Homestead choices

So working on figuring out use on my 5 acres here in east OK. Need to get dirt tested at extension office etc, but should be decent, used to be farmland.

Some thoughts I was a little lost on. Trying to decide if it's better to have back 2-3 acres as grazing land for a beef cow/goats vs keep them penned into an acre and try to grow grass out to cut for them. I've seen a few people claim that you actually can do better just buying an auction cow, finishing it a bit a few weeks, then slaughtering more cost effectively than raising a calf these days? Trying to decide if I do a beef cow or two weighed against all my chickens and wanted to do some dairy goats. (not sure I can bring myself to eat a bunch of goat)

Still have a full time job until collapse of society, so part of me has wondered in my front few acres, if it might be better to plant a orchard of mixed fruit and nut tree's as possibly being lower maintenance than trying to do multiple acres of crops.

I would start with the resources at agricultural schools and try to identify what the best choices are for your specific climate. And what the next 2 decades look like for rainfall and heat. That should give you some practical guidance or crops and trees. I think fruit trees is a great idea but I know some nut trees require alot of water.

I have been trying to get an orchard to grow, but no luck yet. The orchard should provide yearly, with extra to use as feed for animals. I don't know your land and water resources, but a rotational pasture is best. I have purchased calves at sale, along with ready to finish. Calves take 18 months to get to weight. It is work. A steer can be finished in months, but will cost a little more. I paid $100 for calves, $235 for a 350lb steer last year. I would be willing to pay $4-500 for the steer as it saves so much extra work and time. Bottle calf milk is expensive, taking all the savings out of the purchase.
We raise pigs as I get free food from the restaurant. Pig up a feeder in midsummer and feed them all the fruit that falls on the ground in the orchard. Feed them any leftovers from the garden as well. It will make the meat delicious. If you have to buy feed, just go and buy your pork chops at the store. If you pay to butcher, expect .70-$1 per pound hanging weight. Hogs can be butchered right after they are killed, no hang time.
Tractor supply has a chicken plucker for around $300, this allows you to pluck them in seconds or a minute, huge time saver. I skin ours because I am too cheap and too lazy to pluck by hand.
Goats are a pain in the A$$. I had 40 at one time. Build a rot iron fence 8 ft tall around their pen, and another around your property. Energize the outer fence for when they get out of the inner fence, around 250k volts should work to keep them in.

If Widefield CO. can grow grapes you can grow grapes. If you enjoy Asparagus see if you can grow it. We can.

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Originally Posted by fitz19d

So working on figuring out use on my 5 acres here in east OK. Need to get dirt tested at extension office etc, but should be decent, used to be farmland.

Some thoughts I was a little lost on. Trying to decide if it's better to have back 2-3 acres as grazing land for a beef cow/goats vs keep them penned into an acre and try to grow grass out to cut for them. I've seen a few people claim that you actually can do better just buying an auction cow, finishing it a bit a few weeks, then slaughtering more cost effectively than raising a calf these days? Trying to decide if I do a beef cow or two weighed against all my chickens and wanted to do some dairy goats. (not sure I can bring myself to eat a bunch of goat)

Still have a full time job until collapse of society, so part of me has wondered in my front few acres, if it might be better to plant a orchard of mixed fruit and nut tree's as possibly being lower maintenance than trying to do multiple acres of crops.

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Goat is exceptionally tasty, providing, like lamb, you don't over cook it. Honestly it taste like pot roast. But w/out a binder, ground makes terrible burgers. We use goat for chili verde, barbacoa, stews, chili con carne and getting ready to do a few doz tamales with shredded goat leg.

I'd keep the entire pasture open for a few, let cattle graze

Another item to consider, is. With the price of hay and feed grass. You're pasture is worth more as it is, in the long run.

Try crops in smaller areas, so you have an idea what will grow, or doesn't do well, in that area.