How do you use your space?

[johnElarue]

We've got a massive 1/3 acre surrrounded on 3 sides by forest/mountains and 1 side by rice paddy. About half is wooded or semi-woods, a small garden of raised beds occupies the southernmost 20'X50' with duck coop. Hoping for the ducks to freerange outside the garden from spring. 2 mature plum trees and 1 apple sapling. I've got a seperate 1/3 acre rice paddy that is being converted into vegetable field/orchard.

 

[Home Maker]

We did not think things through very well before we built. We have a 1.4 acre lot on family land in the middle of the woods on a lake. Behind our house is almost a cliff down to the water. To the left is a road down to the water. To the right it goes down hill somewhat and we have a large fenced area for the dogs. That, and the fact that we didn't cut nearly enough trees, means that we have very little area to garden, etc. If we had cut more trees before we built, it would have been less expensive than if we cut them now. I have a nice size raised bed, but not nearly large enough, and I'd love to have chickens, too. The other obstacle is lack of sun because of the trees. I put in a garlic/shallot bed and a strawberry bed late last summer.

 

[johnElarue]

We did not think things through very well before we built. We have a 1.4 acre lot on family land in the middle of the woods on a lake. Behind our house is almost a cliff down to the water. To the left is a road down to the water. To the right it goes down hill somewhat and we have a large fenced area for the dogs. That, and the fact that we didn't cut nearly enough trees, means that we have very little area to garden, etc. If we had cut more trees before we built, it would have been less expensive than if we cut them now. I have a nice size raised bed, but not nearly large enough, and I'd love to have chickens, too. The other obstacle is lack of sun because of the trees. I put in a garlic/shallot bed and a strawberry bed late last summer.

Hi Home Maker,

I feel exactly as you do, should have cut a few more trees. But they're my air conditioner haha. Also I'd have set the house back more to gain more southern facing garden space. My garden get's sun 12-5 only but it's just enough. Always a tough choice planning things.

 

[enjoy the ride]

Me too with not taking enough trees down. It's hard because I do love the trees but here there are trees that are 150 ft high (small redwoods) and can fall on you if you're not careful, so I did end up having more cut. Nothing like watching trees swaying 30 feet at the top to make a person nervous.

Can you open the trees up some- cut branchs out to let some more light through? Or limb them up if conifers? A lot of garden plants do not need all that much light- especially greens.

I don't know where you are or if you have good fencing, but goats can use woodlands for food. I think pigs do too but I have never done any pigs things.

Heck 2/3's of an acre in Japan is an estate.

 

[MorelCabin]

All of our 'useable for livestock property is behind the house where all the trees are too. Since we are on the lake I cannot put anything in the massive front lawn, except gardens, which I have been working at. The property behind us is up a rocky incline and putting fences up in there is next to impossible. I have a full acre up there I could utilize if I could figure out how to fence on bedrock:>)

 

[johnElarue]

Me too with not taking enough trees down. It's hard because I do love the trees but here there are trees that are 150 ft high (small redwoods) and can fall on you if you're not careful, so I did end up having more cut. Nothing like watching trees swaying 30 feet at the top to make a person nervous.

Can you open the trees up some- cut branchs out to let some more light through? Or limb them up if conifers? A lot of garden plants do not need all that much light- especially greens.

I don't know where you are or if you have good fencing, but goats can use woodlands for food. I think pigs do too but I have never done any pigs things.

Heck 2/3's of an acre in Japan is an estate.

Hi enjoy the ride,

150 foot, now that's a tree. Must be wild to watch them in a good wind. After a good blow my yard is covered in dead brown fronds.

I got halfway up my 60-70 foot cedar beanpoles and that scared the heck out of me. Elevated them as much as I could but not enough. In spring we may hire a logger to drop the 4 big ones next to the house and 3 behind. Problem is they're weighted with branches towards the house and leaning towards as well. I don't feel confident in my skills anymore to drop something that close, even with a winch and a good wind. The smaller ones shading the garden I can do with a friend. Also have to get my neighbors permission to thin some of his woods bordering the garden, should be no problem.

I want goats bad but the boss says no go. I'm working on her.

 

[lupinfarm]

All of our 'useable for livestock property is behind the house where all the trees are too. Since we are on the lake I cannot put anything in the massive front lawn, except gardens, which I have been working at. The property behind us is up a rocky incline and putting fences up in there is next to impossible. I have a full acre up there I could utilize if I could figure out how to fence on bedrock:>)

Any trees in the soil up there (if there is any soil) you can run electric or wire fencing on? ... We live by a lot of rocky areas and there are people who bought wooded rocked up areas who put their insulators right into the trees and make paddocks for their horses that way.

Otherwise, ... Our town puts fencing up on the highways sometimes for properties that are just empty land and they drive tposts into the cracks in the rocks then they strap a wood post to it LOL it works though, and they use high tensile fencing.

 

[curly_kate]

Kate-Not sure if you have ever seen his link but these people do a ton on 1/5 an acre. http://pathtofreedom.com/

Just got my new Mother Earth, and coincidentally, there is an article on this family in it. VERY cool!!

 

[freemotion]

I want goats bad but the boss says no go. I'm working on her.

Send her here and we'll do the rest!

 

[ams3651]

we have 2 acres, the house and yard is probably 1/2 acre. We have 3 apple trees but very old, one will be cut down and I want to plant 2 more. They were planted too close together how ever long ago my grandfather planted them. I also want cherry trees and blueberry bushes. I have a garden planned thats probably 1/4 acre for veggies and 1/2 or less for pumpkins and watermelon and the rest in sweet corn. Its what Im hoping for, was a pain to plan the garden though. I use companion planting which means some things cant go next to each other and others thrive together. It will be alot of work but Ive been trying to pull this off for 2 years and am determined this year. I also plan to make a couple rain barrels. Im also planning a flower garden at the end of the house to attract bees and butterflys for helping with polination. I have a patch at the end of the yard that over the years the fiels enchroached upon but now the yard is trying to take it back and I want to try to help it along with wild flower garden. Id like to get 2 pygmy goats to help with weeds but they are a little out of my price range now. Oh and of course my chicken coop and 5 girls and 1 roo, Id like to get 2 more hens this summer.