# How to layout 2.5 acres



## Dgrocho (May 22, 2013)

Hi All, first post here, and while it's like many other posts in that I am wondering how to make the most use of my land, I have some visual aids to help describe my situation.

I'm on 4.4 acres total, but some of that is "yard" space, with a house, pole barn, septic, and propane on it. Some of that already has a small apple orchard (5 trees), to which expansion or diversification is not out of the question. What I have attached is a rough outline of my 2.5 acre open area which identifies the soil conditions within it. Unfortunately about 2/3 of that area is poorly drained, and the area just south of the outlined portion is some light woods and a river. Some of the good soil has a garden earmarked, but I only just started tilling it yesterday, so I'd be willing to relocate it. 

I'd like to do a family garden (of course), hops, and chickens for sure, though the Hops can go into the yard space since it's vertical. I'm thinking it makes sense to keep the chickens in the orchard and garden area for their manure and scratching contributions.

That leaves me with about 2.4 acres that I'm not sure what to do with. It grows grass really well, and while I like cutting grass, 8-10 hours per week is a bit much. The ground is definitely wet and soft in places, some standing water, lots where you can feel water between your toes as you step. I feel like goats and grass (even if i plant another type) go well together, but I'm afraid the ground is too soft. Blueberries and Cranberries are my only other thought? 

Attachment issue. Anyway, consider it's a 2.5 acre rectangle running north to south . The north Third is prime farmland, there is a sliver of "transition", and the south half is flood plain. 130 to 165 days frost free. The North portion has infrequent flooding and ponding. Transitional has infrequent flooding, but frequent ponding, and the south portion has frequent flooding and ponding (and there's a river on the southern border). There is nothing on the land now but grass.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Just make sure that all animal houses are down wind of the house by normal patterns. Especially pigs


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## maxbetta (May 6, 2013)

TNHermit said:


> Just make sure that all animal houses are down wind of the house by normal patterns. Especially pigs


Ha ha ha...that's great advice


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Permaculture. Combine that with the info in Pattern Language, the book, which talks about building layouts and arrangements.


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## SimplerTimez (Jan 20, 2008)

There are two books that might assist you with visible layouts if you are a visual person. I find having a diagram helpful.

John Seymour's Self Sufficiency book takes various sized properties and does a layout for them. ISBN-10: 0751364428

I also found Five Acres and Independence good,ISBN-10: 9562914461

Gene Logsdon has one too, but I can't recall the title.

Good luck and welcome 

~ST


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