Farm Shed

November 2019

Today, our shed arrives. The gravel pad is set and the path to get there is clear. I chose a 12’ by 20’ Dutch-style single car garage from Kloter Farms in Ellington, CT. I thought of multiple different storage solutions, from a full frost line foundation for a two car garage which would have run us at least 25 grand, to finding a used shipping container for a few grand. How do you meet somewhere in the middle when you’re starting from scratch? You need to take a few things into consideration first:

Where to put your Shed

• Utilities

Are you connecting your shed to any utilities? What utilities do you need, and where are they surrounding your property? This will determine where on the property you should put your shed. I need electricity and water. Power lines run along the western and northern border of our property. I decided to place the shed on the northern portion of the property so that we can tie in right from the pole without any additional support poles. If I went from the western side, additional poles would have to be installed through a wooded and wetland area. 

• Access

I am also going to start farming in the northern portion, so my equipment will be close to the field. I’m going to drill a well for water since I don’t want to irrigate with public water. I don’t want the additives placed in the water, nor do I want the cost of public water. Well equipment will be housed inside the shed, and piped in through the side of the shed.

• Size

I found that smaller, pre-manufactured sheds were similarly priced to the 12’ by 20’ garage. The smaller sheds do not have a garage door, and the existing doors aren’t positioned or sized for large items, such as a tractor. So, I decided to pay a little more for the larger, standard size single car garage. There are three roof styles to choose from: Dutch, Cape, and Cottage. I chose the Dutch roof because it allows for a larger, seven foot tall garage door and provides the most overhead storage space.

• Visibility

Since the location of my shed is very much visible when you enter the property, and likely one of the first things that jumps out at you on our farm, I decided that a shipping container wasn’t the best idea. The garage looks great, and as we expand we can change its use from a strict equipment storage shed to a market stand or refrigerated storage.

What maintenance will be required?

           I expect to paint the shed every ten years and replace the roof after twenty or thirty years. I decided to skip vinyl siding to save $800.

So what did it cost? About 6,800.

           Gravel Pad, 800

           Garage, 5500

           Taxes, 300

           Permits, 200