Get the Most From Your Land

We all have different landscapes to work with.

Here in Kentucky, we have hills, valleys, and some beautiful flat fields.  I love that our landscape is so diverse. However, it can also make farming a challenge.

Instead of fighting the terrain, sometimes it’s best to embrace the landscape you’ve been dealt with.

Here are some ways to take advantage of the land you have.

Hills and valleys are surprisingly useful to have on a farm.  Many animals thrive on an incline.  Some actually prefer it (like goats).  We have a field that is entirely on a slope that is fenced in.  Our livestock appear to enjoy it as well as our flat fields.

SHEEP & GOATS:

Sheep and goats are known for their adaptability.  They will enjoy life on a slope.  These animals are also fans of brush and brambles.  They can find nutrition on hills, in woods, and in fields.

If you have a wooded area you would like cleared – get some goats.  They will have all the brush and weeds mowed down in no time and they will eventually kill the larger trees too.  In our experience, it is just a matter of time.  Goats like to eat the bark off of the bottom portion of trees.  Once the bark is gone (even if it is just a small ring) it will kill the tree.

FUNFACT:  The number one cause of trees dying in neighborhoods is weed eaters.  The weedeater’s repetitive pressure on the bark around the bottom of trees will eventually kill it.

In fact, if you don’t want the goats to kill the mature trees you should probably put some fencing around them so they can’t get to the bark.

CATTLE:

Cows are happy to live in sunny pastures, on hills, and even in the woods.

They will need pasture, but if the hill is a grassy one, the cows should do fine.  Our cows have always had a variety of landscapes.  Our pastures are mostly sunny (so grass can grow) but they all include quite a bit of wooded land.  All of our animals love the woods.  On hot summer days, it is always significantly cooler in the woods where the shade is thick.

Believe it or not, the woods do provide quite a bit of nutrition for cattle.  Cows love leaves.  All of the branches at the bottom of the trees (within the cow’s reach) at our place are completely bare.

PIGS:

Pigs do not thrive on grass.  It is not necessary to waste a lush pasture on a few pigs.  In fact, they probably won’t even enjoy it – they will simply root it all up in search of grubs.  It is best to put your pigs in the woods, in the shade, in a future garden plot, or somewhere you want to be cleared.

Since pigs are going to get most of their nutrition from bugs, grubs, garden waste, and hog feed; they can live just about anywhere.

We kept our pigs in a beautiful grassy paddock when we first got them.  It took them a few weeks to turn the entire lot into a desert.

Now we keep our pigs in a wooded area that is on a slope.  There is a flat(ish) spot for their hutch, but other than that, they are on an incline.  The pigs love it.  They enjoy the shade of the trees and the bits of sun that shine through.  They don’t get too hot or sunburned, and have plenty of space to stretch.

HILLSIDE FARMING

More than livestock can be successfully kept on hills.

GRAPES:

Did you know that grape vines are usually planted on slopes?  They are.  A hill may be the perfect place to put in a grapevine and enjoy fresh grapes for years to come.

GARDENS:

Gardening on a hill is completely possible.

In many countries and cultures crops have been grown using terraced land for centuries.  It is functional and stunning.

When we decided to expand our garden, the land we had left to work with was nothing but a hill.  We put in tiers in order to cope with the slope.

I LOVED my terraced garden.  It was a functional use of the land and turned out beautiful.

When it comes to gardening on hills there are varieties that will THRIVE on a slope.

When you have a downhill drop or slant on a side of your garden take advantage of that by planting any vining varieties on that side Watermelon, canteloupe, cucumber (not bush), spaghetti squash, butternut squash, or pumpkins! All of these vines will take off down the hill and flourish!

Being dealt a farm with flat ground does make life easy.

BUT – with a little creativity, a farm flowing with hills and valleys can be the most beautiful place you’ve ever stepped foot on.

Happy Homesteading!

XO,

Candi