Seeking Purchase or lease-to-own: 5-10 acres for market farm

Land Seeker Description

What features of the property are essential?

Its essential that water is available, ideally from a well. Other than that, I am flexible and interested in tailoring action to what the land has to offer.

Describe your farming experience

I spent 3 years working as a farm assistant on Vashon Island in Washington. 2 acres of vegetable farming on 20 acres with walnut, pear, and cherry trees as well as sheep and poultry management. This farm as well as other regenerative farms on Vashon set the template for the model I look to replicate in my future farming endeavor.

My next three years are in nonprofit farming work in Denver. Year one, I farmed on a 1 acre BIPOC farm focussed on food access and community workshops. My past two years, Ive managed a 1 acre farm plus greenhouse space in Park Hill, a historically redlined, food apartheid neighborhood. We provide low cost and free food to 100+ families a week. Here, we raise mostly annual vegetables, a couple perennials, as well as caring and maintaining a greenhouse for a couple other farms in the Denver community. Im moving back to the west coast this winter and am looking to move to production based farming while still bringing the model of diverse land usage and increasing food access for those who struggle with food insecurity.

Are you currently farming?

What are your short term goals for the land

I hope to establish market farm vegetable growing, focussing on quicker high value crops (lettuce, tomatoes, flowers) with efficient systems, developing relationships with distributors, restaurants, and exploring different farmers market options in the area. In the shoulder seasons, planning will go towards orchard and perennial planning.

What are your long term goals

The goal is that once roots are built in community, a CSA can be developed. Eventually, down the road I will look to include livestock (chicken and Scottish highlands) for pasture management and compost production, respectively as well as integrating broilers into for increased income stream.

Describe your housing needs

2 bedrooms.

What will you do as a farmer to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for everyone on your farm and in your community?

I believe in meeting people where theyre at, hearing their story. I believe when you sit and hear people it transcends background. Its important to me that that goes both ways, for farmer and landowner. I also believe that if its a fit, its a fit and if its not its not, and as long as both sides are respected that thats okay.