“We’d been evolving over to farming and I just enjoyed it much more,” Ben explains. Though Ben and Alysha were more than capable of straddling both worlds, it didn’t come without a price. Like most hobby farmers, Ben’s “real job” as owner of a construction company supported the family and afforded them a comfortable living. It worked for them and allowed Ben to continue his career in construction, until… Trading in a lucrative construction business to live off the land On their 40 acres they had a small dairy and horses grew their own produce and livestock and had an orchard. All the while Ben was still running a successful construction company in town.īen says jokingly, “The 20 acres was really just to entice my wife in the beginning, but I had plans to purchase the 20 adjoining acres as well.” I started with our first house in a little subdivision, then I drew her out to a rural subdivision with about 3 acres so she could have her horses there, then I lured her out to a bigger house on around 20 acres.”Īs the family fell in love with hobby farming and country life, they quickly expanded to 40 acres.

“My wife was a city girl, so I kept wanting to bring her out to the country. Like most families, the Godfreys didn’t begin their life together as homesteaders.īen (a country boy), his wife Alysha (a city girl) and their growing family gradually migrated from suburbia to full-time farming over the course of many years. A gradual shift from city slickers to suburban equestrians, then hobby farmers, then professionals Today, Ben shares his story, advice and insights on how you can get started on your hobby farming journey. If you take on too much land you’ll stretch yourself (and your wallet) too thin, but if you take on too little you could end up with a failing farm fast.įor aspiring self-reliant homesteaders or hobby farmers, figuring out just the right amount of acreage is crucial.įor answers to this foundational question, we turned to successful and well-known homesteader, small-scale farmer, educator and farming consultant Ben Godfrey of Sand Creek Farm in Cameron, TX.īen and his wife Alysha started out as small-scale hobby farmers and now run a successful, full-time 169-acre sustainable farm and homestead. One of the first things you’ll want to consider is what type of land and how much acreage you’ll need to support your family farm. We’ve discussed the numerous scientific studies on the health and lifestyle benefits of farming, the outdoors and nature-based living in previous posts.Ĭhildren thrive and get sick less on farms, adults stress less when they’re close to nature, and families, in general, are happier when their lives are busy, peaceful and purposeful-and a homestead or hobby farm provides an ideal backdrop. Just hop on or go to your local bookstore, and you’ll be greeted by a variety of magazines, books and how-to guides on the benefits of becoming self-reliant by building your own family homestead.

How many acres do you need for hunting land?ĭespite the enticing conveniences, luxuries and technological advances of typical 21 st century life, the trend toward homesteading, or hobby farming, for young families has exploded.

How many acres do you need to raise cattle?.

How many acres do you need to raise or board horses?.

How many acres do you need for a CSA or market garden?.How many acres do you need for an outdoor retreat?.T his article is part of our six-part series, 'How many acres do you need?' Be sure to check out the other five installments: Ben Godfrey tells how many acres you need for a hobby farm and shares his story of transitioning from suburb to hobby farm to fulltime sustainable farming.

Hobby farm vs homestead