Advice on starting a new homestead

[knuckledragger]

My wife and I just put a contract on a house on 4 acres with a pond in West Tennessee. The land is bordered on the west by a small creek and it slopes gently from east to west. The pond is small (1/2 acre or less) and there is a slab poured for a 30'x30' outbuilding. The pond, the house, and the slab are all in the southern half of the property, leaving the northern 2 untouched. It is mostly cleared with some wooded area at the creek and it is fenced at the north border.

We were thinking of starting with a garden and some chickens, but we're not sure where to go from there.

Any suggestions?

[bee_pipes]

fruit trees, grape vines, honeybees and dairy goats

Regards,
Pat

[firegirl969]

Pat's list is great!

I would also add blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and rabbits. Rabbits provide both meat and some of the best manure for that garden you are starting. The goat manure is also excellent for the garden. Neither will burn the plants.

[kawalekm]

Congratulations K.D.
Just dive in and get your hands dirty. Break ground where-ever you want your garden to be and start learning what grows well in your area. You can visit your new neighbors and see what they're growing. Ask their advice on what does well in your area.

I myself would start with plants. I would try to get fruit and nut trees in the ground your first year, because they'll be the ones you'll be waiting on the longest. I'm guessing your climate zone is about 7A or 6B. You can try just about any American tree there you like, from apples, to peaches, to cherries.

Ask the neighbors when they expect the last frost and plan accordingly. You can start raising your own salad greens and table corn and whatever your favorate vegies are. Make mistakes! You'll learn fast what does well and what doesn't.

Once you have plants in the ground, I think that would be a good time to branch out into animals. The best way to go is to be able to grow some of your own feed so you are not paying out cash for Purina. You can start with either rabbits or chickens and work your way up from there.

What are you going to do about living arrangements? Will you be building your home on that pad, or would you rather it be something else? If you want to get on the land immediately, you can buy a used trailer and stay in that while you build. The biggest single question for you though is where will the money to do this be coming from? What's your plan for income while developing your land?
Good luck to you,
Michael

[TSJ]

Think about a small plot of sorghum cane. Makes good syrup for pancakes and you can mix it into your animal feed for winter. It'll probably draw a crowd when people drive by and see you crushing it in a small mill. You might be able to sell it too, especially the good light stuff. Ummmm, sorghum and hot biscuits.

After crushing it, the cane will probably make good bio mass for your compost pile but you might want to check with your county extension agent first.