Family Farmland for Permaculture/Homestead

I am considering buying the family farm and converting it to permaculture homestead. I have a video below that may give you some idea of what we have to work with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUmFeR5wqQw

There are 80 acres. 30 tillable, 35 pasture (most of the south 40) & 15 where the barn, pond and the old house stood. I think with the hills, the woods and all, it lends itself well to permaculture/homesteading techniques.

It is in southern Indiana within an hour of Evansville. The farm has been in the family for about 100 years. My grandparents have both passed on which left my dad & brother as heirs to the farm. My uncle passed this summer and my dad and aunt are talking about selling it. I've always dreamed of living there. Now is decision time.

I just wanted to get some feedback from you all about your impressions of the place, if it has high, medium or low potential for permaculture & how much a guy would really need of the 80 acres to thrive. I am glad to answer any questions to help clarify anything. I would be very grateful to hear back from you and your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks,

Loren

I think you should jump at the chance to buy it!  With pasture land (and potentially more pasture if you turn the tillable land to pasture) you can raise pastured meat and eggs in the manner of Joel Salatin.    With woods, pond, etc you have every possible opportunity for growing pretty much anything you want, and in one of the best growing climates on the continent.

Thanks. We are doing some big time soul searching on this.

Out of curiosity, what makes the land tillable as opposed to not tillable? Isn't any land tillable? I asked a question on another forum as to what exactly "productive farmland" means since I assumed most flat land can become farmland.

Feel what the land is telling you and use your imagination. Think very hard first, then work very hard. A dream is awaiting you.

fiorgodx wrote:
Out of curiosity, what makes the land tillable as opposed to not tillable? Isn't any land tillable? I asked a question on another forum as to what exactly "productive farmland" means since I assumed most flat land can become farmland.

Really rocky land is not all that tillable. It is often used as pasture for grazing, as opposed as pasture for haying. There are ways to farm without tillage.

well you probably know the potential better than anyone, if it was my  family farm I'd likely want to grab it, but weight all the pros and cons..80 acres is a lot, but, you could sell off some if you wanted or rent it out for use as hay or something..if you couldn't use it all now...you might find a desire later on to put in a cash crop that will free you up from working away from home, such as an orchard with an understory of perennial saleable plants..

Just an update. The farm hasn't sold. I have not made a decision to buy all or part of the farm. At this point I'm still working on turning my acre lot into a food production machine... slowly... I still think of the farm often. Thank you all for your feedback and support.