Farming part-time for homestead
Updated Oct 16, 2025
Seeking
- 0-5 Total acres
Desired locations
Looking to rent a smaller size land plot for fruit trees, berries, and maybe garden crops.
Plan
I'd plan on planting some berries and fruit trees (plums, sour cherry) if permitted, and garden crops (kale, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, beans, flowers, etc) for home production. If there's more space, might work with another family friend to help manage things to make sure everything is weeded and tidy. I'm personally only interested in organic practices myself, but would manage weeds appropriately with physical removal.
I'd try my best to be a considerate and respectful steward of the land. Happy to adjust expectations and practices within reason.
Desired infrastructure
Equipment and infrastructure details
Don't need anything. A small covered place to store a few tools and access to some amount of water would be a plus.
Preferred type of opportunity
Opportunity details
Looking to lease some land for a few years. Been in the area for 15 years, so I'm also open to a longer standing arrangement if we're both on the same page
Desired farming practices
Practices details
I'd be doing small scale growing without pesticides and herbicides and machinery. I'm not sure the best label for this, apologies on the lack of clarity. Probably manure, and physical management for weeds, and soap+water for pests or ladybugs/lacewings or planting some things like marigolds and yarrow for mitigation.
Production goals
Goals details
Planning on growing some berry bushes (raspberry) and smaller fruit trees (plum and cherry) as well as vegetables for 1-2 households. Greens, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, herbs, flowers, that sort of thing. If planting fruit trees is a strong no, that's ok.
Farm experience
Years of experience
5 total years of experience
0 years employed as a worker (non-manager)
0 years as a manager
Education, training, and employment experience
Experience details
Both my parents work in agriculture at the USDA and my grandparents and family are cattle farmers in Ontario, Canada. I worked in livestock pest management for 5 years. I've been growing things on and off for 20 years for myself, but never at scale. I've operated some machinery, but I'd be doing work by hand.