5.69 Acres total
3.1 Acres for pasture & grazing
2.1 Acres is forested
0.4 Acres for Driveway, Homesite, & yard
2070 sq. ft. for Teaching Barn, and Workshop
Animal population on October 14, 2010:
1 milk cow, 1 steer, 1 calf
5 doe goats, 5 kids, 1 buck, 1 wether
26 geese
33 ducks
18 chickens
2 cats
3 beehives on site
All pastures are rotationally grazed to maximize quality grass & forage production.
The ruminant animals (cows & goats) are kept in winter confinement areas from October – March, and are pastured from March-October.
The Geese are rotationally grazed and on pasture throughout the year. They are separated into breeding pairs & nesting pens in January. When the goslings are large enough to handle the transition, the geese are mobbed back together again in the summer and rotational grazing resumes.
Ducks are kept in portable pens, and moved onto fresh grass daily throughout the year. Nesting ducks are added to selected goose nesting pens.
Chickens are penned up at night, and left to forage during the day. They are responsible for removing any potential insect breeding areas.
The cats keep the rodents from becoming a problem.
We have 4 garden spaces, one on each side of the house. 3 of these were previously described as “lawn”, but we now use them for growing vegetables.
We’ve got about 20 grape vines, 20 fruit trees (18 of which are small), and are always looking for intelligent ways to expand our “food forest”.