Many backyard farmers are adopting a homesteading mind-set of leaving the city and finding a little bit of land to call their own. The thinking is that they can move to the country and live off the land, enjoying an idyllic country lifestyle. The truth is not quite that simple.
When you’re moving with the idea of self-sufficiency, the focus becomes the land. Not the house. Not the granite counters or refurbished hardwood floors. The land and its usability. After all, it’s a lot easier to replace the countertops than it is to change the basic composition of your soil. Or make the rainfall average increase an additional 5 inches per year.
In this chapter, I examine the things to watch for if you are planning to move locations with a backyard farming mind-set. Chapter 3 discusses how to adapt where you are currently living to a more self-sufficient system without having to move. It’s entirely possible that you start where you are, making the most of what you currently have, and later decide to move to an area with more land. It’s precisely what we’ve done in our family and it worked for us.
Having trouble finding the perfect spot for your family? Sometimes it’s easier, or more thrilling, to just start from scratch. Purchasing land and then building gives you the ability to have a more Earth-friendly home. It also means you can make it the way you want it instead of adapting what someone else has put together.
My husband Sidney and I considered doing this. His father has 40 acres of completely undeveloped land that we considered building on. I call it Wilderness Hill. It’s more than a half mile from the nearest road and would have been starting from scratch at the most extreme example. I will share more of what we learned in this chapter so you’ll know what to watch out for.
Location and Cost
The average cost of an acre of farmland in the United States in 2011 was $2,400. But that’s the average and most areas have a range. Having glanced through a real estate magazine recently, I noticed two different 1-acre lots for sale. One was for sale for $8,000. One was listed at $900. Why the difference? Location!
The $8,000 lot was within city limits of one of the nearby small towns. The $900 lot was way out in the middle of nowhere with no electricity, no real road, no clearing, no water, no fences. The clue came in the description of a “remote and secluded woodland retreat.” Whereas the other was listed as “ready to build.” And if you think there isn’t much of a difference, think again.
We looked at Wilderness Hill—a gorgeous 40 acres of completely private land—and started making a list of what needed to be done before we could even build:
At this point we thought it might be a lot easier to find a piece of land already settled and ready to go. We hadn’t even started on the cost of building the actual house yet. Sure it would cost us more at the beginning to purchase already developed land, but would perhaps save us quite a bit of money as well as time when it is all said and done.
Buying land that is already positioned relatively close to electricity, city or rural water, and other amenities will be less trouble but will also be a lot more money. As much as ten times the price. Sometimes this cost difference will be prohibitive and you’ll want to begin examining what it’s worth to you to become more self-sufficient.
Living in a more rural location will bring a greater diversity in wildlife. It will usually mean much more affordable land and housing prices, and often a greater cooperative atmosphere with your neighbors. Instead of being the only one in the area with a backyard flock, you’ll have more experienced poultry keepers around you who can help get you started or give you a pointer or two. On the other hand, being in a more urban location usually means access to a wider choice of schools, jobs, stores, and other amenities. You’ll want to accurately assess your family’s needs before uprooting them to an area that doesn’t have what you need. Relocating your family is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
It’s a huge misnomer that you have to be out in the country somewhere to backyard farm. Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, before you move out into a rural area, I highly recommend adopting a more self-sufficient lifestyle and backyard farming as much as possible without moving ten states away. Try working a garden in the backyard you have right now and see if you can hang with it for a year. You might detest it and decide to buy all your produce and meat from local, happy farmers. Better to discover that now instead of two years and $200,000 later!
History of the Land
One thing that you would want to be sure to find out prior to purchasing land is the history of the land. As you’ll learn later, certain farming techniques strip the land or leave pesticide residues that could hurt the crops you’re trying to grow organically. Maybe the area has been mined. And of course, you’ll want to find out about the historical climate of the property as we’ll discuss in a couple more pages.
The land around our county was primarily logged, which means heavy equipment. Sometimes that can lead to extreme soil compaction that makes it more difficult for tender roots to get into the soil. Soil needs space for air, water, and beneficial microbes to get down deep and bring up the nutrients, and compaction means that all these nice spaces have been squished out of the soil. Extreme compaction can be corrected, but it takes time and effort and means a lot more than simple tilling. You can see how important soil quality is in making a purchasing decision. (Chapter 6 has a lot of information about building soil fertility.)
In other areas you may find that land has been mined or farmed in such a way that much of the rich top soil has been lost. Acre upon acre of farmland has been ripped open and left bare to the ravages of the wind. Protecting this precious soil is part of why we plant cover crops and mulch, as discussed in Chapter 7. Unfortunately, larger commercial operations aren’t always so careful.
Pesticide use in the past three years is enough to prohibit certification as an organic production. Not only that, but the residue of those pesticides can remain in the well water and soil for quite some time, especially where you are growing trees, berries, and long-lived perennials.
If your real estate agent doesn’t know the history of the land, try talking to neighbors who live nearby. In most rural areas you’ll get a detailed history and learn not only who lived there, but how many kids they had, what their dog’s name was, and a funny story about that time their mean ole rooster chased the cat up the tree. If nothing else, you’re sure to be entertained.
THORNY MATTERS
Don’t forget to inquire about unexpected costs associated with the property. Find out what the property taxes are currently, and what they might be in the future after you’ve built your home and a couple outbuildings. I know that more than one backyard farmer has been shocked when property taxes triple (or more) the year after they build and move in. Don’t get caught unaware!
Another area where bending the ear of your potential neighbors will be crucial is in understanding the climate foibles where you live. Sidney’s grandmother used to say, “Never plant your tomatoes before Easter,” which gives a strong clue as to the average last frost date on the old family homestead. Because we live just a few miles down the road, we tend to follow her folk wisdom.
Find out about potential microclimates in your prospective neighborhood. Your growing zone helps you determine which plants will survive in your area and are very general numbers, while microclimates are specific climate pockets that vary from area to area even within a single homestead. Are you looking in a low-lying area? Expect longer-lasting frosts and cold pockets. Are you looking on the south side of a hill? Expect longer hours of sunshine and increase your zone by another half. Is there a large lake near you? That will change the climate in your neighborhood in a way that will be different from your regional zone set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for your entire area (see Chapter 6 for more about zones).
As a backyard farmer, pay close attention to things such as water and land quality. While it might be enough for most people to just have a pretty view, that won’t work at all for you! If your land has a good well, or small pond or creek, you’ll be much better off in the long term.
Different areas (even different states) will give you better growing seasons than others. While intensive and hands-on techniques will allow you to baby your desired plants a little bit, it makes sense to plant what grows best in your area. For example, I will never have a maple syrup stand and create homemade, delicious maple syrup in my warmer region. But pecans grow very well here. So if I absolutely had my heart set on maple syrup, I should not live here in Oklahoma!
Be sure you find out the length of the growing season. If you have your heart set on specializing in heirloom watermelons, for example, but you move to an area with only a 90-day growing season, you’ll be out of luck.
Of course you can cheat some climate issues by using greenhouses and cold frames. These things can all extend the growing season and make it possible to bring items from other growing zones. But sometimes it’s not worth the extra hassle when you can grow other items so much easier.
If you decide not to build your own home, you can buy a homestead ready to go. Just recently we toured two different home-with-acreage listings. One had a gorgeous home and wooded land that we would need to clear off as we planted. The other had the perfect land setup, but a home that our family has already outgrown. What to do, what to do. There’s a lot to consider when you’re looking at a move to full-time backyard farming.
Layout and Quality of the Land
Consider the layout of the property you’re examining. How is the land arranged? Is it wooded or cleared? If you have to spend the entire first year clearing large areas of the land so you can begin planting, it might be cheaper to look elsewhere. On the other hand, this wooded land is usually a lot less expensive to purchase at the start.
Where is the house located? Remember that in the northern hemisphere, the southern exposures are highly valued. The sunny south side of the home is where the money is in terms of providing you sunlight hours of growing time for your crops. These are all things you should make note of when you’re trying to decide on a property.
Soil composition and land layout are other important considerations. Check the quality of the soil from around various areas of the yard. Check the side yards, the backyard areas, and the front yard. Are there a lot of rocks? That can make it difficult to dig and plant fence posts. It can also be a lot of trouble for tillers and growing root crops like carrots and potatoes.
Does the soil have fine particles and heavy clay? This soil will hold water and have poorer drainage. It will take plenty of amendments and added organic material to make it friable. Will this be more trouble than it’s worth?
DEFINITION
Friable soil is loose, crumbly soil. The term usually refers to fertile soil full of organic material.
Is there a low spot that stays wet and mushy year-round? We have one corner in the back of our property that stays wet and is unusable when there’s a strong rain. But it’s a low and shady corner that wouldn’t grow much anyway, and helps drain out the rest of the yard. If you are looking at a home with a septic tank, drainage and the lay of the land will play an even more important role.
For gardening, a relatively flat area with good drainage, fertile soil, and good exposure (sunshine) is ideal. You’ll not always be able to find a reasonably priced property with all the elements you need, so that’s where you’ll want to consider the costs and hassles of fixing up the property for yourself. Would it be easier to add drainage, or easier to create terraces on a highly sloped property?
If you are purchasing a piece of land with the intent of using it to produce food, I recommend that you test the land before purchase. Take soil and water samples for testing (most county extension offices will do tests for a small fee) so you can better judge the suitability of the purchase.
Outbuildings and Existing Amenities
When you’re looking over potential properties, you will see a wide variety of outbuildings, sheds, and barns. You might see a house sitting on an otherwise empty lot with no fencing, no shed, no storm cellar, no nothing.
We’ve seen generous-sized properties with huge mansions that were clearly never meant to house a backyard farm as the house took up almost all the property, and the giant garage took up the rest. The huge amount of concrete and utter uselessness of the setup makes it clear that the property was never intended for housing a garden, chickens, or anything productive. These would be the properties to avoid at all costs because the price of acquiring the bloated properties would be prohibitive and most of the so-called amenities would be rather useless to a family interested in self-sufficient living.
On the other hand, you might find a true diamond in the rough for a very reasonable price. We recently looked at a property that was priced about 20 percent less than others in the area. Why? The house was cluttered, and the property was completely overgrown with a good two or three years’ worth of overgrowth. It looked horrible at first glance. But the fencing was sound for the most part, the pond was in good shape, there were mature fruit trees already on the property, and a couple outbuildings in excellent, if cluttered, condition. Most people couldn’t see past the surface clutter and briars that had grown up. If you can snag something like this for a reasonable price, you’d be much closer to self-sufficient living without a heavy debt hanging over your head.
Take note of any outbuildings in particular. These can raise the asking price of a property a good portion. They also raise the property taxes, so you’d want to ask what taxes tend to run in the county. Sometimes you can go just a mile or two down the road and cross the county line, or out of city limits, and cut your property taxes to a mere fraction of what they would have been.
If the property doesn’t have any outbuildings, but has some nice level areas near the house, it wouldn’t be hard to add some buildings as needed. After all, if your backyard farming plan only includes a garden and small chicken flock, you wouldn’t need a property that included a goat shed, a milking barn, and a couple stalls for sheep or other small livestock. Some of these types of buildings could be easily converted with a few modifications inside, but other times the buildings are built so specifically, you’d spend way too much money in the purchasing of the building for something you will never use.
When being charged in the initial purchase for an outbuilding, shed, or barn of some kind, you really want to look at the quality. Is the roof sound? Is there proper ventilation and is that ventilation screened? What kind of siding has been used? Untreated wood will quickly weather and become exposed to the elements. It would need to be treated with water sealant to be able to be cleaned or withstand a rainy season. Tin siding, on the other hand, offers water resistance, but little insulation when used alone. If it’s a thin-sided shed you’re hoping to convert to a chicken coop, you might want to plan on adding another layer for insulation inside.
Fencing
One of the most commonly overlooked benefits to a property is the fencing. Your property will need sturdy fencing to protect any livestock from predators. Simple little picket fencing looks nice, but is often pricy to install and doesn’t have much practical use. If you are paying the price for what the former owners have installed, only to have to re-fence the entire property yourself, you haven’t saved a nickel.
This little picket fence gate looks pretty, but it didn’t keep in the dogs, the chickens, or the goats. It now serves as a simple gate in and out of the garden, but has been reinforced with wire at the top.
Wood panel fencing can be difficult to maintain. But wood is often less expensive than some of the other options, such as vinyl. Treating wood will increase the cost, as will painting the fence. If you live near a wooded area, you may be able to procure the resources for free or very inexpensively.
This round pen was made from homemade bodark fence posts. The dense wood has a natural resistance to rotting and allows for a relatively maintenance-free fence. In this case it didn’t cost money—only labor.
Vinyl fencing is much more expensive, but after it’s set up it doesn’t need any maintenance and will last a long time. Vinyl fencing is not the most Earth-friendly fencing material, but it is highly attractive. If the property has vinyl fencing already in place, you’ll likely be paying extra for it.
This vinyl privacy fence helps block our garden mess from the rest of the neighborhood.
Regardless of the type of fencing, you’ll want to consider the layout of the fencing. Is there already a clear front yard and backyard area? Or is the entire lot wide open?
Are there any cross fences in place? When you house livestock in your backyard farm, you will benefit from being able to move them from one pen area to another. Depending on your region, a good fence can help deter predators, or garden marauders such as deer and rabbits.
Other amenities to consider are things that will increase your self-sufficiency—items you might consider adding to a home later yourself anyway. A woodstove, for example, can be a big asset. We recently looked at a property where a wood-burning fireplace was in the largest room in the house and the blower had been modified to tie directly into the central heat unit. So the central heat only kicked on when the fire died down, saving hundreds in utility costs each winter.
Even without being tied into the central heat’s thermostat and duct work, a wood-burning fireplace or stove can give you an alternative source of heat that shaves money off your bills, depends on easily renewable resources, and isn’t going to go down during a storm or icy weather. The more rural your property (read that: the further from help when the power goes out) the more important it is to have a backup in case of power outages.
Of course, a wood-burning stove only saves you money if you have access to wood. If there isn’t enough timber on your property to burn, you can often trade labor to neighbors. We don’t have extra trees on our property, but we can get them for the taking when someone has a tree blown over just by offering to clean it up for them.
Water sources are important to a backyard farmer. A working well is a boon for a homestead to lessen your reliance on city water. Even if the well water isn’t plumbed to the house, having an extra source of water for animals and garden is a definite asset. We learned this firsthand when our city put everyone under a watering ban during summer 2011. The only people who still had productive gardens were those who had alternative sources of water.
If well water is the home’s only source of water, you’ll want to have it tested to make sure it’s drinkable. Find out the depth and age of the well; older, more shallow wells may end up needing repair, or more expensively, replacement. Also find out the well’s flow rate. If the well isn’t tapped into a good water source, you could drain it of water reserves during regular daily use faster than it is able to be refilled. In this case, you would need water tanks to hold rainwater for things like irrigation and livestock to prevent overtaxing your well.
Rural water systems should also be tested as the water can have contaminates or chemical levels that aren’t healthy. Our local rural water often tests high in nitrates, which can have negative effects on livestock (and people!), especially pregnant females and babies.
If the land you’re looking at has a creek or small pond, watch out for clever language in the description before you assure yourself that it will be a year-round source of water for your animals. Phrases like “flood-zone creek” or “seasonal creek” simply mean, when it rains you have a creek and when it doesn’t rain you don’t have a creek. However, a creek or pond could be something to add to your list of cons if it takes up a large amount of your useable land. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to when considering a property for a backyard farm. How much of the land is useable? How much can be productive?
THORNY MATTERS
Having grown up in a big city, I never understood the importance of water. I turned the knob on the hose, and water came out. Well, during the summer of 2011, I saw firsthand what can happen when wells fail and water is scarce. The well at my in-laws’ house, a 50-foot well that had been hand-dug by Sidney’s grandfather 75 years prior, went dry. All of the water for the entire house (cooking, flushing the toilet, bathing) had to be trucked in from a neighbor’s house. Know where the water for your property will come from, and be sure the quality and quantity is sufficient.
Of course, finding the perfect place for your backyard farm doesn’t do you any good if it’s illegal to grow a garden there. It may seem preposterous that someone could actually get in trouble for feeding their own family, but in some areas of the United States, that is exactly what is happening.
Take the much-publicized case of the woman who grew a garden in the front yard and faced misdemeanor charges as a result. Her city planners vowed to pursue the case all the way to court, if necessary, which would have landed her more than 90 days in jail! Thankfully the city dismissed the charges when internet outrage was unleashed.
But that isn’t the only case in recent history. The resurgence of self-sufficiency has butted heads with archaic or vague restrictions in many suburban areas. Between zoning restrictions, homeowners associations, and cranky neighbors, it seems almost impossible to live on your own land sometimes.
I have an acquaintance who moved into the perfect house with the perfect yard, only to discover that the homeowners association would not allow her to keep chickens, not even behind a privacy fence in her own backyard. She may or may not have smuggled in “voiceless” ducks that don’t make as much noise so she could still enjoy fresh backyard eggs. They might live in a tidy little pen behind her shed, privacy fence, and beautiful garden, and she might be at risk of being fined every day as a result. But you’ll never hear me give away her secret!
The only thing more frustrating than wanting to start a backyard chicken flock and being told you can’t would be to anticipate a quiet retirement neighborhood and waking up to crowing roosters from your neighbor’s unexpected flock. Double-checking your zoning restrictions before making a purchase can keep everybody happy.
There is hope, of course. Many cities and municipalities allow gardens, chickens, rabbits, and other small livestock. In fact, as of December 2011, 93 of the largest 100 cities (by population) in the United States allowed keeping backyard chickens in some form or fashion. Often, cities will limit backyard flocks to hens only, or enforce a smaller size such as six hens per family within city limits. But even with limitations, the fact that so many of the nation’s largest cities are friendly toward those seeking additional self-sufficiency is an encouraging trend.
Many cities with currently unfriendly regulations are finding concerned citizens taking up the cause. As regulations loosen and taxpayers make their wishes heard, you will see more and more backyard farms and urban flocks being allowed. But until then, don’t make the mistake of putting yourself on the wrong side of the law because you failed to ask questions about zoning restrictions and city ordinances prior to a major purchase.
