Planning, buying and caring for rural land and property. Every guide lists its sources and who to ask locally.
- How to Plan a Small Farm From ScratchA plain guide to planning a small farm from nothing: goals, land, money, time, and the order to do things so early…
- Farm Site Selection BasicsWhat to look for when choosing a site for a farm or a building on your land: slope, water, sun, wind, access, and…
- Evaluating Soil Before Buying FarmlandHow to look at soil before you buy farmland: what to ask, what to observe, when to test, and who can help you read the…
- How to Read a Farm Property ListingLearn how to read a farm or rural property listing: acreage, water, mineral rights, easements, taxes, and what the…
- Acreage Needed for Different Farm GoalsHow much land do you need for a garden, a few animals, hay, or a market farm? Learn what decides acreage and who can…
- Farm Layout and Zoning PrinciplesHow to lay out a small farm and check zoning first: zones of use, traffic flow, setbacks, and who to ask before you…
- Designing a FarmsteadPlan a farmstead that works day to day: the house, barn, shop, water, and yard arranged for safety, shelter, and fewer…
- Farm Infrastructure Priorities by YearA realistic order for building farm infrastructure over the first several years: water, fences, power, shelter…
- Farm Building Placement and AccessWhere to place farm buildings and how to give them reliable access: drainage, driveways, turnarounds, setbacks, and…
- Fencing Your Property: Where to StartBegin fencing the right way: decide the purpose, check boundary and legal rules, choose a fence type for your animals…
- Property Boundary and Survey BasicsUnderstand rural property boundaries: deeds, plats, surveys, markers, easements, and how to settle questions before a…
- Farm Access Roads and DrivewaysPlan a farm driveway or access road that lasts: legal access, drainage, surface, width, gates, and safe entry onto…
- Farm Drainage PlanningPlan drainage on farmland: read how water moves, spot wet-ground problems, understand ditches and tile, and learn the…
- Pond Site Selection and PermitsThinking of building a pond? Learn about soils, watershed, safety, permits, and who to call before you dig on your own…
- Water Sources on FarmlandA plain overview of water sources for farms: wells, springs, ponds, streams, and rainwater, with the legal and safety…
- Farm Well PlanningPlan a farm well with care: how much water you need, where to site it, who drills it, how it is tested and protected…
- Farm Electrical Service PlanningPlan electrical service for a farm: current and future loads, service location, barn and shop wiring, backup power…
- Farm Storage Needs AssessmentWork out what storage your farm really needs: feed, hay, tools, chemicals, produce, and equipment, and how to…
- Farm Shop PlanningPlan a farm shop that is safe and useful: size, location, floor, power, light, ventilation, fire safety, and how to…
- Farm Equipment Shed PlanningPlan an equipment shed that protects machinery: size, door width, floor, site, fire safety, and how to leave room for…
- Hay and Feed Storage PlanningPlan hay and feed storage that limits waste, mold, pests, and fire risk: how much room you need, where to put it, and…
- Livestock Facility PlanningPlan livestock housing, pens, handling areas, and water the right way: animal needs, flow, drainage, manure, and the…
- Barn Placement and Design BasicsLearn the basics of where to place a barn and how to design it: site, drainage, ventilation, doors, floors, fire…
- Farmstead WindbreaksLearn how windbreaks protect a farmstead: how they work, where to plant, which trees suit your area, and who can help…
- Farm Shade and Shelter PlanningPlan shade and shelter for livestock and people: trees, shelters, wind and heat protection, placement, and animal…
- Farmland Leasing BasicsHow farmland leases work, what to settle in writing before you sign, and who to ask locally so both landowner and…
- Buying vs. Leasing FarmlandWeigh buying farmland against leasing it: cash needs, risk, flexibility and long-term goals, plus the local experts to…
- Farmland Value FactorsWhat makes one piece of farmland worth more than another: soil, water, access, location and rules, and who to ask for…
- Farm Easements and RestrictionsUnderstand easements, deed restrictions and conservation agreements on farm property, and why you should read them…
- Farm Zoning and Land Use RulesHow county and town zoning shapes what you can build and do on rural land, and how to check the rules with your local…
- Right-to-Farm Laws for Rural LandownersWhat right-to-farm protections generally aim to do, why they differ by state, and how to learn what applies to you and…
- Farm Conservation Programs OverviewA plain-language tour of how federal and state conservation programs help farmers care for soil, water and habitat…
- Farmland Taxes and Agricultural ExemptionsHow property tax treatment of farmland generally works, why rules vary, and who to ask about agricultural assessment…
- Farm Insurance BasicsA plain overview of what farm insurance generally covers, where gaps appear, and what to ask an agent so you are not…
- Farm Liability and Risk AssessmentHow to walk your farm with a clear eye for hazards to family, workers and visitors, and what liability means in plain…
- Farm Property Records and DocumentationWhich papers a farm family should keep, how to organize them, and who to ask when a record is missing, lost or unclear…
- Farm Succession and Transfer PlanningA gentle, practical look at why families should plan the handing over of a farm, what questions to start with, and…
- Expanding a Farm PropertyHow to think through growing your farm onto more land, more animals or new enterprises without overreaching your…
- Buying Adjacent LandWhat to consider when a neighbor's land comes up for sale: the due diligence, financing questions and neighborly side…
- Farmland Rental Rates by RegionWhy farmland rents differ so much from one place to the next, what drives them, and where to find current figures for…
- Sharecropping and Crop-Share LeasesHow crop-share leases divide costs and harvest between landowner and operator, what to put in writing, and the history…
- Custom Farming AgreementsHow custom farming works, when hiring someone to do field work makes sense, and the terms to put in a written agreement.
- Grazing Leases ExplainedWhat a grazing lease covers, how stocking, fencing and water responsibilities are shared, and what both sides should…
- Hunting Leases on FarmlandHow landowners and hunters can set up a clear, safe hunting lease, and what to ask about law, liability and farm…
- Farmland Easements for UtilitiesWhat happens when a power, pipeline or broadband company wants to cross your farmland, and how to protect your land…
- Farm Road and Bridge Weight LimitsWhy loaded farm trucks and equipment can damage rural roads and bridges, and how to check limits and seasonal…
- Farm Security and Access ControlPractical ways to keep tools, fuel, animals and family safer on a farm through gates, lighting, records and good…
- Farm Signage and Address MarkersWhy a clear address marker can save lives on rural roads, how to think about farm signs, and who sets local rules for…
- Farm Property Maintenance CalendarA season-by-season way to organize farm upkeep, from fences and drainage to buildings, water and equipment, without…
- Ten-Year Farm Development PlanHow to build a realistic ten-year plan for a farm, from goals and land to money, labor and family, and why you should…