If possible, look for a spring on the land. It can provide drinking water, irrigation, and sometimes a power source if the flow rate is right, and doesn’t need pumped.
Look for land that aids with hiding and defense. Some terrains create optical illusions, a passing raider may think they can see everything, when really you could be standing 10 feet from them and they’d never notice. If you find a piece of land like this, use it. Place any buildings where they’d be hidden from the road, but where you can see who approaches from them.
Build underground, if possible. The insulation is great, you’re practically in a bomb shelter already, and it makes your buildings harder to find and break into. Just make sure to have alternate escape routes just in case.
Build your animal shelters so that they’re either attached to the house, or have a covered walkway between them. Those animals will need care during the worst hail, ice, and snow storms. You can’t afford a broken leg.
If you decide to build hidden compartments anywhere, please don’t make the “doorknob” from a statue, book, or light fixture. Those are such common plot devices it’s laughable.
I’m sure I’ll think of more later, this is from a sleepy mind right now ;)
There is a creek going right through the property and underground is out because these trees are very sensitive to any kind of ground disruption.
If I dig a hole within 15 feet of a tree deep enough to cut into its roots, the tree will die.
That is one reason I was worried about building underground storage for grain. I have to figure out how far away from the trees it will be and I might have limited options. Otherwise, I might put the house there and then run out of room.
The road isn’t much of a road. It is more a trail than a road. If SHTF, we won’t go in and out via the road and will only walk. The road will disappear in 3 months and this road is 50 miles long with nothing along it. So we have a 50 mile long road that will basically disappear.