How steep is too steep?

  The way I see it, you're not just spending money here - you're spending your energy and enthusiasm, so spend it wisely !

Paul Cereghino wrote:
And the answer to that site may not be to try to make it behave like a flat site... maybe you grow lots of pine nuts, and seek subtle micro-climates to put pockets of terrace and light...

Also what does Sepp do with the very steep slopes created between the terraces?

Irene Kightley wrote:"Who are the nearest neighbours and what do they do ? 

Are there rocks or trees big enough on site or nearby to take the strain of the earth ? Is there anywhere you can cut fodder easily for your animals for winter? Is the road easily accessible for hay and straw wagons ? How deep is the earth? Because if there's rock under there, the depth of your terraces will be limited and you'll lose a lot of water.

Is there enough wood for heating, making shelters and fences ?

A slope is a wonderful thing for irrigation and spreading goodness in the soil but you have to get the raw organic material up there in the first place.

On the other hand if you have enough room for zone one and two in a plateau, the earth there will be good and providing the existing trees are mature and
healthy you could free range goats, hardy sheep and pigs on the slopes.

If you're young and fit then walking up and down won't be a problem but think about the future. The way I see it, you're not just spending money here - you're spending your energy and enthusiasm, so spend it wisely!"





This last sentence is true wisdom!! But you will be spending money as well, over time developing steep land is way more expensive than flat land, two to four times as expensive. Also you could never get a permit in california to terrace this property..... you could do it illegally, but you are risking getting into serious trouble with the newly created environmental crimes task force, a five agency task force that can ruin your life. You could be facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and remediation costs if you develop a piece of property like this in Cali.