Going in stages - does this sound like a good plan?

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

We're closing on our place next month and I'm so excited! We'll be on 2 acres in a pretty rural suburb. There is so much I want to do, but with two kids and limited funds we'll have to go slowly. We already get our milk and eggs from a local farm, and will continue to do that until we can have our own layers, but we'll still buy the farm milk.

This is what I'm thinking about when to start major projects:

- fall 2010 cleaning up the existing landscaping/weeding, composting - big bin/pile for lawn stuff and an inside vermicomposting for food scraps

- spring 2011 we'll put up the fruit trees (there are already a couple on the property but they have been neglected for years and don't seem to be bearing right now except for one huge apple tree) and get started with gardens (we had raised boxes this year at our rental so I'll do those again plus some plots directly in the ground too.

- late summer/early fall 2011 small flock of meat chickens. I'm thinking red broilers/rangers, so starting at this time they should be good and ready by the time the cold weather really starts coming in.

- spring 2012 laying hens and another small flock of meat chickens (and continuing with 2 small flocks/year of meat chickens)

- spring 2013 honey bees, and by this time some of the fruit trees may be starting to bear


There are more big things we have on our wish list, but that will have to wait even longer. Also, lots of smaller projects that I'd like to try over the winter months inside.

[Sundance_11]

It sounds good to me, but it is slow. Are you waiting on some things because you've never done them before, and don't want to jump in all at once?

Chickens are very easy (but I did grow up with them, so I guess I never started from scratch), and it seems torturous to wait so long. The investment is minimum, too. This year, we built tractors with salvaged materials, so our only expense was feeding them (which comes back as soon as you start eating them).

Also, it will depend on where you live, but we do our meat chickens in the spring, instead of fall. That way, we get them when it's warm enough for them to not need the light for *too* long, and they're ready early.

Anyways, I was planning to type more, but DH just got home from work, and we've got things to do.

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

I think it is going to feel awfully slow to me too! The house need some work also, which will start as soon as we close. I'm infamous for biting off more than I can chew, and with the house needing work, the house being twice the size of our current apartment, being a full time SAHM to two toddler boys, and wanting the orchard and garden started ASAP DH asked me to consider waiting on chickens.

I've been so excited about chickens since we decided to move more rurally and have been reading about them for over a year now! We're in zone 5b and I've noticed that there are local farms still doing meat chickens now, so I think fall works here. There is a pretty rundown shed on the property that I'm hoping can be rehabed into an insulated coop with a stationary run (for when the weather isn't so nice), and then build an inexpensive tractor for protected ranging during the nice weather days.

I may have my work cut out for me with the shed though, and may just start with a hoop house tractor (though I don't know how predator proof they are?)

Here's the shed:

http://i53.tinypic.com/2ivl8b5.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2hr2253.jpg

I kind of want to try the meat chickens first. Partly because I won't let myself get attached to them, but if I have cute 'pet' egg laying chickens first it might be harder to see the meat ones as just dinner and partly because we do have a cheap source of pastured eggs right now ($2/doz for large), but not one of pastured and humanely slaughtered chicken (the local farms are about $5.75/lb and up).

[limette]

We just moved to our homestead in July with plans to take it slow. The rule was no animals until spring and then only chickens.

That went right out the window. In the past three weeks we got 6 laying hens, 8 chicks, a breeding trio of rabbits and a pig (might get another one tonight). Dh is picking up a breeding trio of muscovy ducks tomorrow and is looking into getting dairy goats soon.

We were going to plant fruit trees this fall but they'll be waiting til spring now!

My blog is in my profile if you want to check out pics of what we've done so far.

[1jooj]

We did 3 rounds of chickens this summer. The round that did best was the middle one--first or second week of July. The warm weather meant a lot less lamp time, and they ranged very happily by their second week. We're in 5a.

I think especially if you'll also be working on the house, you are wise to take it slow. It is so hard to enjoy and appreciate things when you're just constantly trying to fix everything. You'll know if you're taking thing "too easy." It's a lot harder to do less once you've already got too much going on.

[hildare]

don't know what part of the country you're in, but fall is usually the time for planting trees...

[mattemma04]

How are things going for you at the new home?

If you have a county soil and water(or similar) they sell plants in the spring.I get a lot of cheap seedlings then,but that means waiting longer for my fruit.

Consider some currants and strawberries.Fast fruit! In the fall you can layer your planting beds,so they will be ready in the spring/summer.

I always got chicks in May. I have them in a metal shed that was used for storage. I cut holes for plexiglass to let in light. I would work on that shed.From what I read over on the BYC forum there are SOOOOOO many predators.Coons,hawks,and dogs are the worst.

I have not done bees but would love to try and build some top bar beehives.They are much cheaper than the traditional boxes.

Have fun!