28 Farm Layout Design Ideas to Inspire Your Homestead Dream (2024)

Are you considering becoming a homesteader but aren’t sure where to start or if you can even make it work with the amount of land you have?

Well, fear not because I am going to bring you some plans to help you get started right where you are. It is important to realize that even if you live in an apartment, you can take steps to become more self-sufficient.

However, if you live in a home and have even a ¼ acre, there are ways to lay it out and utilize that piece of land to the fullest.

So take a look at these land layouts and see what you can glean from them. Hopefully, your mind will be spinning with ideas before you are through.

1. The Small Backyard

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If you live in the suburbs and have a teeny tiny piece of land then this design is great news for you. Why?

Because it shows you how to harvest your own food and raise goats and chickens in a small space. If you are thinking that your land is just not functional, well check out this layout.

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2. The ¼ Acre Layout

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Do you have around a ¼ acre, but you still aren’t sure how to utilize it? Well, then you definitely need to check out this design. It gives you space to not only grow your own food, but also room to raise goats, sheep, rabbits, and chickens.

Plus, you have room for your kids to play and to have a small orchard too. This layout pretty well has it all on ¼ acre.

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3. The ½-1 Acre Design

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My, my, my the things you can accomplish on 1 little acre. According to this layout, you can raise your food, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, and have a play area too.

But this layout also gives you room for a nice herb garden, storage, and a few nut trees too. This definitely sounds like it could be a great plan to being self-sustained.

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4. The 2-3 Acre Layout

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If you have 2-3 acres, you are really in business. This layout not only gives you everything else that the others mentioned, but you are also able to raise cattle and enough food for your animals.

So you could have multiple meat sources, multiple dairy sources, and plenty of food for both you and your animals. This sounds like a great layout for me.

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5. The Urban Permaculture Design

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This design is extremely organized and well thought out. It gives you details from décor to function. It also lets you know where to plant certain items.

For instance, in the orchard, you need some plants for food and some plants to nourish the actual fruit trees. I found this very helpful.

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6. The Edible Garden Design

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This design would be a good layout for those in a warmer climate. It includes growing your own citrus trees and pomegranates.

However, it also includes growing your own vegetables and nuts too. This looks like a very functional design as well and one that would be worth checking out in my opinion.

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7. The Designer Micro Layout

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If you are someone that doesn’t just want your homestead to be functional but it must also be gorgeous to look at, let me be the first to say that I don’t blame you.

But with that in mind, you might want to check out this homestead layout. It doesn’t include raising animals but it does include raising your own fruits and vegetables. Plus, it shows you where to plant the ornamental plants you’d like to keep around for decoration as well.

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8. The Designer Chicken Layout

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This layout is another one that is meant to be functional and gorgeous. It has nice features like a raised kitchen garden bed. How handy would that be? I personally would love it!

However, it also gives you the option for raising chickens. It fits them neatly and conveniently to your small homestead. That way your home would not only be gorgeous but a little more self-sufficient too.

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9. The All-Inclusive Layout

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Do you like the idea of being totally self-sufficient? Well, this layout definitely has you in mind. It includes all of the placement details of raising your own food and nice features for everyday living.

However, it also includes a design for your own water system on your homestead. This is a great way to help be self-sustained and the fact that it’s included on a smaller scale is that much better.

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10. The Basic Farm Layout

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These layouts are all just meant to be guides to you to see what you would like on your property and how you could potentially make it happen. So this design is a layout of what a traditional farm usually consists of.

However, you’d probably have to have a larger piece of land to fit it all on it. But if you don’t have that, don’t worry. You could simply try to pull whatever you like from it and duplicate it on a smaller scale.

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11. 1-Acre Dreamin’ Layout

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This was the layout that first convinced me that I could farm on a smaller chunk of land. It is by Mother Earth News(naturally because I love their publication!)

But really it is something that can be adapted to whatever size land you have. It is also a fully functional homestead too.

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12. The Permaculture Layout

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If you live in a manufactured home this layout was designed with you in mind. Now, if you don’t, you could still make this work for you.

However, I know a lot of the designs are usually made with an old farmhouse in mind. This one is very versatile, and I love it for that reason. It also shows you how to use plants as hedging for your property which is natural (obviously) and an easy way to get boundaries started.

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13. The 1/10 of an Acre Homestead Layout

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I love this layout. It is designed with the average person with the average amount of land in mind. It is also very informative by letting you know how big the beds should be.

Plus, it is also very neat and easy to read. I love how everything is numbered, and you can just walk through it and figure out how to transfer that to your property.

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14. The Sustainable Homestead Map

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This map is rather basic and gives you a generalized overview of what you might need on a homestead in order to be self-sustained.

Plus, it shows you how you can potentially lay it out. Obviously, some of the details of each layout will have to be modified to fit your particular piece of land.

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15. The Garden Layout

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This is not a complete homestead layout, but I did think it needed to be mentioned. The reason is that the key to self-sufficiency is really gardening and chickens (in my opinion.)

If you have those then you’ll eat and have just about every vitamin you need. Now, this wouldn’t cover your water or electricity but if you get started and have these two things going then you are well on your way to being self-sustained.

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16. The Complete Design

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I love the design of this homestead. They thought of practically everything. The design also tells you what you need for self-sufficiency and what you need for profit.

Plus, they’ve thought of how you could enjoy your home while also raising plenty of meat and eggs to sustain your family. It really is a nice design in my opinion.

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17. The 2-Acre Homestead

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This layout shows you how to be completely self-sustained on as little as 2-acres. Now, this may be less than what you have or way more.

Either way, you can adapt a lot of the ideas to fit your land to utilize it to the best of your ability. Personally, I like this plan because it shows you where to place items and how much of it you need.

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18. The Hamilton Permaculture Layout

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I like this layout because it incorporates a few different ideas that some other plans haven’t mentioned. One is including a worm farm. This is great as it produces a rich compost which has positive effects on your gardening.

Also, it includes bees, aquaculture, and chicken tractor in the space which is always a nice addition. Not to mention, this design is easier to read than some which I always appreciate that too.

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19. The Larger Farm Layout

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If you are someone that has more than a few acres, then you might really like this layout. It includes all of the typical farm buildings.

Plus, it has plenty of room to raise your own food and meat. So if you have plenty of lands you might as well use it to its fullest ability.

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20. The Urban Homestead Layout

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This layout is designed for the urban homesteader according to its original site. They have given you lots of ideas of things to take into consideration when designing your homestead.

For instance, you need to consider what you plan on growing. But you should also consider areas for relaxation and enjoyment. After all, you can’t work all of the time.

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21. The Old School Homestead Layout

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This design reminds me of an old school homestead from many, many years ago. It includes many functional buildings which I’m sure you’d find great uses for around your homestead.

However, I’d imagine you would have to have a few acres of land to recreate this homestead design identically.

22. The All Inclusive Small Homestead Design

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This homestead layout doesn’t appear to need a ton of acreage. I really like it because it shows you how to make room for multiple meat sources.

Plus, they also give you a space for multiple cold frame greenhouses, too. I’m just a huge fan of anything that maximizes all of the space, and I feel like this design does that.

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23. The Family Food Garden Layout

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I like this design because it shows you how to raise a lot of food in one smaller space. Obviously, you’d have to have a couple of acres for this because one cow requires an acre to itself.

But if you have space, this design is great. It appears convenient as the food is right out of the front door. Plus, it keeps the animals farther from the house so you don’t have to deal with so much smell.

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24. The Family of 4 Mini-Farm Layout

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According to the original site of this layout, it was designed with the idea in mind of supporting a family of four. That is awesome!

Plus, think about how much money that would save you. Not to mention, how much healthier it would be for your family. If you need ideas on how to support your family naturally, this could be it.

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25. The Homestead Layout

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I love the design of this homestead. It is functional and pretty too. It includes an office space, solar panels, and lots of room to raise food when the weather is warm or when it’s cooler.

So if you need a functional and well-organized design then this could very well be it. It also appears easy enough to modify to fit your land too.

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26. The Modern Homestead

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If you dream of having the perfect planting space on your homestead then this layout will turn your dream into a reality. It features a lot of edibles and if you are a plant lover like the designer of this layout then you are in for a treat.

Although I must say, this layout is hard to read and it will cost a lot to fill the garden out according to plan. However, if you can read and understand the layout and have the extra money, go for it.

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27. The Unique Homestead Layout

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I really like this homestead design as well. It gives you all of the basics that a lot of the other designs have included.

However, it includes a few extras like the placement of the root cellar which is a huge homesteading bonus to have available to you.

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28. The Real Life Layout

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I like this layout because it looks like something that is ‘real life.’ What I mean by that is that it is something that you could actually live out.

Don’t get me wrong, the others do as well. This one just gives you options for placing a fire pit, swing set, and even a sunflower patch. These are all great additions that would make everyday life that much more enjoyable.

View this layout

I hope you all have found these layouts helpful and at the very least interesting to look at. Hopefully, they will inspire you and give you some ideas on how to layout your own homestead regardless of the size of land you have to work with.

Honestly, if you have a smaller space of land it is a good thing when starting out. You will soon realize that homesteading is rewarding but a lot of hard work. So the less you have to maintain in the beginning, the better.

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28 Farm Layout Design Ideas to Inspire Your Homestead Dream (2024)

FAQs

How do you plan a homestead layout? ›

Homestead Planning Things to Consider
  1. What is your homestead land boundaries?
  2. Are your pasture slopes anything 30° or less that will help you to avoid erosion issues?
  3. Where will you build your home? ...
  4. Where and what are your water resources?
  5. Where will your animals be placed?
Nov 30, 2022

How do I plan my farm layout? ›

OVERALL FARM LAYOUT

This type of planning should consider the location of buildings, shelters, roads, paths, paddocks, utilities, etc. Think about the workflow that will take place on your farm, and how equipment, people, products and materials will move from one location to another.

What makes a farm a homestead? ›

But in a broad sense, homesteading is about living a self-sufficient lifestyle. For most people, the main aspects of a homestead are owning their land and the buildings on it, and doing small-scale farming with the goal of being self-sufficient, or at least limiting their reliance on outside sources.

What is the meaning of farm layout? ›

Farm layout involves the location of the fields with respect to the farmstead and public highways, the size, shape and number of fields, and the location of hog-lots, feed yards, etc. In arranging or re-arranging a farm layout the most important considerations are convenience and economy of operation.

Is 5 acres enough for a ranch? ›

With an adequate water supply, five acres is suitable to raise poultry for meat or eggs, as well as small ruminants (goats and sheep). It may be possible to produce hay or silage, even on non-irrigated land, if harvest can be contracted out.

Which program can help you plan the best farm layout? ›

By using Visio, you can create a comprehensive and easy-to-follow plan for your farm, ensuring maximum efficiency and productivity. Say goodbye to the confusion and frustration of managing your farm, and let Visio be your guide.

How to homestead on 2 acres? ›

What Can You Do with a Couple of Acres (or Less)?
  1. Boxwood House.
  2. Winter Squash.
  3. Greenhouse in Winter.
  4. Converting Small Orchard to Forest Garden.
  5. Goats.
  6. Mixed Flock on Pasture.

How much space do I need for a farm? ›

A small farm can range from a half-acre with a few laying hens and a small veggie garden, to 40 acres with cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, and acres of field crops and veggies.

What's the difference between a homestead and a farm? ›

What is the difference between a homestead, a small farm, and simply living out in the country? A homestead is when you go where there is open land and make you home [or have it built] and then start a farm to feed your family. A small farm is the same, but you can buy one with the house, fields, and sometimes animals.

What is a hobby farm vs homestead? ›

Hobby farmers are different than homesteaders in that they do not have the same drive to be self-reliant. They are different than what we call farmers because they are not trying to make a living. They will often have very good off-farm jobs that fund their farming habit.

Where is the best place to start a homestead? ›

10 Best States For Homesteading 2023
  1. Tennessee. Rural Tennessee is already a popular location for sustainable living enthusiasts, with a fantastic harvesting season of around 9 months of the year, there are low property taxes and costs.
  2. Idaho. ...
  3. Oregon. ...
  4. Maine. ...
  5. Michigan. ...
  6. Connecticut. ...
  7. Montana. ...
  8. Alaska. ...
Feb 9, 2024

What makes a farm a farm? ›

A farm is defined as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year.

Why is erosion bad for farming? ›

The loss of fertile soil makes land less productive for agriculture, creates new deserts, pollutes waterways and can alter how water flows through the landscape, potentially making flooding more common.

Why do they call it a farm? ›

It was around the early 16th century that the word farm was applied to the land held on lease for agricultural purposes, and later to any land used for the raising of crops, regardless of tenancy or ownership.

How do I start off the grid in Homestead? ›

How To Live Off The Grid In 7 Steps
  1. Locate Land. ...
  2. Build Or Buy Your Home. ...
  3. Determine Your Water Source. ...
  4. Develop Your Food Supply. ...
  5. Establish A Power System. ...
  6. Create A Septic And Waste Disposal System. ...
  7. Enjoy Off-Grid Living.
Nov 8, 2022

How do you build a successful homestead? ›

On to the list!
  1. Create Your Vision. ...
  2. Pay Off Your Debt And Create (and use) A Budget. ...
  3. Assess Your Property. ...
  4. Start NOW. ...
  5. Learn To Preserve Food. ...
  6. Prepare For Animals Before Bringing Them On The Homestead. ...
  7. Be Prepared To Learn. ...
  8. Make The Most Of Free Resources.

What are the elements of a homestead? ›

Elements of the Productive Homestead

For design purposes, the productive homesteading land consists of five main parts: the dwelling, work areas (some of which are a part of the dwelling), garden and orchard areas, livestock areas, and livestock feed production areas.

How much land do you need to run a self-sufficient homestead? ›

Though you may not be able to raise a year's worth of food on 1/4 acre in the suburbs, you also don't need a 20 acre homestead. For the average family of four, you can expect to grow a year's worth of food on three to five acres.

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