Type of opportunity:

Sale (Standard), Lease (1 to 5 Years), Lease (5+ Years), Lease with Option to Buy. More info: I am a young farmer from NJ looking to embark on the transition of farming full time. I worked on two farms in NJ for approximately one season each, which gave me livestock and produce experience (that and my own personal gardening). I am currently a licensed insurance agent with AAA Insurance/CSAA IG, so I am planning on maintaining a dayjob for the financial obligations I have while I am transitioning to farming. I am planning on starting with produce and then eventually expanding to livestock, implementing organic methods and practices. Joel Salatin and Jean-Martin Fortier are two authors that have supplemented my business approach. My primary goal is to provide for community.

Equipment & infrastructure:

Barn, Fencing, Well / Pond / Other water source, Greenhouse, Livestock facilities, Farmer housing, Farm equipment, Processing facilities, Irrigation equipment, Cold storage (cooler/freezer). More info: Any equipment and infrastructure that might be available is welcome, but I fully anticipate building my own small structures and obtaining my own equipment if necessary.

Current production on farm:

Field crops, Herbs, Sheep/Goat (Dairy/Meat). More info: My business plan outlines production of fruit and vegetables, so any land where that practice is familiar is a plus - alternatively, anywhere there has not been any production at all is an opportunity. I have an affinity for goats and sheep so if they are present already, I could expand my knowledge on rearing and raising these animals.

Current farming practices:

Conventional, Certified organic, Transitioning to organic, Ecological production but not certified. More info: Preferrably organic since I am aiming to become an organic farmer, but transitional or even conventional is acceptable.

Previous farming experience:

Volunteer, Employee

Number of years experience:

2

Other qualifications:

More info: Worked on a livestock farm for one season, handling cattle, raising chickens and turkeys for meat, raising sheep and keeping the goats in check. Volunteered on a produce farm before that, harvesting, storage, weeding skills. Also maintained a personal garden.

Production goals:

Field crops, Herbs, Poultry (Broiler/Layer). More info: Hopefully within 5 years time I will be producing fruits and vegetables for my community in an organic fashion, and also raising meats for consumption/wool. Anything that could help me achieve this goal would be exceptionally beneficial.

Personal experience and production goals summary:

Personal experience boasts a lifetime of maintaining gardens with my father, as well as the unique opportunities to work as a farmhand for John Hart Jr. and Jess Neiderer in Mercer County, New Jersey.  Both experiences helped me to accumulate livestock handling skills and fruit/veggie harvesting knowledge. 

Having grown up on the lower end of the socio-economic ladder, it is my ultimate goal to provide quality foods to those who have been where I was (though living in New Jersey sometimes it feels like I'm still there).  I have traveled to Virginia, Tennessee, and Colorado in search of oppotunities to set sail on my life.  I currently work as a licensed insurance agent for AAA Insurance/CSAA IG, so I have been maintaining a desk job to tend to my financial obligations in the meantime.