love mine. Check them out on the American Dexter Cattle Assoc. website. They were also featured in Mother Earth News. A good dual purpose cow can give you a good calf and milk for the family. If you have predators in the area as we do I recommend going with horned cattle. It gives them an edge. IMO
We love our old Ford 8n tractor. It is small but a hard worker. With the low center of gravity we use it where the others can't go.

lurnin2farm · #28 07/17/12, 07:31 PM

Thank you WV, good info on the tractor and of course one of my concerns was not rolling it

.. I'll look into the Dexters too, they sound good.

Just like I have my to do list I also have a research list and and looking into everyones suggestions. Thank you all for the advice.

edcopp · #29 07/17/12, 07:58 PM

Google, Permaculture. You may get some good ideas.

The pasture rent @ $600 yr. may be the best deal so far.

I presume that you have some cash, or a pretty good job judging by the equipment that you think you need.

Pine fenceposts are worthless, actually a negative as you will have to dig them up when you put new ones in (1 or 2 years).

I may have missed it, but what county is your property located in?

Alice In TX/MO · #30 07/17/12, 08:43 PM

raised garden beds: hugelkultur instead of irrigation

You've got trees, you've got compost, you can get some dirt.

Less work than chipping.

lurnin2farm · #31 07/17/12, 09:29 PM

I looked at hugelculture too but I always felt I would be building snake dens by doing it on my property. I like the concept and may do it in a few places but for my major gardening I will be doing the woodchip thing. I like the idea of cleaning up the property and chipping it and also recycling other peoples trees and yard waste for them.

lurnin2farm · #32 07/17/12, 09:56 PM

Quote:

I presume that you have some cash, or a pretty good job judging by the equipment that you think you need.

Pine fenceposts are worthless, actually a negative as you will have to dig them up when you put new ones in (1 or 2 years).

I may have missed it, but what county is your property located in?

I always try to budget and plan for the worst. My guess is that I can get the equipment cheaper at an auction. Also one of the reasons for this thread is so I could discuss the work I wanted to do, throw some ideas around and then adjust accordingly. So far it seems like I can get a lot of work done by someone with a bulldozer and it wouldn't cost much. Talking through some of these ideas by people who have done it will probably save me money in the end so I am very thankful for that.

That's what I thought about the pine as well, thanks for confirming that. I didn't know if you could treat the pine and it would last longer or not..

I'm in Ross county south of Columbus.

ronbre · #33 07/18/12, 04:05 PM

beautiful..looks like you have enough trees to where you can put your fence from tree to tree without even having to put in a single post !! maybe some..

what a huge savings that would be...it might not be in a straight line but who gives a rip if the posts are free !!

I would say that goats, sheep, chickens and other fowl and probably a small highland type cow would work out quite well..read Sepp Holtzers' book on his animals..he puts them in the woods..all of them should do well on the terrain (sepp is on a mountain)..

lexa · #34 07/18/12, 04:31 PM

I second Sepp Holzers books! they are great and provide a way out of the box. You also want to have your soft fruit (berries) close to home since they need piking every day and fruit trees, even though they provide pretty view, can go further away from the house.