Romulus, MI, Wayne County
Farm Seeker/Farm Owner Partnership, Working arrangement with future partner
Nov 17, 2024
Acreage
- 24 Acres Available
- 16 Open Tillable Acres
Infrastructure and Equipment Available
Past/Current Land Usage
Vision for the Farm
We are interested in agroecological, regenerative farm management, particularly in agroforestry and silvopasture. We are not looking to sell (at least, not anytime soon), but rather to work with like-mined people. We are working towards a long-term vision in which we are confident that this land will be stewarded in a way that keeps the many native fruit and nut trees we have planted in silvopasture and maintain farm management that is ecologically sound, socially equitable, and situates small farms as a key resources for local communities.
We are broadly interested in building a co-operative ownership structure of some sort, with multiple farmers (both in residence on the property and with farm co-owners who live elsewhere) sharing ownership, blanket organic/regenerative certification, equipment, labor, etc. We are just starting the journey of figuring out exactly what this will look like, and it may take us several years to get there, and we still have to really delve into what kind of ownership structure will make the most sense. In the meantime we are open to other arrangements, including leases, informal trades (e.g., living here in exchange help with farm work with opportunity to develop your own farm enterprise), or just connecting with other local farmers/aspiring farmers who think this sounds like a neat idea! Since we've made this listing we've met several cool people and we want to keep meeting cool people! So even if you are just trying to figure out what your deal is, feel free to reach out and say hi or ask if you can come visit us. :D
Past/Current Land Usage
Acreage description
Total property of 23.5 acres: 7.5 acres in forest, 10 acres of arable land managed conventionally for row crops (currently leased out to another farmer, managed conventionally for row crops), remaining 6 acres are mixed orchard/silvopasture and homestead/infrastructure, managed organically since 2017 but not yet certified. Within the 6 acres, there are various small parcels (up to an acre or so total) that are currently used as livestock pasture but could be shifted to market garden or other uses.
Description of the property’s current condition, current use(s), and past use(s)
The property is a long parcel (about 400 feet by 2500 feet) oriented north-to-south. At the north end is the 6-acre area managed without any synthetic agrochemical inputs since late 2017. Our infrastructure includes a house, detached garage, chicken coop, three pole barns in various states of repair, corn crib in the process of falling down very slowly, a disused grain bin, and a cement pad with a shed-in-a-box where we do limited poultry processing. There is an old apple/pear orchard where we have been planting in some new fruit trees as the older ones die out. There are two open pasture areas (0.25 acres each), one currently used for raising turkeys/ducks, one used for pigs/poultry/lambs. There are other areas of the farm (probably another half acre or so) currently unused that could be rehabilitated into arable land and/or pasture. To the south of these is a 2.5-acred silvopastoral system we have planted with mostly native fruit and nut trees that we use for raising and rotationally grazing pigs, lambs, chickens, and turkeys. As we continue moving south, there are the conventional fields rented out to another farmer (year-to-year lease, rotation between sweet corn, vegetables/fruits, and soy/grains), then at the far southern end is the forest block. This is a very nice block of oak forest with a bit of hickory.
Additional Information
We prefer to work with someone interested in organic, regenerative, and/or agroecological farming methods. In the past the farm was used for cattle production, tree fruits, and produce (mainly potatoes); currently we focus on pastured livestock production (pigs, sheep, heritage breed poultry). Potential to expand tree fruit management and production, install/run a market garden. We have much of the necessary equipment. There are several potential revenue streams that are going largely unused for lack of time/labor (e.g., apples and pears in old orchard that are used to feed livestock but pruned and rehabilitated into healthy & productive organic tree fruit; production of hybrid hazelnuts currenlty used for livestock feed that could also be gathered/sold) and other opportunities for new revenue streams (market garden, some mushroom foraging, mushroom cultivation in forest area, biochar/compost production) that could be developed by a partner.
Soil Type(s)
Loamy sand or sandy loam depending on exact location within the farm. Soil is slightly acidic and with high phosphorous levels (legacy phosphorous from previous decades of use).
Transition Agreement
Farm Seeker/Farm Owner Partnership, Working arrangement with future partner
We are open to different arrangements that involve equitable and mutually-beneficial cooperative management, informal, formal, or otherwise. This might mean you living here with us (the upstairs of the house has 2 bedrooms, not occupied) and using part of the farm to manage as your own enterprise in exchange for help with farm chores. It might mean leasing part of the property for your own mini-enterprise while we get to know each other and decide if we want to go into business together. It might be a thing where we own the land and form an LLC with multiple owners who rent the land from us and then the business is Its Own Thing. It might be purchasing a share in the actual land. Or maybe it's a rent-to-own type arrangement. We haven't figured it out yet, but we're open to discussions.
Sale Price or Estimated Market Value
United States
Price for Lease Per Acre
United States
Production Preferences
Preferred Farming Method
Certified Organic, Organic Practices
