Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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 eas-
ily 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.
Access to Water
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 drink-
able. 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.
 
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