Farmstead Planning

Farm Planning Objectives:

Efficiency

Safe, pleasant, productive

Environmental control

Major factors:

weather
geography
materials handling

Whether new or old

consider entire
farmstead
possible future changes

Farm Planning Factors

1.

Topography: Is it suitable (flats) for crop production and cattle

grazing or (hilly) for tree plantations, orchards and vineyards?

2.

Availability of natural resources: Sufficient running water for

cattle and sheep; what about a river for irrigation purposes?

3.

Location of the farm: How far is it from a market (fresh fruit and
vegetables) or silo (maize, sunflower and wheat crops)?

4.

Farming practices: The availability of workers must also be taken

into account as fresh fruit, vegetables, citrus and vines need more
labourers (handpicking) than cattle farming.

5.

Different enterprise possibilities: Sufficient rainfall, soil type,

daylight hours and temperature to yield crops, or rather cattle
breeding (Bushveld) where it is too dry and warm for crops?

6.

The availability of capital: Aid from the government, Bank loans

or Contract based?

7.

The preference\experience of the farmer/owner (in a lesser

degree) will also influence decision-making.

Farm Planning factors

Do not forget factors such as:1)
2)
3)
4)

5)

Intensity and direction of the wind,

Average monthly minimum and maximum temperatures
What time does the sun rise and set through the seasons?
What is average annual vapour-transpiration rate of an
area?
What is the average humidity throughout the year?

) These

factors must therefore be integrated in such a way to

ensure a sustained farming enterprise. To accomplish this
task, the farmer will have to do some planning at first.
Planning though, can not be done without knowledge

What are the principles of site selection?

To evaluate the farm in its whole, it will be necessary to draw a

map indicating the farms topography, boundaries as well as
soil and water resources.

This is essential information needed in the planning process

when selecting a site for a specific purpose, e.g. building a dam
or waterway; the lay out of a new land etc.

North eastern slopes are preferred for maximum sunlight,

warmth and protection from winds.

Slopes do have a tendency to erosion and need to be cultivated

with care. Soil erosion can be prevented by not using slopes
with a gradient of more than 7 when cultivating for crops.

Site Selection
Pay attention to the following when
production sites are selected
Soil types, soil depth and fertility
Drainage of the soil
Availability of water
the natural vegetation
Access to the area

Site Selection

During the process of selecting an enterprise on the farm one

will also take into account the information regarding natural
resources and the specific needs for the different enterprises.

The natural resource base must be able to sustain the

selected enterprise. The following should be taken into
account:

Water flow onto and off the farm.

Terrestrial (land) and aquatic (water) living organis found on
the farm.
Expected biomass to be removed from farm and required
inputs to replace the loss

Farm layout

A Farm layout refers to the compiling of physical

structures such as homesteads, outbuildings,
waterways, contours, camps, water supply roads
and the layout of orchards, vineyards or lands.

However, the area where the farm is situated,

the topography, the availability of natural
resources, the farming practices, the different
enterprises,the availability of capital and the
preference of the farmer/owner will also affect
the farm layout.