Type of opportunity:

Sale (Standard), Sale (Owner Financed), Lease (1 to 5 Years), Lease (5+ Years), Lease with Option to Buy, Incubator / Mentored Lease. More info: Hello! I am looking for a few acres to grow vegetables and herbs. Greens, garlic, and root/storage crops is what I'd like to start with. Finding a market or wholesale opportunity would be my first-year plan as I spend time figuring out infrastructure and compatibilities. My larger goal is to sell to food banks or to establish a low-income CSA. I have worked on other farms for 5 years- I am ready to start my own project!

Equipment & infrastructure:

Well / Pond / Other water source, Greenhouse, Farm equipment, Processing facilities, Cold storage (cooler/freezer). More info: What I have selected is a pretty ideal situation- I've left off fencing and irrigation equipment because I would be willing to buy those in more temporary and movable forms, especially for a start up year. My first priority is to find someone with a BCS or ~70 HP tractor with rototiller or spader (and other/more implements), Farmall or similar cultivator, and a way to mow whether it be just a plain ole 2 stroke mower or brush hog. A water source would be neccessary. After that- I'm willing to improvise with cold storage, greenhouse use, and tool storage.Potential to build strongly preferred. I live in an airstream trailer that I can tow with my truck, so I've got living quarters covered.

Current production on farm:

Fallow, Herbs, Vegetable production, Woodlot or forest products.

Current farming practices:

Certified organic, Ecological production but not certified. More info: My current farm, and all farms that I have worked on are either certified organic or practicing organic (the certification is expensive!)

Previous farming experience:

Volunteer, Employee, Manager

Number of years experience:

6

Other qualifications:

Academic degree in agriculture or related field. More info: Attending NOFA conferences Minor in horticulture WWOOF: a few different specialized permaculture projects in Florida

Production goals:

Herbs, Vegetable production, Woodlot or forest products. More info: My production goals are to start small and grow. I would likely start as a market garden, but as I become more integrated in and familiar with the area I'd really love to do a CSA (bonus goals- for a low income demographic and food banks.) Production is dependent on what size workable acres I end up with, and if I can access any grants for start up. For the first year I would like to grow some greens, garlic, familiar culinary herbs, and more practical root and storage crops that I hope to specialize more in as I get the larger picture and infrastructure projects figured out. I don't plan on having any animals.

Personal experience and production goals summary:

I have been farming for 6 years. I started in my home state, West Virginia, and moved to the Hudson Valley, NY to continue my career. The Hudson Valley is what you'd consider a small-scale farming "hub," with so many employment opportunities and good-food access. I've been lucky to have most of my experience here with some seriously skilled and resilient farmers. This will be my last season in the area, as I am feeling a strong pull back to Appalachia where I'd like to start my own vegetable production farm. I was a West Virginia welfare kid who only ever ate corn out of a can, and ACCESS is the thing that motivates me the most. My main goal in production is to provide to low income families and food banks, with the help of state or grant funding, and/or other lucrative wholesale opportunities. My first year of production would look something like this: access to land as early as February, spring/summer/early fall production, working 1/2 acre of greens, garlic, herbs, and root crops, rotation and cover cropping, vendoring at a market or other outlets, and applying for a few grants. I have worked on farms as small as 1.5 acres and as large as 14 acres. I have the most experience with row-cropping, CSA farming under organic principles. I am proficient with tractor operation, including implements, fork, and bucket loader (specifics in resume.) I have crew and middle management experience. Field production- cultivation, harvest, and bed prep- is definitely my niche. I feel like I am ready to have creative control over my own production and farm. 

 

 

 

Resume:

Resume 2018 (1).pdf