Does uncultivated land require regular maintenance?

Question

My husband and I are looking into buying some rural acreage in California for a second home, and eventual retirement. We're interested in "semi-homesteading"-- ie. we are not farmers but would like to attempt to live off of the land as much as possible. We want to get as large a property as possible so as to avoid having some residential/commercial development pop up right next to our house, as well as to just preserve the land. Does a rural meadow/pasture/field require some sort of regular maintenance? We just want to have about 20 acres with just our house, an organic veg garden, some chickens, maybe a cow, and the rest untouched. Is that possible or am I overlooking something that we'll regret? Thanks alot.

Answer 1

No maintenance is required.  But you should look into liability insurance to cover the property.

Answer 2

if you have fields they will need to be mowed several times a year to keep weeds under control. it is also good to spread manure or compost on the land annually to keep fertility up, even if you have no plans to use the land (which is a waste, quite frankly. Especially since you will be paying property taxes on the land).

Answer 3

You are over looking the fire laws.

You have to clear all weeds and shrubs for 1050 feet around any building.  Clear them down to the ground by mid-July.   Landscaping, plants kept watered are OK.

Tree branches over the entire 20 acres have to be either green or cleared about 4 feet.   Pine trees are especially bad about their dead branches drooping to the ground.