Looking for a Farm (PN Gardens)

Overview

My partner and I both work as farmers and have a combined 20 years experience and are looking for farmland to purchase. We hope to acquire permanent housing with the purchase of a farm property but is not completely required. I have a complete business plan reviewed by the SBDC, will create an LLC for my farm business, and just need the land to implement.

I want to focus on fruit nursery production and select vegetables for organic value added products. Recognizing patterns down to details for what we choose to grow and expand in the area, it is my hopes to have a system that can grow it’s own stock and expand to meet market opportunities. A simple system that can be managed by our family and has the ability to support additional farmers with seasonal employment.

Please continue reading to see if you think we may be a good fit for your land and give me a shout if you have any questions.

Essential property features.

Existing water availability required. Existing greenhouse/high tunnel highly preferred. Housing preferred, buildability required. 

Preferred ability to build multiple cottages/farm housing structures to provide worker housing or rental income. Preferred location in/near Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, or Antrim counties. 

Description of farming experience.

1+ year of working on various farms through WWOOF.

3+ years of homesteading and farm business development including plant nursery sales, CSA management, agri-tourism and other direct marketing on 30-acres (Southeast Texas)

2+ years of farming on leased land including greater land stewardship, CSA direct market sales, and at-scale medicinal herbs on 28-acres (Central Oregon Valley)

5+ years of farm design, development, and program implementation for land-based community health promotional services on 38-acres (Oregon Coast)

10+ years total land-based stewardship and farm business experience.

Short-term goals.

-Securing farm lease to purchase terms or purchase agreement with regional landowner.
-Obtain perennial fruit nursery stock and create seasonal nursery, selection of select vegetable production for immediate market (year 1-2).
-Transition to Organic Certified. Fruit and select vegetables added to organic food processing products (year 2-3).
-Integrated perennial fruit nursery sales and identify long-term needs for nursery production. On-farm expansions of perennial fruit and select vegetable production for fresh market and processing (year 3-4).
-Evaluate and streamline farm sales. Implement market expansion needs for farm perennial fruit production and select vegetables. Expand perennial fruit nursery and begin long-term identified goals for sales (year 4-5).

Long-term goals.

-Secure local market for perennial fruit nursery and expand into online nursery sales. 1-2 seasonal employees. (year 5+).
-Steady forecastable nursery fruit production system with expanded organic food production to commercial/wholesale market. (year 5-10)
-Land Tenure (year 10+).

*Creating financial and food security while taking care of the land and my body.

Additional information.

Currently in the process of moving to the area near Torch Lake to be near family by Spring 2027.