# A full farm on 15 acers or less



## RamblingCowgirl

That what we are doing, my fiance and I. I'm not sure just how much land his dad gave us, it's mostly fenced, has a pond & garden plot, and thick with trees save for the 2-3 acers of grass. I think it's around 11-15 all together. We have a three goats, all does one is bred for march kidding. And we have a tiro of rabbits, but they mite be too old to breed or eat. This year is going to be a big one for us, we'll get geese, chickens & guineas, as well as more goats and rabbits. In the mix of that we are building our little house. This will be my first time to have a garden. And we are getting merried this fall. It is all very very exciting.
We want to add sheep, hogs, and at some point {maybe after getting more land} cattle. I want to focus on rare breeds, like cotton patch geese, navjo-churro sheep, silver fox rabbits. He doesn't care so long as we have meat, they are easy to handle, and I'm happy. Lol.
We also have horses, and 7+ dogs.

Does anyone else run a full range of stock on a smaller holding?

ETA: I'd like to meet other like minded people in NE Oklahome/NW Arkansas


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## SmallFarmGirl

No .. I just have 2 Nigerian goats in my backyard !!!  I am sure you'll enjoy this site FULL of info !!!


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## RamblingCowgirl

Thanks! I've been off & on BYC for years - under the name that_crazy_lady so I'm betting I'm gonna love it here


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## SmallFarmGirl

RamblingCowgirl said:
			
		

> Thanks! I've been off & on BYC for years - under the name that_crazy_lady so I'm betting I'm gonna love it here


You will !!!  I know that as soon as you join you just can't help it; you'll love it !!! I thought when I joined I'd just check out things and get A to my Q...
Boy, I was wrong !!! I just love this site!!!


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## SmallFarmGirl

And you'll also need to start a journal ... We need to get to know you !!!! 
See pics of you animals, hear stories, every thing !!!


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## PotterWatch

We currently just have meat chickens but we will soon also have turkeys, beef steers, dairy (and maybe meat) goats, our egg-layers, and horses.  Our place is 7.5 acres of usable pasture.


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## autumnprairie

I live in CE Arkansas but travel all over the state to get my goats. The last place I went was up by Eureka Springs. If you are looking for bred goats I have some one you can call for some. Check out my journal I pics post of my zoo. BTW I live on a place that is 3/4 of an acre.


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## Arkantex

I think/hope it can be done. We own 10 acres and are trying to start a small, family farm on it. Given, I eventually want to buy the 50 acres that are behind my 10... We will see how productive we can make this 10 first though.

I grew up in Arkansas and so did my wife. Every time we go visit family, I fantisize more and more about moving back, buying some land, and starting up a farm...


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## greybeard

Yes, it can be done, and easily with today's feeds, supplements, fertilizers, etc but you need to learn all you can about forages and feed for the species you intend to raise. Bear in mind, it hasn't been all that long ago, that the great preponderance of American farms were small family farms 10-100 acres and they were pretty much self sufficient.  It's only in very recent decades, that the move to large corporate farms took their place, and that's really a shame. I have one pasture fenced and crossfenced, and containing about 15 acres, and 2 years ago, ran about 20 cows/calves on it for most of the year, but we got plenty of rain that year. This last year, that same herd would have starved due to drought. Luckily, that wasn't my total acrage in pasture. You can always feed or make the soil what you need it to be, but one thing you cannot do is be without water. Educate yourself in all aspects of the species you intend to populate with and plan plan plan.


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## Royd Wood

Sounds like a busy year for you guys
We have chickens (layers & meat), ducks, pigs, sheep, and cattle. Then there is the 2 horses (hay munchers lol) all on 28 acres + we rent a further 30 and have access to hay fields. A yard full of 1960s tractors and machinery. We have a farm store selling all our produce so life is fun but lots of hard work
Good luck and enjoy your farm


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## autumnprairie

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> Sounds like a busy year for you guys
> We have chickens (layers & meat), ducks, pigs, sheep, and cattle. Then there is the 2 horses (hay munchers lol) all on 28 acres + we rent a further 30 and have access to hay fields. A yard full of 1960s tractors and machinery. We have a farm store selling all our produce so life is fun but lots of hard work
> Good luck and enjoy your farm


are your chickens dual birds or the meat birds that are ready in 11 weeks or less?


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## Royd Wood

autumnprairie said:
			
		

> Royd Wood said:
> 
> 
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> 
> Sounds like a busy year for you guys
> We have chickens (layers & meat), ducks, pigs, sheep, and cattle. Then there is the 2 horses (hay munchers lol) all on 28 acres + we rent a further 30 and have access to hay fields. A yard full of 1960s tractors and machinery. We have a farm store selling all our produce so life is fun but lots of hard work
> Good luck and enjoy your farm
> 
> 
> 
> are your chickens dual birds or the meat birds that are ready in 11 weeks or less?
Click to expand...

No meat birds at the moment as we do them on pasture moving runs 3 times a day so seasonal only. They are your11 weeks or less ones but it takes us around 16 weeks


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## autumnprairie

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> autumnprairie said:
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> Royd Wood said:
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> 
> Sounds like a busy year for you guys
> We have chickens (layers & meat), ducks, pigs, sheep, and cattle. Then there is the 2 horses (hay munchers lol) all on 28 acres + we rent a further 30 and have access to hay fields. A yard full of 1960s tractors and machinery. We have a farm store selling all our produce so life is fun but lots of hard work
> Good luck and enjoy your farm
> 
> 
> 
> are your chickens dual birds or the meat birds that are ready in 11 weeks or less?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No meat birds at the moment as we do them on pasture moving runs 3 times a day so seasonal only. They are your11 weeks or less ones but it takes us around 16 weeks
Click to expand...

thanks for letting me know.


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## KinderKorner

Wow. You sound like me! 

I am getting married this fall as well and am wanting to get a few acres to have a small farm. I'm not so lucky to have it given to me though. We are currently looking at buying a 6 acre plot. Then we will be building a small house. Thats so cool that there is someone else out there doing the same thing!

Maybe we can share our ideas and tips as we go along. 


Right now I live with my parents on 12.4 acres. 

I have a bunch of chickens and a herd of goats. Plus a pig, cats, and horses. But those last ones are just pets that burn through my money. *sigh* 


The last year or two my family has purchased all locally grown free range beef and pork (and deer). And now we are looking into eating our chickens. 

I'm so excited to start this next chapter of my life. I think 6 acres will be enough for me. Although more would be better, just can't afford it. We'll see if I can squeak by with the 6 acres. haha. Even thats pushing it.

So glad I'm not the only one out there getting married and building a house on a farm this fall.


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## ChristyMarie82

We rent a small seven-acre farm.  The barn is a LARGE converted garage.  About six acres of pasture, about an acre of yard.  Currently, we have six horses (three ours, three are boarder horses), three cats, three dogs, and I just bought ten chicks (I'm thinking I might buy more).  I would really like a couple of calves.  We're also going to be building a large coop and splitting it in sections so that we can breed rabbits in a section of it (for meat).  

We'll be planting a large garden in the Spring - lots of veggies, etc.  

I'm hoping to sell eggs, rabbit and chicken meat, as well as some veggies.  I'm not expecting to make a ton of money, at least at first....


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## 77Herford

Ten acres can be more than enough to live off of and make a little money on the side.  There are some great books out there for Organic Smal Scale farming.  I wish I could think of the ones I have but I'll try and find them.
Carol Ekarius'
Small-Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit


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## PotterWatch

77Herford said:
			
		

> Ten acres can be more than enough to live off of and make a little money on the side.  There are some great books out there for Organic Smal Scale farming.  I wish I could think of the ones I have but I'll try and find them.
> Carol Ekarius'
> Small-Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit


I have that one.  Very good book!


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## Siouxqie

We live on a smidge over 3 acres, and we have LOTS of animals:

7 dogs
2 barn cats
1 rabbit
2 parrots
35 chickens
 1 mini donk
2 llamas
6 goats (with more coming any day)

We will soon be adding 2 pigs, and four or five sheep.  Potentially, once the mini-donk and llamas are gone, we may even get a beef steer.

Even with all of that, we still have plenty of room for a huge garden and grow a decent amount of fodder (feeder yams, beets, corn).  Don't get me wrong though, we do buy grain/feed and hay for everyone.  With careful planning, you can get a LOT on a very small amount of space.  The big thing is the higher-density your animal population, the more careful you have to be with waste management.  My husband and I plan to excavate a compost pit so we can bury more of the waste product.


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