Hello! My name is Korvid; my service dog Kota and I are seeking a mutually beneficial lease agreement to start a market garden in the Eugene or surrounding areas. I plan on starting small (>5,000 sq. ft. to <1/4 acre), and focusing on high profit margin, small vegetables, and refining my production methods and sales channels before expanding to 1/2 to 1 acre at “full production’, and expect this entire process to be conducted over approximately 5 years. Initially I intend to market towards and sell to high end farm-to-fork restaurants, before expanding to include farmers markets, and if the demand presents itself, eventually including a CSA as well. Ideally the right property would already have pre-existing infrastructure, but this is not necessarily a requirement for my success; it would just expedite it. And in the best case scenario, a live-on-site option would be preferred, so I could manage the plot at any and all necessary situations. I plan on using a permanent bed system of field blocks, as has been proven to be best practices, with 30” wide permanent beds, and at full production, would be 100′ in length. I plan on using a deep compost mulch system to start, and utilizing no-till and organic practices. Plans would include a propagation nursery greenhouse, need for good quality and sufficient water supply, access to or permission to create a space for wash/pack/cold storage that would require a water and electricity source, and eventually all row crops would ideally be under cover/season extension (caterpillar or high tunnels). Crops would begin with lettuce/salad mixes, baby root vegetables (radish, beets, carrots, turnips) year-round, and chard/kale in the early season, and courgette/patty pan squashes in the late season. Upon the increase in demand for more diverse options, I would then expand out to include things like tomatoes and peppers, and any other crop that would be a quick Day To Maturity and/or high profit margin, coupled with a high market demand.
For frame of reference, my influences are Curtis Stone (wrote The Urban Farmer), Jean-Martin Fortier (wrote The Market Gardener), Ben Hartman (wrote The Lean Micro Farm), Erich Schulz of Steadfast Farm, Conor Crickmore of Neversink Farm, Ray Tyler of Rose Creek Farm, Farmer Jesse of No-Till Growers, and Josh Sattin of Sattin Hill Farm, amongst others in the space
Water rights, irrigation capability, barn/structures for wash/pack/cold storage capabilities, electricity, deer fencing (if appropriate to your context) and up to 1 acre of land appropriate for market gardening organically grown vegetables. Ideally, propagation/nursery greenhouse, high tunnels, and/or caterpillar tunnels, but worst case scenario, at least permission to construct them in due time
I have several years experience on a variety of farms through WWOOF, to include market gardens, small plot farms, and orchards. I have been a farmhand and seasonal labor for both a niche vineyard in Douglas county, as well as harvest crew for a cannabis farm in Ashland. I also spent a year in Bedford PA managing my own one acre market garden, and was profitable from the beginning
Ideally I would like to utilize a plot that has already been home to a market garden in the past. Assuming for 'worst case scenario' purposes that I'm starting with bare land, or 'from scratch', the first year would be focused on prepping the land and amending soil quality and nutrients, as well as constructing the necessary farm infrastructure to be able to hit the ground running, so to speak. Once all necessary infrastructure is in place, and sales channels are identified, I would then focus on dialing in my production systems, and harvest dates. By season three, I should have most variables dialed in, and be able to continue to expand from there, and do so profitably
Ideally, if things go well during the first 5 years, and the property owner is agreeable to extend, I would look to renegotiate to either a more long-term leasing option, or, in the case that they're open to it, potentially have a conversation about lease-to-own or sale of the property outright. In a less than ideal, but still agreeable situation, I would not be opposed to re-negotiating an additional 5 year lease agreement, and re-evaluation at the conclusion of that time frame
I would prefer a live-on-site opportunity. Because it's just myself and my service dog Kota, our needs are not significant. As long as I have a place to bathe, cook, and sleep, the options could be anything from a trailer, tiny home, ADU, or even a room in an existing residence would be acceptable
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I understand the importance of welcoming diversity on the land and in the community. I plan on being a solo operation, at least at first. That being said, I plan on interacting with various people at different sales channels, and as such, expect to meet people from all walks of like and demographics, and am welcoming to all that are interested in quality and healthy produce, and I do not discriminate against anyone that wants to participate in the locally grown food movement
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