Buying a Hobby Farm
Buying a hobby farm will truly change your life. It brings about a new sense of responsibility, a deeper connection with the land and nature, and ultimately a new found peace.
I moved to the country when I was 10 years old. We had 12 rolling acres of trees, fields, trails and 2 ponds. We eventually put in a paddock and boarded a mare (female horse) and her foal (baby horse). I can say growing up on a hobby farm drastically improved my life. I was able to find myself more easily and make more heart lead decisions in life. I knew after a tough day I could come home and find grounding and peace by being surrounded by nature.
This also inspired me to want to raise my own family with this type of lifestyle. My husband and I worked very hard to buy our own 5-acre property in the county. We are now raising our 2 daughters here, growing vegetables, fruit and trees, raising chickens and other pets, and connecting with nature and her cycles daily. If you would like to learn more about our story and see firsthand a hobby farm lifestyle, visit The Everyday Farm Girl.
What is a Hobby Farm?
Wikipedia defines a hobby farm as “a smallholding or small farm that is maintained without expectation of being a primary source of income. Some are merely to provide some recreational land, and perhaps a few horses for the family’s children.”
I would define a hobby farm as a country or rural property that is your primary residence, where you work with the land to develop a homestead.
Hobby Farm Ideas
Maybe you love the idea of owning and managing a hobby farm but aren’t quite sure what you want to do yet. Here is a list of ideas to get you started:
- Board, train, and/or ride horses
- Tree farming
- Crop farming
- Greenhouse growing
- Maple syrup farming
- Honey bees
- Fish farm (ie. rainbow trout)
- Animal recuse sanctuary
- Dog and cat boarding
- Chickens, goats, sheep, pig, cattle farming
- Any other way you can use the land that is an interest of yours!
There really are countless options of how you can utilize land. Maybe you want to have a farm stand at the end of your drive where you sell fresh farm eggs, pumpkins in October, and other fresh fruit and vegetables when they are ripe? The dream is yours to create!
Factors to Consider When Buying a Hobby Farm
There are some important factors to consider when buying a hobby farm. The main factor is your intended use. Do you want to have animals and if so, what kind? This will help determine how many acres you may need. For example, a single horse requires 1 acre of land, whereas chickens require little space. Do you want to farm the land or lease your land to a farmer? If so, you will want to know more about the climate and soil so you know what crops will successfully grow.
Once you determine your intended use you can narrow down what some of your property requirements are. How many acres you will need? What does the lay of the land need to be? Will you require specific zoning or additional buildings of any type? What is your price range? Your Realtor will know what questions to ask and answer once you consider these factors.
Location, Location, Location!
Hopefully, you are starting to develop a clearer vision of what kind of hobby farm you are looking for so now it’s time to find one! Not only will the location be a key factor, but selecting the right Realtor will be as well. Finding a local Realtor that services your area of interest and has experience or specializes in hobby farms is crucial to your success. They will know the areas that will support your vision. Your Relator should know about the property's zoning and the zoning process. They should know about land and soil types. They will also know local farmers, suppliers, and businesses in the area that can work with you to succeed in your dream of owning a successful hobby farm.
Your Local Realtor
Please contact me if you have further questions or comments about this article on buying a hobby farm. If you are looking to purchase a hobby farm in New Tecumseth, King Township, Caledon, Mono, Mulmur or Essa, be sure to reach out to me as these are my areas of expertise. I also have many contacts of excellent Realtors in other areas, so if you don’t see your area listed, please ask me. Let me help you put down roots in our beautiful community.
