Let's use a small lot size of one-half acre, (more or less). The most important step is studying your property.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
-Take notice of where the morning sunlight reaches your yard and track it's path throughout the day. To get a really good view of your property use Google maps. Enter your address, and select Satellite View. Zoom in until all your yard fills the map screen, take a screen shot. You'll be amazed how different your yard looks from directly above and it is a big help with your planning.
south north
east
-Which areas are in sunlight all day, which are completely or partially shaded at some time during the day.
-Is there a damp or wet area? Or, is it all very dry.
-What trees do you have, if any? Some varieties, such as Black Walnut, are not suitable near gardens since they inhibit the growth of many plants. Others, such as pine trees increases the soil acidity.
* In this yard image there are a few mature black walnut trees which cast long shadows as well as hampering vegetation growth nearby. Once these two tress along the southern property line were removed the yard/garden was flooded with sunlight all day.
-Is the land flat, sloping, steep or a combination? Is the house centered on the lot, or is more to the front, back or nearer to one of the side property lines? Is there an area which will be somewhat out of view of the road and neighbors, or will your farmyard be out in front for all to see?
-What do you want to see when you look out your back door or window?
*The kitchen in this house is at the back and looks out to the entire garden and chicken areas.
-Do you want the hen house nearer the house or garage, or nearer back or side fence? Beneath a tree is a good place so the house won't get over-heated during the summer.
*The little yellow square at the upper-left corner of this property is the hen house which has a run on the southern and north facing sides.
-How large an area are you willing to give over to the chickens for their house and run?
*This corner of the property provides space for the 8'x10' hen-house and two runs: approximately 8' x12' and 8' x 20'. It provides ample space for up to 25 chickens. (the chickens also have free range of the entire back yard)
-For the garden you will need a place for composting your garden soil. It should be situated near the garden and hen house. (When cleaning out the hen house we shovel the used wood chips and chicken droppings into its own section of the compost bin... ours bin has three sections and is built from old decking). Most of the books, magazines and other literature I have read suggest very small square footage per chicken. We prefer, and find our hens are happiest, a larger area... as large as we can spare. Inside the house they huddle together on their roosts regardless of how much space we provide.
-Do you want other animals such as goats? They will need their own shed and play-yard. Once again I have read that each goat requires very little space, as little as 4' x 6'. We are not comfortable with that and are planning a play yard of 20' x 20' at minimum for 2 or 3 goats. More about goats later.
*We do not have goats, yet. But we hope to have at least two this summer. They will have housing and play area at the open space at the north-west corner area of the yard.
-How much garden do you want or need? Do you wish to grow a large variety of veggies and flowers; or fewer varieties but many plants for larger harvests of each? What is the condition of the soil?
*Look closely and you will see three white rectangles, 4 brown square, and a blue area. Those were the raised beds and garden area at the time the satellite made this image. Since then there is one more raised bed, and the 4 squares were combined and expanded into a 20' x 25' planting area. Beneath the blue tarp is another raised bed. In addition, another planting area has been created in the area to the south where the two walnut trees had been (the trees are visible in the image)
We grow a few of our favorite and most used vegetables, but we grow enough of each to feed us all year.
-Will you be planting in raised beds, pots, or directly in tilled soil? We use all these methods.
-Do you have access to salvaged building materials or will you need to purchase your supplies?
Is your head spinning yet? Don't worry, it is much easier than it seems at the moment. Now is the time to make these observations in order to be ready to get started with the actual work once the snow has melted.
Still to come: Building raised beds and trellises, prepping a garden bed, buying seeds, starting seeds indoors, and more....
Suggested reading:
These books are among my favorites; but there are many, many more selections on-line.
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