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A Farm of My Own:  Advice on Farmyard Layout  |
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 19 2011 : 08:47:28 AM
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We are building our new farm, one building at a time. We are taking it slow and want everything well thought out. I would love to hear any farmgirl advice on location of house in respect to outbuildings; the driveway reaching outbuildings first and the house last? We will be working with the water department next month concerning location of the well and septic. What has worked well for you and what would you do differently with your farm? |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4459 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4459 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2011 : 6:23:24 PM
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We didn't start from scratch, so didn't get to do too much changing, as far as building location. It would be really nice to look out a kitchen window, or any window and be able to see your animals. If your having farm animals, cows, horses, etc. A view of the pasture. We have been here for 22 years, and have changed plans as far as barn, and barn yard layout. You almost need to work with things for a while, then see what design will work best. Having enough corrals, being able to keep animals seperated, and still get at the water. It is a work in progress. Have fun planning.
Michele |
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ladyfarmer29
Farmgirl in Training
15 Posts
Tina
Delta
OH
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 07:11:48 AM
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Plan for expansion. That was our biggest mistake. We built 11 years ago and put up our shop first and then the house. We thought we had things just how we wanted them and then the kids go older and wanted animals. The only place we could put up another building would be in front of the house and I am bucking pretty hard on that one. I would have moved our house farther ahead so that we had more room in the back to play around with. :)
Tina |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22942 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22942 Posts |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 5:32:51 PM
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My house is in the middle of our 3 acres. I can pretty much see everything. What I wish we had more of is water faucets. I hate hoses and always get kinks or they get stuck. So if we had more faucets I wouldn't jhave to have way too long hoses to drag around. Very annoying. Also sometimes it's good for YOU to see the animals but not THEM see you. There is alot I would change if we had started from scratch. I would like better fences and bigger gates.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2011 : 06:29:30 AM
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Thank you all for your valuable input! Kris, I was thinking of number of water faucets (well water) and started to doubt myself worrying about the pipes freezing. We will be in middle TN.
Our building site is at the top of a hill overlooking pasture. We are building a machine shed with finished area to live in temporarily while we build the house. Somewhere in that process I need a chicken coop to transfer the girls when we move. I don't think the money will hold out long enough to build a barn and a greenhouse but that is definately on our wish list. Where should a chicken coop be in relation to a barn? I plan on free-ranging some of the chickens but probably not my little bantams. I remember reading a year ago someone's post about dairy farms not allowed to have chickens near by? We aren't going into dairy but I would like to have one or two cows for milk.
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2011 : 08:49:48 AM
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Good topic, I'll be sure to follow this one since we too are moving onto our first bit of land. The house, well and septic are set as is the road but other than that we're needing all the outbuildings and I've been wondering about the best locations for them too. I've heard too that you need the house to be upwind from the barn, makes sense to me, especially here in windy Wyoming!
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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dprovence
True Blue Farmgirl
55 Posts
Debbie
Little Rock
AR
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - Feb 25 2011 : 10:40:07 AM
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Thanks for asking this question. I only have chickens now but want to add some milk goats and other things. This will help in placement of other outbuildings for my growing list of family members!
Huggs and Smyles,
Debbie
Farmgirl Sister #2636 |
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hereford girl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
meredith
fairfield
virginia
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2011 : 05:04:32 AM
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| I dont know if you live in a place where this might be a concern, but I recommend situating the driveway so that anyone who comes in passes the HOUSE first, not the outbuildings. This way you know who is there before they help themselves to whatever you have in your outbuildings! Good luck and congratulations on your new farm! |
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Victoria Ashley
Farmgirl at Heart
3 Posts
Victoria
Plains
Montana
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2011 : 06:50:38 AM
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Your farm will grow best along with you, not planned out ahead of time. Especially if you aim to have a profitable farm business, grow as slowly as necessary to make sure you invest in the infrastructure that is really most important to your success. Also, remember that on the farm, the old adage "function before form" really holds true--a shoddy but functional building can look positively romantic in the right setting.
Congratulations on the new farm! |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Mar 05 2011 : 1:30:08 PM
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Make sure you plan to get electric/water to all your outbuildings as well. :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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A Farm of My Own: Advice on Farmyard Layout |
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Advice on Farmyard Layout
