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Self-sustained homestead on 12.5 acres?

Randy Coffman

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Location: Texas

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posted 5 years ago

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Thank you for that link, Tyler.

According to that site, the following information was found about the land itself

"Anhalt clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes
Mean annual precipitation: 31 to 36 inches
Mean annual air temperature: 65 to 68 degrees F
Frost-free period: 220 to 260 days
Farmland classification: Prime farmland if irrigated "

my ignorant knowledge says that sounds like good soil?

Randy Coffman

Posts: 24

Location: Texas

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posted 5 years ago

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I wanted to give an update, in case anyone was wondering what we decided to do.

We had a realtor get us on the property, and I was able to take pictures of the land, which my wife and I adored seeing on location.

The house was in serious need of remodel / renovation / repair. The cost for the property plus the estimated potential cost to fix the house up was too much for us.

If the house wasn't there and the cost was just the land, we would have put in an offer.

We will keep looking, and if we find something else, I will let you all see it. Thank you to those who provided guidance and information.

S Bengi

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Location: Massachusetts, Zone:6/7 AHS:4 GDD:3000 Rainfall:48in even Soil:SandyLoam pH6 Flat

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Thanks for the update. The 36in or rain that you get per year is nice. So keep looking in that area or somewhere with more rainfall. You will find it soon enough.

Iterations are fine, we don't have to be perfect
My 2nd Location:Florida HardinessZone:10 AHS:10 GDD:8500 Rainfall:2in/mth winter, 8in/mth summer, Soil:Sand pH8 Flat

Tj Jefferson

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Location: Virginia USDA 7a/b

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Randy, make an embarrasingly low offer. We got our house that way, with a tractor thrown in. They can only say no. If the house is in serious disrepair in the country, there are few takers. You never know...

Standing on the shoulders of giants. Giants with dirt under their nails

Randy Coffman

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Location: Texas

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Tj Jefferson wrote:Randy, make an embarrasingly low offer. We got our house that way, with a tractor thrown in. They can only say no. If the house is in serious disrepair in the country, there are few takers. You never know...

That was our plan, but they already received an offer before we saw it, so we couldn't lowball it too far if we were serious, and a reasonable amount to drop wasn't enough to make up for the work needed. We didn't want to box ourselves into paying more than we were willing just to have a chance our offer was better.

The current owner got it earlier this year from an estate sale with the plan to renovate, but decided it was too much work and wanted out of it without losing money.

We will keep looking. Hopefully find something with similar productive soil and acreage, but with what we are willing to pay for.

Tj Jefferson

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Location: Virginia USDA 7a/b

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Smart. Don't overpay. Leave room for the unexpected. There are more fish in the pond...

Standing on the shoulders of giants. Giants with dirt under their nails

Larry Streeter

Posts: 14

Location: North Country of NYS

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These are my thoughts regarding a self sustained homestead. Your mileage may vary since I live in northern New York close to the Canadian border. Think about those parts that would apply to you. I have 67 acres of wooded area, about 5 that would be considered pasture although it isn't that great and the remainder wetlands with a creek and drilled well.

First off it takes (so I've read) 10 acres to have a sustained wood lot for heat where I live.

Regarding animals, I would go with smaller types that you would at least have a chance of raising their food needs and being able to sustain a self contained breeding population. Rabbits are very efficient meat producers. One buck and 2 does would probably be enough for starters. Goats are another dual purpose animal that are very efficient for meat and milk. Poultry for eggs if you so desire. I think with these 3 animals you would fulfill your animal protein needs. I'm into pollarding and coppicing for tree hay for my goats and hope to eventually eliminate the need for hay.

Fruits and veggies. Just look for types that grow best in your climate and go with open pollinated.

Trace Oswald

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Location: 4b

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Larry Streeter wrote:
First off it takes (so I've read) 10 acres to have a sustained wood lot for heat

My grand parents heated exclusively with wood, as well as cooking with it for many years, and my grandfather said something very similar. He told me with 8 acres of good woods, you would never need to cut a living tree. My parents heat with wood exclusively, and agree.

As for the rest of your post, spot on.

A build too cool to miss:Mike's GreenhouseA great example:Joseph's Garden
All the soil info you'll ever need:
Redhawk's excellent soil-building series

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Larry Streeter

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Location: North Country of NYS

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Trace Oswald wrote:

"He told me with 8 acres of good woods, you would never need to cut a living tree."

I started thinning out my wooded area for firewood after retiring. I soon realized there were hundreds of cords of dead wood that was available. It's amazing how much is there after looking so now that's all I use. For the most part it's already dry and true enough, no need to cut living trees. I burn EVERYTHING that's dead including evergreens, basswood, whatever. That wood that is too far rotted to burn I use for hugelkulture material.

Kristy League

Posts: 10

Location: New Braunfels, TX

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I will be buying acreage to homestead between Austin & San Antonio (preferably west of I-35) and am looking for others of like mind who would be open to buying adjoining properties so we can share farm equipment, skills, food, etc. and to tend each other's homesteads in each other's absences and care for each other like family when SHTF, in our home life's or society as we know it... Whatever the case may be. You are jumping in with both feet (braver than me!) whereas I plan to start with improving soil first, then trees, berries, buildings, fencing, roads, water harvesting and lastly, add the meat, eggs and milk via small animals like chickens, ducks and goats. Larger farm animals may come into play down the road but the successful homesteaders I hope to be like someday (!) warn against all at once. Focuses on getting good at a few things rather than end up doing badly at a lot of things:) But I'd like neighbors with your tenacity! I have a rock star realtor who happens to be my best friend who will be helping me locate property next month. Some parcels are likely to be farm land getting split up and have adjoining acreage for sale. My budget is max of $300k for min of 10 acres, home, and outbuilding(s). Would you be interested in combining our efforts to create or locate neighborhood of likeminded preppers/homesteaders?

Hill Country Permie Wannabe

Anne Miller

steward

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Location: USDA Zone 8a

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Oak trees - I added a picture of the land. you can see the tree clusters I am referring to. I am with the belief that that amount of them is a hinderance to effective pasture rather than an assistance. Maybe a thinning of them would be an overall improvement. I don't want to remove everything if I don't have to. I like trees. even trees that don't directly supply food for the farm. I like that having some can be shade too. I just don't want my general love of trees to be the reason I don't have enough pasture for my livestock. I actually want to plant as many trees as I can around the border of the property

Being in Zone 8b, those oak trees may be the only trees that will survive without lots of water. When planting trees keep in mind that you will need to water them.

Also those trees in the pasture will provide your animals a place to get out of the hot sun. They will thank you for the shade, especially the babies.

I don't know if the animals that you plan to pasture like acorns, though if they do, you have an additional food source.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Larry Streeter

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Location: North Country of NYS

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Kristy League wrote: the successful homesteaders I hope to be like someday (!) warn against all at once. Focuses on getting good at a few things rather than end up doing badly at a lot of things:)

I 2nd this viewpoint wholeheartedly!

Mike Homest

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posted 5 years ago

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"12.5 acres" is about 2.5 ha. So you can do much with it but animals would be just chicken, ducks, rabbits and alike small livestock, perhaps a few goats or sheep in addition? If possible the later can be taken on a daily walk outside your spot and gather some food?

Without extra food a single cow needs easily 1 ha, better more to give some time to regrow. Separated spaces. Have you ever seen how quickly a few cows eat a pasture to the bare earth?

With so little space you really want to concentrate on vegetables and some small livestock. In addition depending on the climate 12 acres is not much to provide you (self-sustained) with enough firewood. You need to estimate how much firewood you need per year? This factor is often underestimated if you are not used to be dependend on firewood for heating, baking, cooking and warm water.

S Bengi

pollinator

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Location: Massachusetts, Zone:6/7 AHS:4 GDD:3000 Rainfall:48in even Soil:SandyLoam pH6 Flat

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I ha is equal to 2.5acres.
12.5 acres divided by 2.5 equals 5
So 12.5acrs is 5acres.

All that said, I do like the idea of starting off by focusing on just 2.5acres of orchard/food forest, herbs, mushroom, vegetables, tubers, etc and honey+chicken/poultry. A fish pond is also very doable based on what the gardenpool guys were able to do in Phoenix, Arizona with a converted swimming pool.

Iterations are fine, we don't have to be perfect
My 2nd Location:Florida HardinessZone:10 AHS:10 GDD:8500 Rainfall:2in/mth winter, 8in/mth summer, Soil:Sand pH8 Flat

Mike Homest

Posts: 93

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S Bengi wrote:I ha is equal to 2.5acres.
12.5 acres divided by 2.5 equals 5
So 12.5acrs is 5acres.

All that said, I do like the idea of starting off by focusing on just 2.5acres of orchard/food forest, herbs, mushroom, vegetables, tubers, etc and honey+chicken/poultry. A fish pond is also very doable based on what the gardenpool guys were able to do in Phoenix, Arizona with a converted swimming pool.

Ah, there seem to be different acres, I read 1 acre == 2000 m² (roughly)? Might be U.S. and UK acres?

Anyway, god advice as well as from someone else.

Concentrate at first on a few things that are important, make a list of "Wants" and "Needs" and work through the needs.

That means for me:

1. Have good tight roof and halfway airtight house
2. Heating, a simple wood stove you can cook/heat and lots more - including enough dry firewood
3. Water tap working 365 day/year (tubes/etc not freezing)
4. Warm water for kitchen/shower/etc - simple wood boiler is a good not so expensive start - including enough dry firewood
5. A well setup workshop

And lots moire, as for animals, start with chickens. Quite easy and very useful. Look for some dual-purpose chickens, if you intend to eat them.

As fruit-trees take quite some years to create lots plant them early, though keep enough distance and cut them in the first years (there are guides/videos/etc from professionals how to do it). Important to get them in a shape so you get good fruits. After all fruit-trees make in the long run very little work, if you compare to quite some vegetables.

Start looking into composting, a good soil is the key to good harvest.

There are tons of other things, most of us are missing all this knowledge our ancestors got by the way when growing up from their parents/grandparents. We have been made to idiots, I dare many of us would survive a cold winter giving the land/tools our ancestors easily survived with?

Joe Grand

Posts: 269

posted 4 years ago

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I am looking to rasie a few hogs on my 19.48 acres & i am looking at the Red wattle as a bacon hog.
So why are you going with the Black Guineas instead of the 4 or 5 other rare breeds out there.
I am looking at honeybees,mushroom,a bigger garden, more fruit & nut trees.
Ducks,geese, maybe chickens,doves,quail, rabbits & catfish.
I am not sold on goats(yet) & harvest a deer from the wild every year.

Gray Henon

pollinator

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Location: Appalachian Foothills-Zone 7

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posted 3 years ago