5 Reasons to Consider Buying SLOPED land for your Farm/Homestead

In this video, Kelly and I discuss the benefits we have discovered with sloped land. Now we are biased since we are WVians but there are clear benefits to having land that isn't perfectly flat.
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[@jshepard152]

About ten years ago I looked for some cheap land. As a result of that search, I'm now familiar with every slope in middle Tennessee.

[@mburke1211]

In addition to the privacy factor, I think sloped land provides more security than flat, open land. You have little “hidey holes” where you can keep structures and equipment out of view of every day passers-by and lookie-loos . And, you know your terrain better than would-be criminals. Kelly’s thumbnail is awesome, btw.

[@choppergirlfpv]

Your mentality is frightening.

[@shawnbixby1]

I honestly have no intention of purchasing land or slopped land. I just like watching your videos and seeing you guys explain things! haha

[@KRscience]

Sloped land is good if you like to target practice. An acre of sloped/hilly land has greater surface area than an acre of flat land. Also, sometimes hills and ridges will provide a wind break (sometimes makes it worse too) and greatly lessens the chance of tornados.

[@hahsmc]

When I bought my land in Roane County WV, the realtor said “if they could flatten out WV, it would be bigger that Texas “. lol

[@Johnny-rj9on]

I'm curious how accurate that actually is. Wouldn't bet against it.

[@philipedwards8762]

In my opinion, sloped land is more visually interesting than flat land.

[@experincemademenperfact3171]

How please guide

[@dumpsterfire6351]

Durrr

[@173rd_Cowbell]

I have 85 acres and it’s mostly rolling hills. Definitely want to work on water collecting with building some swales. Love the video!

[@effthegop]

Sloped land is really nice to build on. If it's rocky also, it's an added bonus.

[@jonigee1305]

grapes growing on a slope appears to be ideal and is a beautiful sight -probably other crops would work well on slopes too. Might have to do a little terracing though.

[@billmandaue2168]

You get 14.7 psi for every 33 feet of rise, so if you have 50 to 60 feet of rise from the retreat to where you are thinking about putting in water catchment, you will have between 22 and 27 psi at your taps there at the retreat. That is plenty of pressure without any sort of mechanical pump.

[@portnuefflyer]

I have 160 psi at my property bottom! Catchment is about 300' above!

[@kenputer56]

In theory 1psi will lift water 2.3 '

[@karrenbrazel8844]

I have been eyeing off property that is quite sloped....this video has given me ideas. Thank you for sharing.

[@CliffsideStables]

Really great to have both of you sharing in this video. Gives the channel an added dimension. Keep it up! Tim

[@CDewayne7]

You are not wrong! We love the sloped land we just purchased in Arkansas!

[@pavlovssheep5548]

depending on the flow of the spring it could power a small hydroelectric generator or a mechanical hydraulic ram

[@awildapproach]

Great video! I have sloped land (but I'm in the city) and it's been very helpful when I needed to get water from my backyard to my front, because water was seeping into my basement! So I'm glad I have a hill to dig my ditch into to create a flow in big storms. It's since grown in and so the water seeps in even better, into the rain garden at the end of the ditch. Your video is true!

[@geoffoutdoors]

Great topic. Definitely advantages to sloped land which is what I have. I use it for rain barrel gravity feeding the garden area and have more ideas for the future

[@PriceOfLibertyEternalVigilance]

Great thoughts and takes on sloped land. Thanks folks!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

It has it pros and cons for sure. We get all our neighbors run off because he is at the top of the hill. Great for our pond, but in areas where we can't catch our water off hard surfaces and direct it to the pond, like our 1 acre back fenceline or food plot, it made it challenging to stop erosion until we got good ground cover planted. Aesthetically, rolling is more interesting than flat though.

[@vtmielfgirl]

Great info I wish I’d had when I bought some land back home in 2008. Wasn’t able to do much other than build a small cottage due to financial constraints, but ended up selling anyway when I got married - and now live on flat farm land. As you said, good for some things - not so good for others. I have friends in the mountains I will pass this along to. One side note: we keep all our keys on carabiners so they can hook onto a belt loop or purse. Can’t lose them that way! 😉

[@keekeemyfirstcat8410]

Blackberries grow everywhere even without water where I live.

[@aovoonthefarmsouthernillin3687]

You are not wrong. I just prefer flat land. Half of our land is sloped. It is beautiful to look at but working the slopes takes more effort.

[@rustybell2722]

Thanks for the information. I've shared it with my son who is looking for land to purchase.

[@artemiasalina1860]

I think it's Sepp Holzer in Switzerland who does amazing things with micro-climate management. His focus is in permaculture but the ideas should work in other frameworks. If you can grow pineapples in the Swiss Alps then you know you're onto something!

[@anthonyalford7093]

Sepp also uses water catchment at the top of Krameterhof for micro hydro. The catchment is an energy store. Need electricity? Release water. Have excess solar energy? Or want to store solar energy in excess of what batteries can provide? Use Solar when panels are producing more energy than can be stored in your battery banks to pump water up the slope. Release during rainy periods or anytime excess energy is required.

[@This-Is-My-Little-Corner]

How did you learn all of this? What about a city slicker? Where do we learn?

[@artemiasalina1860]

@@This-Is-My-Little-Corner I learned about it just from watching videos on permaculture, that's all.

[@This-Is-My-Little-Corner]

@@artemiasalina1860 you’re very smart. You must understand this on some level other than just watching videos because that’s not easy for everyone to do. That’s awesome. I hope I can do the same. 😎

[@artemiasalina1860]

@@This-Is-My-Little-Corner KZbin won't let me post links but if you look up "permies" and Paul Weaton you will find a website he runs that has forums where they talk about permaculture. Sepp Holzer is/was discussed a lot there. That forum can give you the background principles of Holzer's work. Just keep in mind that everything has it's downsides and permaculture is no exception, so be aware that some ideas can be over-hyped and may create other problems that don't get talked about. Good luck!

[@suzannebazeghi5698]

thanks a lot very usefull info with limited budget thats a good way to start home stead stay safe.

[@leebstill]

I agree with you, we bought raw wooded sloped land as well

[@vannshuttleworth4738]

You two are charming. I may never be able to purchase land, but this is good information!

[@josephmckenzie4744]

Troy,Kelly great show. Still looking for that slightly sloped property.

[@buddyitzy9899]

Enjoyed your video! My new place in etex is hilly but not as severe(except for a gulley) as yours. Has a 6 to 9month spring that runs thru a gulley. Sandy loam soil so a bit nervous about making any downward channels/ruts that will wear by rain. Hoping to keep a good grass cover to protect soil while clearing small 4yrold trees that are everywhere after tree harvest. Thx for the idea on a trench to channel water. Hopefully can channel to 2 or 3 future pond(1or2or5 in the gulley.. .like rice patties in mtns of Vietnam). Thx again.

[@tee4272]

Thank you. This was great content.

[@ncbranson2856]

My wife and I have a house in West Virginia as well as a place in Michigan. Houses and fields in south central Michigan on a rainy day have alot of standing water. At our place in West Virginia we don't have any standing water issues. Alot of the farms in michigan have long drainage ditches and sometimes thats not enough and of course alot of standing water breeds alot of pesky mosquitoes. I'm planning water catchment off of our barn and with the slope it would alow for good irrigation with no pumps.

[@GratefulDiver]

Love to see some detail on that root cellar! Would happily share it with a FB group of > 18k too.

[@mariesheppard3750]

Great video again, learn some thing all the time from you, Where were you in 1980 when I had my hill Farm LOL now I m on flat land just a acre , with chickens and geese

[@debrarodriguez7570]

I live on a slope and in order to have a garden I won't roll off of, we have decided to terrace a section in the back of the house. It looks like it had them when the house was built(1880). I hope we can get them done before season is over.

[@covamiiblakney7698]

Great video!! Great info about microclimate.

[@anthonyalford7093]

With regards to microclimate and the south facing brick wall, deciduous trees planted will shade the wall in the summer and still give you sun on the wall in the winter. Trellis for vines could be used permanently or temporarily while trees grow tall enough to shade the house. Not sure what the best cultivar of vines would be. I would not grow grapes higher than 6ft as they fruit on new growth. I neglected trimming some Muscadine vines and ended up with 25 ft tall vines up a Crape Myrtle tree. All the fruit was on the new growth 20ft off the ground. Luckily I was painting the house and was able to harvest some of the grapes from the scaffolding I was using :) Paint for a while. Eat grapes for a while.

[@jennifermiller5781]

I just got back from a family funeral in WVa and the dinner afterwards was at Bible Center. I saw yalls pictures on the wall and asked my cousin(Vicki and Reed Hess)if she knew you. and she said yes. I feel like we are all friends. Thank you for sharing your lives with us. We are excited about your lastedt ministry.

[@jennifermiller5781]

Oops latest

[@RedToolHouse]

Yes! We love Vicki and Reed. Reed always says hi to me on Sunday morning!

[@RedToolHouse]

Yes! We love Vicki and Reed. Reed always says hi to me on Sunday morning!

[@deborrahdutra5599]

Very informative thank you

[@LolitasGarden]

Agree on all points, but building is tough. My saw horses have a short leg so I can set things on them.

[@tommybounds3220]

Thank you for the video

[@ciphercode2298]

Flat land is easier for growing most crops,but as far as raising animals I'm sure they couldn't care less. We gardened about a half an acre of hillside when I was a kid and it was alot of work. Between erosion and having to carry buckets of water during dry spells. Grew some great crops there and kept us fed throughout our youth. Learned a good work ethic too.

[@jbbrown7907]

Very good. I might have added that wood harvest is easier.

[@gkiferonhs]

Pipe your shower with zig-zagged black pipe and you could accomplish some solar heating of the water.

[@terrycarl8923]

My grandpaps house is gravity fed water from a spring on top of the knob above the house

[@tomjerniagan8827]

I think ideally you have some of both. If your land has a steep enough slope you can use both sides.

[@keithcronk7980]

HES A VERY HAPPY DOG😁😁😁😁😁

[@billmandaue2168]

You get 14.7 psi for every 33 feet of rise, so if you have 50 to 60 feet of rise from the retreat to where you are thinking about putting in water catchment, you will have between

[@lucasdog1]

It's .43 PSI per foot of head. A 60 foot drop would produce 26 lbs. pressure.

[@tealkerberus748]

Water pressure calculations are so much easier in metric! Also, converting water at elevation to electricity is a lot more sustainable than photovoltaics.

[@mrkrharris]

Don't over look the joy of sled riding, and easier to get fallen trees down.. Looking for land in WV as I type. Enjoy your work and outlook. kev

[@brentsullenberger4711]

another advantage is weather protection example wind

[@davefixit9405]

im not far from you. I love this state.

[@kkingquad]

I like that WVCDL shirt!

[@Mlebron777]

You can also have a bunker Wich it may be useful know days with the nations flexing their military muscle all the time.

[@bomah3486]

abssloutely lovely video and lovely couple

[@jerrysalgat3406]

You forgot the great amount of healthy exercise you and your animals get.

[@DeanFamilyAcres]

Great video, slope in some form is definitely a better option vs completely flat property.

[@jackies35]

My point exactly! You made him run and now he is hot and thirsty.

[@lynnbrewer43]

Troy it is 2.31 ft is 1 psi of pressure

[@keithpisel9491]

How does the coal industry that cut down most of the mountain tops in W.Virginia effect the spring water and soil? I loved working in that beautiful state but felt a little bit sad watching the mountain tops dredged off.

[@donniechilo3966]

Sloped land is good for fruit trees like peaches. They get good drainage of both water and frosty air in winter and spring whic is much better than flat land.

[@artemiasalina1860]

I also think Ginseng only grows on the north face of mountainous land, so it's possible that a north-facing mountain side could provide some income without much modification.

[@Jo_mommah]

Yea it may be a pain to work the soil here on my north facing hillside, but we’ve got plenty of plant allies around, which fills some gaps 😉😄

[@micmacpole]

I bought land with 3 levels of flat ridges, lots of deer, bear and turkeys and other wildlife.

[@tealkerberus748]

Turns out, all the areas I'm looking at from a climate perspective are kind of wrinkly. Now I need to learn how to design and build a house and farm on wrinkly land while making sure it's accessible for people with mobility issues.

[@tanyajenkins919]

Think that a few trees out the retreat for sun light to get to the ground . The slope if it's not extreme can be enjoyable .. Best of luck gonna be fun watching it develope. Please don't stop showing us the hogs añd there progress and babies

[@stevektx]

I know the Lords word says not to envy, but wow, you guys have it! My dream....

[@Snappypantsdance]

Your all’s little “disagreements” are so cute

[@PriceOfLibertyEternalVigilance]

Oh...looking forward to the next chicken church video too.

[@EC-ge7qg]

Troy, if you were buying more land for your family which would you choose? 35 acres of recently clearcut hilly land with a SSW slope, or 12 acres of mostly flat land that was strip mined 30 years ago? Assume the 35 acres is cheaper per acre. Both of these options are contiguous with property you already own.

[@johnmerry18]

1 # pressure per 2.31' of drop to be exact.

[@backtothepast1850]

2.31 feet of head pressure of fresh water = 1 psi, so 60 ft of head will yield about 25 psi, even better than you thought!

[@Tiersmoke92555]

Question, we are in process getting a small bowl type. I was thinking a bring in fill and grading the site to give us a nice two-ish acre pad. What are your thoughts on under taking a project like that?

[@RedToolHouse]

A lot of variables to that question. Your fill will be sterile and lifeless so you will have to start from scratch building soil. Really would need to see what the bowl looks like. Your rain fall amounts, soil type, direction of slope, existing vegetation, etc would all play into that decision.

[@DeepSouthBama56]

Great video Troy, but you missed the fact that in buying sloped land you actually get more actual surface area of ground in comparison to flat land. I remembered this from buying my ridge and holler lands in southern TN. To make sure I remembered this correctly I checked on it about surveying. Always so good to see you and Kelly out on the place.

[@jburch1544]

Lost my keys on flat land, no difference in that regard.

[@mikemraz8569]

The beauty of your property is you can’t stand in one place and see it all you have to explore it. 2.2ft. Of drop = 1 psi.

[@TheHonarable1]

How many acres is your property? Thanks for this informative video

[@RedToolHouse]

100acres

[@TheHonarable1]

@@RedToolHouse I can only dream! Great info

[@restoringbonaire]

We have sloped hills like nobody's business. 20 acres of fields and 20+ of wooded sloped hills. Trying to determine what to plant. Hmmm. 🤔

[@maryannpratt6821]

PREPPERNURSE1 Just moved to WV too.He is from Upstate NY.hope you all can become friends...he bought 25 acers of sloping land

[@tommybounds3220]

Who ever gave a thumbs down must be a very jealous person

[@RedToolHouse]

Flatlander…

[@solventtrapdotcom6676]

I'd rather run a fence line on a steep slope than the impossible brambles of Florida... Electric fence is rendered useless every week...

[@jalopyjoe4483]

Was hear

[@pb2959]

Actually, you get almost 5 psi per 10 feet

[@addmendinc9656]

Sloped land = Overtime ... 1 leg shorter than the other:)

[@talusranch990]

That's no mountain, wow

[@jessicapinto3817]

Sloped land is ideal for hobbits to hide under tree roots

[@thebeautifulones5436]

#1. It is cheaper.

[@tanneradams20]

Privacy! A neighbor even right over the hill can’t see you unless they make a point to

[@gabejohnson97]

looks like kelly is wearing herself a fine pair of pants

[@johanrunfeldt7174]

I think you're just making a virtue out of necessity. On the other hand: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

[@nachowifi2181]

Lol!!

[@lorineidtinytoadplot744]

Exercise ;) you forgot exercise

[@DazzyTree]

In my opinion, it all down hill from there.

[@garywilser7802]

If you ask me , flat land is BORING

[@elaines5179]

Yeh, you don't hear stories of modern homesteading in Kansas.

[@timothykeith1367]

sloped soil is typically poor

[@josephchapman7777]

#1 you can't find any flat land in wv lol

[@erinopalina1101]

llrtnf #von.ong

[@jackies35]

Wait… you made the dog run? Where is the water for him? Please don’t drive over him.

[@Snappypantsdance]

This seems like maybe unnecessary getting on their case….

[@BowenOrg]

MICRO-HYDRO??????!!!!!!!! : ) Amen Retired, Veteran