What may be an elegant grand avenue in the summer and fall might well become impassable when it turns into a mudhole in spring or is packed with several feet of snow. On larger tracts of land, keep in mind the construction and upkeep costs of a long private road or drive. The landscape of a front yard can easily incorporate fruit trees. There’s no law that says orchard trees have to be laid out in straight rows in rectangles. Of course today it’s not uncommon to find vegetables in decorative beds in front yards. If the tradition is followed that the street side of the home is for show and the backyard for utility, then the front yard will be kept small. On the small plot of five acres or less (three to five acres is the minimum size for a productive homestead in most regions if animal feed is to be produced), the size and shape of the parcel will readily dictate the location of the house.
The productive homesteading land should fall somewhere between these two extremes. Private and elegant, perhaps, but expensive, and hardly productive. On the other hand, the country homes of the gentry were set far back, accessed by long, graceful (and space-wasting), tree-lined drives which were flanked by wide expanses of lawn. Indeed, many jurisdictions dictate certain minimum setbacks. Internal combustion vehicles roaring past and leaving clouds of fumes and dust have taken the fun out of that, so today most countrysiders would prefer to have their homes more isolated. In the olden days, many farmhouses were built right next to the road, which not only provided easy access but also afforded the opportunity to sit on the front porch and wave to neighbors passing by in wagons and carriages … many of whom, no doubt, stopped to chat. The task of homestead planning is to locate and link these areas so as to provide maximum efficiency and convenience without sacrificing economy or beauty. There may be others, such as a woodlot and pond, which won’t enter into this discussion because even though they will have a major bearing on the design of the homesteading land, their location is usually dictated by natural circumstances. Elements of the Productive Homesteadįor design purposes, the productive homesteading land consists of five main parts: the dwelling, work areas (some of which are a part of the dwelling), garden and orchard areas, livestock areas, and livestock feed production areas. But if we look at what might be called a “basic” homestead, we see some principles that, while not engraved in stone, at least deserve consideration. Featuring thousands of homesteading and hobby farms nationwide let United Country find your dream property today! There are no stock answers or plans, if only because no two homesteaders (or homesteading lands) are the same. United Country has your largest source of specialty properties. How can the various pieces of the productive homestead be put together to achieve these ends? A productive homestead should be attractive and pleasant, and at the same time convenient and efficient in terms of personal food production. Homesteading land? Well, that’s more than a rural residence and less than a farm, in terms of size and output. Efficiency and convenience take precedence over more aesthetic aspects. Depending on its type, it will involve several or even many buildings. It must make accommodations for the passage and maneuvering of very large equipment and the handling and storage of many tons of products that might range from seed and fertilizer to hay and grain to milk or meat. A farm, on the other hand, is more like an industrial complex. By Ken Wilson – Homesteading land is neither a farm nor a rural residence therefore, it presents design challenges that are different from the others.Ī rural residence is basically nothing more than a suburban house plunked down on a larger lot, and any outdoor design will be largely concerned with landscaping, with appearances.
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