I’m seeking a place to live where I would have the option to start a nursery/farm operation. My career is in wildlife biology and habitat restoration, which I plan to continue for at least the next 5 years. The farm operation would provide supplemental income initially, but my goal is to rely on it as my primary source of income after 5 years. As a conservationist, I’m interested in all aspects of land stewardship. I want to find ways to support my survival needs without compromising the ecosystem. Any farm operation I’m involved in will also support the plants and animals that call that place their home too. I recognize a limitation to many people interested in habitat restoration on their property is the availability of native plant material, so my hope is to make those plants more accessible and provide education on their ecosystem functions. I also have a strong desire to support others in becoming self-sufficient, so I would like to grow fruit and perennial vegetable plants for sale, in addition to selling fruit and vegetable crops. I’m very interested in preserving heirloom varieties and continuing to selectively breed crops adapted to local conditions. I would like to find a place to live and work that aligns with my values of caring for the land and helping others do the same. Thanks for your consideration.
I can be adaptable to different water sources/agreements. Water needs will be minimized as much as possible. Pasture or partially wooded property would provide growing space but that can also be flexible. Electricity is ideal but not necessary for the initial stages of the nursery/farm operation. There are no specific soil needs for the nursery operation. Plants will primarily be grown in containers. Veggies would be grown organically but the land doesn't need to be certified.
Most of my experience is growing nursery crops. I worked as a production manager at three wholesale nurseries of varying sizes. I currently manage a conservation nursery for the Corps of Engineers, where I produce native plant material for habitat restoration projects. I grow threatened/endangered plants in the nursery and install them on the landscape. Previously, I restored a 25 acre heritage walnut orchard in McMinnville. I processed the crop independently and sold the walnuts at local grocery stores and at two farmers markets. The orchard included apple trees that were over 100 years old. I grafted scions from the old trees along with over 50 heirloom varieties to restore the apple orchard. I also planted over 40 cherry trees and harvested that crop. I farmed a tenth acre vegetable garden at my previous residence that provided all of my vegetables and fruit for the year by focusing on storage crops and utilizing food preservation techniques. I worked at a long-running certified organic farm in Maine where I maintained vegetable crops, cared for livestock and operated their market stand.
My primary goal is providing for my own food needs and being as self-sufficient as possible. I would like to begin working the land to have a better sense of what is possible for a scaleable nursery/farm operation. The farm will be a secondary source of income for the first 5-8 years and any income generated from the farm will be used to grow the operation.
I would like to build a small-scale nursery operation that focuses on native plants and mostly perennial edible plants (fruit trees, berries, herbs). I would start by selling the plants at farmers markets and possibly single-day seasonal sales at the property or another location. I would supplement the nursery operation with veggie production, and my food needs would be met with surplus from the veggie operation.
My housing needs are minimal, both in terms of the size of the space and conveniences. I'm open to possibilities.
I treat everyone with respect. I recognize that access to land ownership has been limited by systems of inequality. As a second-generation Lebanese American farmer, I fully support increasing diversity in the farming community. I also see the value of creating more opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with the food they eat and experience a connection to nature.
To contact a land seeker, you must first create a land listing and have it approved by our staff. Thank you.