Our Homesteading Vision: Land Criteria

With our homesteading motivations out of the way the next thing I would like to discuss is the criteria we had compiled for our ideal piece of land. This criteria isn't a list of all the unique features of the land we ended up purchasing, this is what we had in mind while we were shopping.

Property Wants List:

• Within 45 Minutes of the City - This was something that was important to us for a few reasons: (1) to still be fairly close to friends and family; and (2) so that I would have a reasonable commute to work. Our long term plan was for us to both work from home but realistically, I would probably need to commute for a few more years until we can get the farm established. Aimee was already working mostly at home with graphic design and photography.
• West or Southwest of the City - If you read the last post you will remember that recreation was important to me. Most of the fun activities I like to do outdoors are west of Edmonton because that is where the mountains are located: including hunting, stream fishing, camping, and skiing. Go west young man. Also, the prevailing winds are from the northwest so any pollution from the city and the surrounding refineries blows southeast, the opposite direction of where we wanted to live.

Photo by Alan Carrillo on Unsplash

• Water Features - We wanted land with water, ideally a stream or several ponds. Water is necessary for life, plus having water we could use for livestock and to irrigate crops was a priority for us. I was also interested in having water bodies for the diversity of plants and animals it would bring to the property. There are many species of birds and small mammals that prefer to live in or on the edges of water features.
• At Least 20 Acres - As I mentioned in the previous post, I eventually want to have a functioning permaculture farm. It is possible to make a living on less land but in our extremely cold climate that would limit our options considerably. I didn't have a concrete plan for what types of crops or livestock I wanted to raise so I wanted to leave my options open. A bigger chunk of land also meant more space for the kids and a bigger buffer zone from our neighbors.
• Flat or South Facing Slope - This far north the sun is extremely low in the sky during the winter. This means that northern facing slopes are colder in the winter because they are in the shade and they also heat up at a slower pace in the spring; not what you want to maximize the growing season. We wanted land with some south facing slope so we would be working with a warmer micro climate. The whole property didn't have to be all south facing but at least a good chunk; 25-30% is what we were looking to be south facing.
• Near a Major Town - While we wanted to be a fair distance from the big city (The zombies remember!), we didn't want to be too far from potential markets or community. Peace and quiet is great but if you are lonely and have no one to sell the food you grow to that means a lot of driving. While we certainly don't mind driving a bit, excessive driving is something we were trying to get away from.
• Mix of Pasture and Trees - While land that is completely devoid of trees means you get to start with a clean slate to work with it also means that years or even decades will pass before any trees you plant become large. A fully treed piece of property is nice until you want to plant some crops or raise some livestock then you're faced with a huge amount of effort needed to clear space. Having some established trees for a windbreak and firewood, and to bring diversity was important but so was some open pasture.

Photo by Dominic Dreier on Unsplash

• Internet Access - In many of the rural areas of Canada internet access is terrible. It has been getting better although, generally speaking, it still isn't as fast as in the city. Having reasonable access to internet was important so we could conduct business from home. Especially Aimee who is always sending and receiving photos and graphics. Plus, how else would we Steem!
• Raw Land - While starting with land that was already developed and had a home built already would certainly be easier, it would also mean more debt. A lot of times, properties with existing structures can be a better value but they will never be exactly what you want. We definitely wanted to design and orient our house so that it would be more energy efficient. Raw land would also allow us to lay out the yard the way we wanted and locate the the yard where it made the most sense. With a pre-developed property you get what get.
• Not Near Train Tracks or Large Transmission Lines! - I almost forgot this one. It seems like all the affordable properties are either near train tracks or under the large transmission lines! The noise is definitely something that would get old quickly, especially if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle to relax. I have heard that living near power lines can increase the odds of illnesses like cancer which makes sense because they will lose some electromagnetic energy.

Photo by Kholodnitskiy Maksim on Unsplash

Those are the main criteria we had in mind when we went out property hunting. I know, we are very demanding but we wanted our property to be just right because we planned on living there for a long time. People no longer seem to have a connection to where they live anymore because the ability to move around so much is easier now. We feel that people reconnecting to the land is important for society and the environment. If the general population cared more about the area they lived, they would be less likely to damage the environment and more likely to put effort into building up the community.

In my next post on this topic, I will get into the details of the property we ended up buying so you can see how well we did on our demanding checklist!

Having our #dreamscometrue is possible for every single one of us. Do you want to turn your dreams into a reality? Then join @senorcoconut on his mission to rally the community into realizing their dreams.