Odyra

Army Vet & Ops Manager with 8yrs farm and greenhouse exp. Expertise in diagnostics & scaling production—increased medical manufacturing output by 65%. Now seeking ~30 acres near Battle Creek for a tech-forward organic farm. Plan: 100% financing via USDA Veteran programs for a circular system of mushrooms, honey, berries, & medicinal herbs. Looking for land stewards or retiring farmers for a professional, FDA-standard operation. Ready to grow.

Preferred location: Allegan, Arenac, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Joseph, Tuscola, Van Buren

Desired Transitional Agreement: Farm Seeker/Farm Owner Partnership, Lease, Lease to buy, Sale, Working arrangement with future partner

Feb 23, 2026

Logo

Desired Acreage

  • 1-5 Acres
  • 5-10 Acres
  • 11-25 Acres
  • 26-100 Acres

Desired Infrastructure

  • Road access

Goals, Values, Vision

My goal is to establish a technologically advanced, organic-practice farm specializing in high-margin circular systems:

  • Controlled Environment: Indoor Oyster mushrooms and high-value medicinal/culinary herbs.
  • Specialty Fruit: Integrated organic berry orchard (Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries).
  • Apiary: Hive management for premium medicinal honey and cross-pollination.
  • Value-Added: Leveraging my FDA compliance experience to produce farm-direct fermented sauces, tinctures, and preserves.

What I’m Looking For: I am seeking a parcel of 20–100 acres (ideally around 30) with at least 10 acres of tillable ground and existing infrastructure (barns/utilities) or the potential to build. I am a serious, qualified buyer utilizing USDA Beginning Farmer/Veteran loan programs (pre-approval process initiated). I am open to traditional sales, lease-to-own arrangements, or working with a retiring farmer who wants to see their land transition to a disciplined, veteran-owned operation.

Farming Status

Current Farming Status

Current active business plan

Farm Experience/Education

Farm employee, Farm management, Formal agricultural education

Farming Plans and Practices

Farming Method

Conventional

1. The Organic "Clean Production" Method

  • The Mushroom Pods (Organic Indoor):
    • Substrate: 100% Certified Organic wheat straw or sawdust.
    • Spawn: Organic-certified spawn sourcing (meeting the 2026 USDA mushroom standards).
    • Method: "Steam-Pasteurization" for sterilization rather than chemical fungicides. This mimics your medical manufacturing sterilization protocols.
  • The Greenhouse (Organic CEA):
    • Pest Control: Instead of synthetic sprays, you will use Beneficial Insects (Biological Control). For your peppers and herbs,] Stratiolaelaps (predatory mites) into the soil and Encarsia for whitefly management.
    • Fertility: Organic Fertigation using liquid kelp and fish emulsion, delivered through precision drip lines to prevent waste and runoff.

2. "Stacked" Regenerative Layout

Crop Zone

Organic Method

Bio-Edge

Berry Orchard

No-Till Living Mulch

Strawberries grown under Blueberries act as a "green mulch," retaining moisture and building organic matter without tilling.

Soil Health

Acidic Precision

Pollinator Pasture

Native Hedgerows

Elderberries and Goldenrod serve as "buffer zones" to protect your organic crops from potential spray-drift from neighbors.

3. The "Audit-Ready" Record Keeping 

  • Traceability: Every tray of microgreens and jar of honey will have a Batch Number linked to a digital log of every input (seeds, water, organic fertilizer).
  • Compliance: USDA Organic Certification Cost-Share Program
  • SOPs: Organic System Plan (OSP)

4. Michigan-Specific Organic Schedule

  • Early Spring (March-April): Soil testing for Micronutrients (Zinc, Boron) to ensure "Medical Grade" herb potency.
  • Late Spring (May): Applying Organic Mulch to the berries.
  • Summer: Weekly "Sticky Card" monitoring in the greenhouse to catch pests before they require intervention.
  • Post-Harvest: Using Organic Hydrogen Peroxide solutions (per USDA 2026 sunset rules) to sanitize your processing barn and equipment.