If you’re a new homeowner with a sizeable amount of land attached to your property, you’re probably wondering what to do with all this extra space. The most common answer to this question is to set up a residential farm. Most people are put off this idea because they don’t know where to begin. After all, having your own farm entails a significant amount of commitment and responsibility. However, we think the effort is worth it. Therefore, we’ve written this article on essential farm supplies to give people a starting point, so they can eventually run one themselves to a high degree of success.

Feeders and Troughs

Animals are the heart of every farm. Meeting their needs should be your number one priority. As such, one of the main supplies you need to buy are feeders and troughs for the animals to eat and drink from. Steel or plastic troughs are the most popular type because these materials are robust enough to withstand damage from the weather or the animals.

Fencing

Investing in the right farm fencing is of paramount importance. If you don’t, animals will be able to easily break in and out of the property, putting your livestock at risk. What’s more, cheap fencing tends to be a false economy because it’s not very durable. Spend your money wisely to get the correct fencing for your different animals. For example, a welded mesh fence is ideal for chickens because this provides high security against other animals like foxes, whereas electric fencing is better for larger livestock to discourage them from escaping or trampling the barrier.

Tools

There’s a lot of maintenance and manual labour involved in running a farm. You need the right equipment to make your life easier when doing so. You’ll likely discover exactly what you need as you go along, but here are some basics for every type of farm: wheelbarrows, shovels, hammers, mowers, wire cutters, and agricultural tools (like hoes, scythes and rakes).

Animal Equipment

What equipment you buy depends on the animal. For instance, if you’re going to have sheep on your farm, you should buy sheep hurdles and pens, to keep control of the flock when weighing and measuring them. They also need footbaths to prevent the spread of hoof infections. Meanwhile, chickens should have a coop where they can sleep at night and lay their eggs. Do some research into each animal’s individual needs before committing to investing in any particular livestock.

Drainage

Farmland is susceptible to becoming boggy. If you’re trying to cultivate crops, this will lead the soil to become saturated and infertile. If you’re nurturing animals, excess water can lead to an increase in infection or infestation rates. As such, it’s important to ensure you have the correct drainage systems in order. This includes ground protection and drainage pipes.

These are the rudiments of running a residential farm. Once you get properly stuck in, you’ll learn more and more about the specifics you need. But for now, these act as a good starting point.