Beginner Homestead Planning and Layout Advice

[Fetz]

Hi all,

My wife and I are very fortunate to have found a wonderful property in a wonderful location in central Illinois (if we could leave the state we would!) It's just over 16 acres of land with a nice home and a very well built barn stable. There are other homes nearby but we are in county zoning, and we're only 15 minutes from major retail stores. Both my wife and I grew up in suburban settings with little exposure to farming, so this is a steep and sometimes overwhelming venture we have set out on. It is not our goal We are set to close on the property within a month. The property has been used exclusively for rotational grazing and hay harvest and is well set up for that.

I have a lot of ideas about how to make our homestead but they don't really involve cattle or horses. My goals in the first two years would be establishing a flock of egg-laying chickens or ducks and a honeybee operation. I think we'd continue to hay the fields just to avoid letting it go to waste until we came up with other plans. I'd like to get a small shooting range set up in the back, but Most everything South of the house I would actually like to commit to wildlife. I'd like to set aside about an acre for food plots and try to get the rest of the land enrolled in a conservation program.

In the longer term, I think we'd like to establish a garden and some fruit trees. Not sure what our next steps should be for livestock/animals.

Open to any and all feedback, opinions, suggestions, etc. Looking forward to reading through the forums!

 

[Hooch]

Hello from Idaho..looks beautiful! Sounds like you have alot of research to do. Lots of information on this site ..good place to start.

 

[Alaskajohn]

Welcome from Alaska!

 

[Bacpacker]

Welcome from Tennessee

 

[Tommyice]

Looks like a paradise to me.

On the thought of enrolling in a conservation program, maybe be your own conservation program I would be cautious about letting another entity give you instruction on what to do with your land. Get advice but don't commit to having to deliver on other's input.

 

[Amish Heart]

Welcome from Kansas. I'm with Tommyice about the conservation program, it's a govt program. Don't do it.

 

[Pearl]

Welcome from Texas!

 

[Neb]

Hi all,

My wife and I are very fortunate to have found a wonderful property in a wonderful location in central Illinois (if we could leave the state we would!) It's just over 16 acres of land with a nice home and a very well built barn stable. There are other homes nearby but we are in county zoning, and we're only 15 minutes from major retail stores. Both my wife and I grew up in suburban settings with little exposure to farming, so this is a steep and sometimes overwhelming venture we have set out on. It is not our goal We are set to close on the property within a month. The property has been used exclusively for rotational grazing and hay harvest and is well set up for that.

I have a lot of ideas about how to make our homestead but they don't really involve cattle or horses. My goals in the first two years would be establishing a flock of egg-laying chickens or ducks and a honeybee operation. I think we'd continue to hay the fields just to avoid letting it go to waste until we came up with other plans. I'd like to get a small shooting range set up in the back, but Most everything South of the house I would actually like to commit to wildlife. I'd like to set aside about an acre for food plots and try to get the rest of the land enrolled in a conservation program.

In the longer term, I think we'd like to establish a garden and some fruit trees. Not sure what our next steps should be for livestock/animals.

Open to any and all feedback, opinions, suggestions, etc. Looking forward to reading through the forums!
View attachment 116945

Welcome from SW PA.

You may want to read up on permaculture. Fruit and nut trees are good for critters. If you build permacultures you also pickup flowering plants for the bees.

I have this book and found it informative.

It includes chapters on different types of climates. Lot of good picrures.

The author is obviously a nature worshiper but you can just skip those parts.

Have fun!

Ben

 

[snappy1]

Welcome from Mississippi!

 

[Tim Horton]

Greetings from west Lake Superior...
Start slow... Build confidence, abilities and experience from a bunch of small successes..
Enjoy...

Your place looks like a good way to start is with several small locations of food plot.. This will give you an idea what game can or will come around, when, what time of year and to what area... Several small plots, like 20'x20'...
--- ---
However... I DO NOT like the idea of being involved with any kind of ...conservation program.. as some people have had too many bad experiences dealing with any level of government programs that can put restrictions on land use that can last for many generations of owners or forever... My 5 cents of opinion on that mess..

 

[Hardcalibres]

Hi all,

........

In the longer term, I think we'd like to establish a garden and some fruit trees. Not sure what our next steps should be for livestock/animals.

..........

While you correctly see trees as part of a longer term plan, the long establishment time for trees means you need to plan that now and get those trees planted as soon as possible.

They will take 5-10 years to get fully established and you want to make sure that you get to enjoy what they provide.

I would also support a cautious approach to a conservation project - do that 100% inhouse and don't get any government authorities involved or you might end up with them telling you (or a future owner of your land) what to do on your own place.

Getting in to livestock can/should be a gradual process and part of a learning curve.
Be aware that most types of livestock need regular attention and will lock you into being there much of the time.

 

[viking]

Welcome from Kansas. I'm with Tommyice about the conservation program, it's a govt program. Don't do it.

Yeah, there's an old saying, "The government that can give you everything you want, can tell you everything you have to do." It's kind of like the old movies where people sold their souls to Satan for fame and fortune only to have to give their lives when Satan asked them to pay for what they got.

 

[montanabill]

we just made a quick trip to the outskirts of chicago. Not a place for me to ever visit again. My father grew up down close to winchester illinois which is kinda due east of hannibal missouri. I have memories in the summer of the heat and humidity but that is what makes the corn grow.
I like chickens for a way to have some animals that produce food without butchering. My set up lets me be gone for three or four days when I fill the waterers and feeders. (just be sure to have really good fences).

look around at your neighbors places and see what they are growing and what works in your area.

welcome from the rocky mountains of montana.

 

[Neb]

While you correctly see trees as part of a longer term plan, the long establishment time for trees means you need to plan that now and get those trees planted as soon as possible.

They will take 5-10 years to get fully established and you want to make sure that you get to enjoy what they provide.

I would also support a cautious approach to a conservation project - do that 100% inhouse and don't get any government authorities involved or you might end up with them telling you (or a future owner of your land) what to do on your own place.

Getting in to livestock can/should be a gradual process and part of a learning curve.
Be aware that most types of livestock need regular attention and will lock you into being there much of the time.

Yup!

I planted my orchard 7-8 years ago and got my first pears this year.

"
The best time to plant a tree is seven years ago. The next best time is today.
"

Ben

 

[Cascadian]

I am third planting fruit trees sooner than later. We waited 5 years to figure out where. Then waited 5 more for fruit.

 

[Morgan101]

Welcome from Eastern Missouri. Looks like a very impressive piece of property. Good to have you with us.

 

[SLC]

Hi all,

My wife and I are very fortunate to have found a wonderful property in a wonderful location in central Illinois (if we could leave the state we would!) It's just over 16 acres of land with a nice home and a very well built barn stable. There are other homes nearby but we are in county zoning, and we're only 15 minutes from major retail stores. Both my wife and I grew up in suburban settings with little exposure to farming, so this is a steep and sometimes overwhelming venture we have set out on. It is not our goal We are set to close on the property within a month. The property has been used exclusively for rotational grazing and hay harvest and is well set up for that.

I have a lot of ideas about how to make our homestead but they don't really involve cattle or horses. My goals in the first two years would be establishing a flock of egg-laying chickens or ducks and a honeybee operation. I think we'd continue to hay the fields just to avoid letting it go to waste until we came up with other plans. I'd like to get a small shooting range set up in the back, but Most everything South of the house I would actually like to commit to wildlife. I'd like to set aside about an acre for food plots and try to get the rest of the land enrolled in a conservation program.

In the longer term, I think we'd like to establish a garden and some fruit trees. Not sure what our next steps should be for livestock/animals.

Open to any and all feedback, opinions, suggestions, etc. Looking forward to reading through the forums!
View attachment 116945

Good luck and Hi from New Hampshire.

 

[sonya123]

Welcome from SW Virginia

If you ever want to get sheep or goats I can answer questions, we have had them now for over 7 years
I think you need to figure out what your goals are with the property. Do you want to be as self sufficient as possible? Retire and take it easy? Or make money from it?

 

[mosquitomountainman]

Hello from NW Montana.

Chickens and bees are a great start. If you've never put up hay and don't have the equipment to do it then you might want to look into hiring it done or having it done on shares. Had a neighbor almost burned his hay shed to the ground when he baled the hay before it was completely cured. He looked out one afternoon a month or so later to see steam pouring out of the shed. He and his wife went to work pulling hay out and saved the barn. They broke open the smoking bales to let the air hit them and dry them out. Most of his hay was ruined.

I suspected that he baled it a little green. He only let it cure about 24 hours between cutting and baling. I grew up in Kansas where it was a lot hotter than it is in NW Montana and my farmer relatives always let even prairie hay cure for at least two days before baling.

 

[Bacpacker]

We always baled at least 2nd day, if not 3rd, after cutting. Saw a guys barn burn for that reason

 

[Weedygarden]

Welcome, from Colorado.

Hello from NW Montana.

Chickens and bees are a great start. If you've never put up hay and don't have the equipment to do it then you might want to look into hiring it done or having it done on shares. Had a neighbor almost burned his hay shed to the ground when he baled the hay before it was completely cured. He looked out one afternoon a month or so later to see steam pouring out of the shed. He and his wife went to work pulling hay out and saved the barn. They broke open the smoking bales to let the air hit them and dry them out. Most of his hay was ruined.

I suspected that he baled it a little green. He only let it cure about 24 hours between cutting and baling. I grew up in Kansas where it was a lot hotter than it is in NW Montana and my farmer relatives always let even prairie hay cure for at least two days before baling.

We always baled at least 2nd day, if not 3rd, after cutting. Saw a guys barn burn for that reason

There is a saying, "Make hay when the sun shines." I remember when I worked on my uncle's haying crew one summer. Whatever we cut, alfalfa, hay, grass, would get checked until it was dry enough to bale. If it is humid where you are, or if it has been raining, you do have to wait until it is dry.

 

[FarmOR]

Welcome to the forum! Eastern Oregon loosely represents:

My homestead was built in 1910. There's a long list of things that I wish were done differently. Close to the top is the placement of the orchard.

I've got 30 fruit trees straight west of the garage and house. The prevailing wind is westerly, so every time a leaf drops, it ends up in my garage. I'm perpetually blowing piles of leaves outta my garage!