| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| NatureNymph |
Posted - Sep 07 2008 : 03:39:10 AM
I am struggling with this. I have been dreaming of a homestead in the country for so long but am completely deflated by the prices of properties around here. To get 10 acres is over $350K, with a not so great house.
There are lots of nice country homes with barely an acre. I'm not looking for anything fancy just something that won't need thousands of $ in repairs as soon as we move in.
My ultimate dream in a large organic garden that would produce enough food for my family (1/2 an acre?) a smallish greenhouse, a few fruit trees (apple, pear and peach)and berry bushes. I'd loved to have hens too. I need a place for my kids to play and maybe a raised bed herb garden.
Would this fit on 3/4 to 1 acre? I'd love to have a dairy cow but I don't think we can afford the land. I am also scared of buying too much land that I can't take care of. What's a girl to do? Any help is greatly appreciated.
"Everybody likes to go their own way--to choose their own time and manner of devotion." Jane Austen, Mansfield Park |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sandra K. Licher |
Posted - Sep 23 2008 : 10:23:28 AM
Terri,
I would love to buy your 5 acre farm but need to move closer to my grandchildren not farther! But if it wasn't for them I would be there in a heartbeat! Do you have pictures?
Sam in AR..... "It's a great life if you don't weaken!"
Farmgirl Sister #226 |
| soapmommy60543 |
Posted - Sep 23 2008 : 10:05:12 AM
A great book for those on small acreage (or less than an acre): All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. It's available on the website squarefootgardening.com or at Amazon. We live on 1/2 acre in the burbs, and have used his gardening method quite successfully this year. We started in a very small bed at my inlaws next door, then put in two beds, 4'x16', in our own yard this year. We grew snow peas, jalapenos, beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, sunflowers, sweet corn. Not a whole lot of everything, but enough for us to enjoy through the summer. And hey anytime I don't have to drive to the store I am a much happier farmgirl! Also, this bed was an easy scale for my kids to participate in the gardening. We had fights over whose turn it was to water! My son helped with most of the planting and daughter helped with harvesting. Even though that left most of the weeding to me, it usually only took me about 15 minutes to do both beds. Currently we are waiting for our pumpkin plant and acorn squash to be done. We lost our sunflowers to the winds and rains of what was left of Hurricane Ike that blew through the Chicago area. They were 12 feet tall, and the most beautiful shade of gold.
In addition, we utilized our flower beds and some containers. We have tomatoes that grow like jungle plants in our front bed, 4 long rectangular planters (about 1'x3') that we used to grow basil and marigolds (companions for the tomatoes), and also clover and alfalfa for our pet bunnies. We also grew wheat grass for the bunnies in two 1' square planters, basil, lemon balm and cilantro also in 1' planters.
When you read Mel's book, you realize that there is no place too small to grow your own food. If I had an undeveloped acre (ie no house), I'd try to put my house where I could utilize my "dream" 1/2 acre garden to produce our food using that method.
The other book recommendations were also spot on - I've read The Self Sufficient Life and also the Have More Plan. They are excellent references. I even have the photo marked of the 5 acre farm in The Self Sufficient Life! Someday...Someday... |
| 5 acre Farmgirl |
Posted - Sep 21 2008 : 11:53:09 PM
Hey all Farmgirls...we want to sell our 5 acre farm, too much for hubby and I..Anyone want to live in WA. State?
Farmgirls are Farmgirls no matter where or how we live.....
http://frocksfrillsfurbiloesandmore.blogspot.com |
| fionalovesshrek |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 11:26:48 AM
We live on an acre, and I guess if we had the land cleared, and the house was smaller,AND we weren't in the burbs and could utilize our front yard for farm as well as the back, then we could have a good size garden, a good fruit section, chickens, a few goats and maybe a pig and some sheep. Alas I am in the burbs and will settle for the chickens and maybe a goat if we get a good privacy fence up.
P~
www.fionaswampington.blogspot.com
http://homespunhensfarmgirlchapter.blogspot.com/
Man, despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments, owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains. |
| NatureNymph |
Posted - Sep 09 2008 : 09:38:51 AM
Thanks for the book suggestion...I'll have to see if I can get it through interlibrary loan.
I have John Seymour's books...self sufficient Life and SS gardener...but aren't English Acres larger than American acres?
It's very hard to visualize how much it actually is. A friend of mine has an acre but the house is smack dab in the middle so it's hard to figure out how big it actually is.
Mostly around here the houses on 1 acre lots are huge...as my husband says..."sure it's an acre but so is the house!"
I guess it is possible with careful planning. I am going to cross my fingers and hope something with 2 to 5 acres comes on the market in the next year. <sigh>
"Everybody likes to go their own way--to choose their own time and manner of devotion." Jane Austen, Mansfield Park |
| Sandra K. Licher |
Posted - Sep 08 2008 : 7:11:56 PM
Thanks for this posting! I was wondering the same. At one time I had 13 acres...plenty for animals, gardens, orchards, wood lots etc but now I am looking at 1.17 or 2.10 acres with a house on it and garages so I know I will have to be frugal with my land and my plans. I know they used to say 1 acre per horse,,,not sure if that applies to smaller animals. You could probably get more smaller animals into an acre like 2-3 goats etc. thanks for the book recommendations. I think I still have that first one and it IS OLD!!!! The pictures/illustrations are cute but that second one by the USDA and the 3rd one that Paige recommended I don't think I have. Those would be great since I am waiting for my house to sell and it would give me something to keep my mind occupied for the future "farm" in the evenings. thanks all of you!
Sam in AR..... "It's a great life if you don't weaken!"
Farmgirl Sister #226 |
| fionalovesshrek |
Posted - Sep 08 2008 : 5:06:49 PM
I think that between 2 and 5 would be good. If you can get your hands on "the self sufficient life and how to live it" you'll see he breaks down land parcels, starting at one acre and working his way up to 5. Very good information and a book you'll go back to time and time again.
P~
www.fionaswampington.blogspot.com
http://homespunhensfarmgirlchapter.blogspot.com/
Man, despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments, owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains. |
| Kris Sherrill |
Posted - Sep 07 2008 : 09:47:24 AM
Tracy, I have 3 acres. All divided up into sections. Like in the front is gardens, 2 very big ones, fruit trees, strawberry beds. This part no animals are allowed in except of course poultry. The other side of the driveway is chicken yard-dry goat area. In front of that is another huge garden that I have 4 new pigs in now for a few months. There is another section next to that where my 2 ewes will go when i get the calves weaned. I have the milk goats in thr back acre. The house and yard is in the middle of all this. We do have a wonderful neighbor who lets me use a pasture right next to us for animals. I guess it's probably maybe 2 acres. The ewes are on it now til I move them then calves go in. So I'm able to rotate quite a bit. It does help to have neighbors who'll let you use their property. So if you plan things just right you can make a small piece of land work for you.
There's a book the USDA put out called "Living on an Acre". Good book.
I hope this will help you in your search for land. We live in Ga. Land has really gone way up here in this area. Since we live in a historic area, they are trying to get it where no one can sell less than 20 acres so there will be no subs out here. It's a lot of farm land. We luckad up on our place. Real cheap but needed extensive work just to be livable. There are two houses so we lived in smaller one and worked on the "big house". It's all done now.
So good luck!
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| Alee |
Posted - Sep 07 2008 : 09:31:17 AM
Tracy- I think all of that would fit on an acre...if you planned really carefully! An acre is a little less than the size of a football field if that gives you a frame of reference. Ideally I want between 2-5 acres, but I also plan on having horses so they take more room. I would love to have more acreage than that- but you are right...land is so expensive right now!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| mikesgirl |
Posted - Sep 07 2008 : 08:15:12 AM
Tracy - Get the book "The Have-More Plan" by Ed and Carolyn Robinson. It's 50 years old, but it will show you how you can fit all your homesteading dreams onto a small piece of land. Here's a link
http://www.amazon.com/Have-More-Plan-Ed-Robinson/dp/0882660241/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220800476&sr=8-1
Farmgirl Sister #98
Check out my new online store
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