Where does your steak come from? Some people don’t mind their food being raised far from their home. Others like the idea of food raised close to home. But some want to raise their food at home. Are you one of those people?

It’s one thing to raise vegetables. It’s another thing to raise meat! It takes planning, work, and consistency. But it can be done! Could your family raise chickens, sheep, pigs, or a cow at home? Hmm. Let’s think it through:

Transportation—You can take home chicks in a cardboard box in the back seat, but for a weaned calf you will need a pickup truck. And when it is time to deliver your cow to the butcher, you’ll have to rent a cattle trailer.

Veterinarian—A chicken isn’t worth taking to the vet. But what if your cow gets a gash from running through barbed wire? You would be willing to pay the vet a couple hundred dollars to stitch up an animal that’s worth a few thousand.

Space—One free-ranging chicken needs only 800 square feet. That’s not even as much space as a living room and a couple bedrooms. A pig should probably get about 2,000 square feet. A sheep might need more like 7,000-8,000 square feet. And a cow needs all of about two acres of grass-munching space. That’s more than 80,000 square feet.

Food—Your animals can use that space to graze. But you’ll still need to supplement their diet with good quality feed. Ka-ching!

Keeping—They say good fences make good neighbors. That’s especially true if you’re a neighbor who owns farm animals! Keep in mind that good fences are not cheap. Have you thought about shelter? Even if it is a simple three-sided shed for a cow, a lean-to for sheep or pigs, or a plywood coop for chickens, you’ll need to buy building supplies for your project. And that, in turn, reminds us of the subject of time . . .

Do you have the time? What is your time worth? Keep thinking! Take your time.