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[Bill Jones <billj AT harborside.com>]

Hi Judy.  It's quite different here from New England, but I'll take a 
stab at it, based on my own experience and research.

Judy Anderson wrote:

> I have so many questions 
> for you, but I will try to stick to the land-related ones first.  We 
> have been in urban and suburban places for far too long, so I apologize 
> if some questions seem a bit ... elementary.
>
> 1.  Aside from the variety of wildlife, what benefits can we gain from a 
> swamp?
> 2.  How can I calculate how much acreage to plant for hay to provide all 
> of our own needs?  For other crops for ourselves?
>  
Ask at your local library for the Soil Survey for your county.  I just 
returned the copy for our county that I borrowed from a friend to settle 
some questions a few months back.  It has detailed maps with soil type, 
along with tables telling you how many "animal units" (basically, one 
cow) can graze on an acre, with and without irrigation, and information 
on hay cutting yields as well.

> 3.  What variety would be a good mix of hay to meet all their needs?  I 
> remember my folks would sometimes get timothy, but usually it was 
> generic hay.  What is in generic hay?
>  
Here that means wharever was already growing the field, where grass is 
virtually inevitable.  The county extension agent probably knows what 
grasses are common locally.

> 4.  Is there any reason not to barn all of the animals together?  We 
> want them all to be free ranging to the greatest extent possible, but 
> everyone needs shelter still.
>  
I've heard dire concerns about chickens spreading coccidiosis to sheep 
and other ruminants, so if I gave you the official answer I'm afraid it 
would be somewhat grave.  But in fact my sheep drink right from the same 
place where geese clean their butts, and nothing I can do will stop it, 
short of an automatic flushing mechanism.  I and many others have 
frankly never had a problem.

> 5.  How can we tell (when considering a property) if a field will need 
> irrigation?
>  
It's complicated, but the most reliable indication is when neigboring 
places with similiar exposure and concavity have irrigation equipment!  
The county soil survey should be valuable, if you compare the expected 
yields with and without irrigation.

> Of course, I have many other questions, but these will do for a start.  :)
>
> Thanks,
> Judy
>
>  
Bill
S. Oregon coast