Daily: taking up space
So with the idea of maybe moving comes the question of what I need to move to. I have a pretty good sense for myself whether a property will fit me, but because my decisions are always based on a huge number of trade-offs and priorities that have different weight when set beside other trade-offs it's not easy to communicate them.
What would make me happy though?
Property has:
-Roughly an acre of basically level or terraced fenced garden for variety trials etc, I don't plan to use it all at first but I know I'll want that much at some point
-Space for at least 1000 square feet of greenhouse eventually, whatever that looks like and in whatever configuration, existing greenhouse can double for winter bird or pig space
-Ability to walk around near the house, at least out one of the doors of the house, without worrying about clothes etc. This could be created with privacy fencing, distance, or vegetation
-Root cellar or unfinished basement room, this can be added if the water table permits
-Own source of reliable water, either a stream or a well, or if on city water than some sort of nearby backup
-Orchard space for at the very least 8 trees (ideally standard size but hey), doesn't have to be level
-Small fruits space (raspberries, haskaps, etc) ideally an acre but flexible, doesn't have to be level
-Loop driveway
-Trailer storage, doesn't have to be covered but has to be off the loop driveway
-Bear-proof dry feed storage, at least 100 square feet, though this can be made or a sea can will work
-At least 600 square feet of barn/stall/shelter space, though this can be made
-Hammock location
-Absolute minimum 2 acres of pasture to rotate the birds through, can double as lawn etc
-Some organic matter in the soil, ideally lots, and at least some areas without swamp/standing water/pure sand
-Gosh fencing and standpipes would be nice
House has:
-One pantry room for shelves of cans and for freezers
-One brewery/wet hobby room with water-ok floors (concrete, lino, robust wood, tile) and ideally a sink or tiled shower surround with a detachable showerhead, though in a super ideal world the curing and brewing and pottery would be separate
-One meditation/yoga space, could be a loft or a room or even a small building on the property
-One dry hobby room with sewing machine and lots of shelving
-Either a big kitchen or an open concept kitchen/diningroom where the diningroom can be turned into a kitchen counter-and-storage extension
-Bedroom with enough room for a king bed and at least two dressers, ideally with a closet too
-Some sort of entertaining space, livingroom or something
Site has (these are more flexible):
-Within half an hour of a feed source
-Ideally walking distance to a corner store or somesuch
-Far enough from an airport that I'm allowed to fly a drone over it
-Agricultural neighbours or crown land surrounding, or very large property
-Far enough away from highway noise
-Safe, trailer-and-bike friendly road
-Wildfire buffers of some kind
-Local food hub of some kind
-Within twenty minutes or so of town or work
-Nurseries in the area
-A robust farm facebook site or similar
-People that say hi or wave when they drive past each other
-Not colder than -30 ever, or -20 most of the time, would be nice
-Some rain in summer
-Bike paths in the area
-Some nice restaurants in town
-A walkable downtown area
-An abbatoir within 30 mins (ha)
What would make me happy though?
Property has:
-Roughly an acre of basically level or terraced fenced garden for variety trials etc, I don't plan to use it all at first but I know I'll want that much at some point
-Space for at least 1000 square feet of greenhouse eventually, whatever that looks like and in whatever configuration, existing greenhouse can double for winter bird or pig space
-Ability to walk around near the house, at least out one of the doors of the house, without worrying about clothes etc. This could be created with privacy fencing, distance, or vegetation
-Root cellar or unfinished basement room, this can be added if the water table permits
-Own source of reliable water, either a stream or a well, or if on city water than some sort of nearby backup
-Orchard space for at the very least 8 trees (ideally standard size but hey), doesn't have to be level
-Small fruits space (raspberries, haskaps, etc) ideally an acre but flexible, doesn't have to be level
-Loop driveway
-Trailer storage, doesn't have to be covered but has to be off the loop driveway
-Bear-proof dry feed storage, at least 100 square feet, though this can be made or a sea can will work
-At least 600 square feet of barn/stall/shelter space, though this can be made
-Hammock location
-Absolute minimum 2 acres of pasture to rotate the birds through, can double as lawn etc
-Some organic matter in the soil, ideally lots, and at least some areas without swamp/standing water/pure sand
-Gosh fencing and standpipes would be nice
House has:
-One pantry room for shelves of cans and for freezers
-One brewery/wet hobby room with water-ok floors (concrete, lino, robust wood, tile) and ideally a sink or tiled shower surround with a detachable showerhead, though in a super ideal world the curing and brewing and pottery would be separate
-One meditation/yoga space, could be a loft or a room or even a small building on the property
-One dry hobby room with sewing machine and lots of shelving
-Either a big kitchen or an open concept kitchen/diningroom where the diningroom can be turned into a kitchen counter-and-storage extension
-Bedroom with enough room for a king bed and at least two dressers, ideally with a closet too
-Some sort of entertaining space, livingroom or something
Site has (these are more flexible):
-Within half an hour of a feed source
-Ideally walking distance to a corner store or somesuch
-Far enough from an airport that I'm allowed to fly a drone over it
-Agricultural neighbours or crown land surrounding, or very large property
-Far enough away from highway noise
-Safe, trailer-and-bike friendly road
-Wildfire buffers of some kind
-Local food hub of some kind
-Within twenty minutes or so of town or work
-Nurseries in the area
-A robust farm facebook site or similar
-People that say hi or wave when they drive past each other
-Not colder than -30 ever, or -20 most of the time, would be nice
-Some rain in summer
-Bike paths in the area
-Some nice restaurants in town
-A walkable downtown area
-An abbatoir within 30 mins (ha)