How We Set Up Our Homestead Layout

chicken run with a gate and bird netting on top — Outdoor chicken run, the chicken coop is on the left side. The shed is on the right side, and behind the shed is our water collection system. Off to the right of the picture is our shade garden. There are many ways to set up your homestead layout.

All homesteaders set up their homestead, garden, and animal areas differently. It is a matter of preference or where the light is. There are so many factors, really. We don’t have very much light in our backyard compared to our side and front yard. I use the backyard as my partial sun and shade-loving plants and veggies area.

How We Set Up Our Homestead Layout

Our chicken’s run is in our backyard, along with our shed, fire pit, and small shade garden. We have a sun-loving garden, and a flower garden in the front. Our woodshed is on the other side of our house.

In our chicken run, we have an old grapevine. I don’t eat grapes and my husband doesn’t either, so we let the chickens eat them. I am trying to propagate some grapevines this year.

cucumbers and sunflowers on a vertical trellis — We have several vertical gardens and you can see in the background a Catio that my cat never uses. Ha ha! When I moved in, we didn’t know if my cat would want to go outside or not since she was cooped up in an apartment setting for 4 years before I go remarried.

This is our cucumber trellis. As you can see the T-posts are at an angle. I interplanted sunflowers since they are a companion of cucumbers as something for the cucumber vines to cling to and they also provide shade for the cucumbers. The cucumber leaves provide shade to keep the soil moist and weed-free.

tomatoe string growing kale in outside garden mulched by straw — Here is a picture of me trying the string training method of tomato growing. This was my first time planting Kale. On the right you can see a little of our raspberry plants.

The tomatoes didn’t work so well, but I think when I combined the chicken manure it was still too ripe. I haven’t quite figured out the deep litter method in our chicken coop.

bush beans pole beans and trellis nasturtiums planted outside — Bush beans interplanted with nasturtiums, and pole beans starting on a trellis. Pea trellis far left.

I interplanted nasturtiums with the beans because they bring beneficial bugs to the garden. Behind our Pea trellis are two galvanized tubs we planted our blueberry bushes in. We did this so we could keep the acidic soil from leaching out easily. We still have to check the soil pH but it does help to have the blueberries in a container.

Near the chicken yard we have two fruit trees that need some pruning and adding some amendments to the soil. We have a peach tree and a plum tree. I plan to plant some other bushes and plants around the fruit trees to build a Food Forrest.

Planning Your Own Homestead Layout

To plan your own homestead, I would look online for plans that others have pre-programmed for you. We, however, didn’t do it this way. We kind of fell into homesteading. I wanted to plant a garden. Then I wanted chickens. My husband already did so many things that are considered non-toxic and alternative.

Next, you can read up on parts of homesteading that appeal to you. Don’t do ALL the things at once. Decide one thing you want to try first. Read more about how to begin homesteading here.

Also, you don’t have to wait until someday. You can start learning the skills you need right now. YouTube has tons of videos on the topic. Start with a small garden. Pick one animal you can try in your area, such as chickens or meat rabbits.

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Questions About Starting a Homestead

How much money do I need to begin a homestead? It depends on the way you are going about it. Are you going to stay where you are or purchase new land? Some advise to save $10,000 others $250,000. If you stay where you are, including having an urban property, you can just start with some seeds, compost, and hay the first year.

We have a property that is less than an acre. The amount of land is not what’s important. It’s what you do with the land.

Have you started a homestead recently or are you planning to? Share your experience in the comments below.

Blessings!

Kimberlee