Entering Farmer #20451
I am looking for a farmhouse/homestead set up. I have years of experience with livestock, poultry and am a penn state master gardener. I love gardening and would love to create a huge greenhouse, and grow medicinal and tea herbs. I also enjoy educating people about agriculture and sustainability. I recently left a DV situation with my children. One of whom is disabled and medically fragile, which is another driving factor for wanting to get back to a more natural lifestyle.
Entering Farmer #20447
Hello! Please call me Si
My wife and I are in our mid twenties and looking for land to homestead/farmstead. We are in search of a minimum of 8 acres. Preferably more. Our main goal is to cultivate a good environment to raise and nurture a family and take care of our parents as they age; farming being our secondary goal.
A little about us.
I grew up in Mississippi and started welding with my dad from the age of eight. I always had a garden growing up. I would “borrow” seeds from freshly planted neighboring fields to plant in my garden. Always having a dream to farm, at age 18 I started working at a conventional row crop, corn and soy farm. Seeing first hand the destruction caused by tillage and toxic chemicals used sent me down the path of regenerative agriculture and permaculture. After which I spent 5 months at Joel Salatins’ Polyface farm as an intern where I learned so much about pastured livestock production and wise land management principles. Following that I spent a year at a year-round pasture based, raw milk dairy. This gave me a love for jersey cows and small scale dairying and allowed me to be close to my girlfriend-now- wife while we were dating. Since then, we’ve moved back to her hometown and married and I am now working as a logger where I am learning and putting into practice sustainable forest management.
My wife grew up in Lancaster PA. She loves all things plants. Whether it be natives and plant design, cut flowers, herbalism, produce or anything of the sort. Her first job was at a produce farm when she was 16. She then graduated early and started landscaping for two years before becoming the farm manager at a local herb, and cut flower farm. Following that she interned at Polyface, opting to stay on an additional year managing that years interns and different aspects of farm operations. Following that she spent almost two years managing a native plant nursery. She currently manages the home and our hobby farm which we hope to expand and improve each season.
We currently have a gracious couple that are allowing us to farm on their nearby property, in exchange we are helping them develop farm infrastructure and help when needed. We have gardens, ducks, turkeys, and a flock of laying hens that follow our sheep as they are rotationally grazed across pasture. Currently, this is all for our own consumption as we explore niches to exploit to be viable in the saturated agricultural Lancaster markets.
An ideal situation would be a rent to own or some other similar arrangement. Thanks! Silvanus Rempel
Entering Farmer #20445
I’m retired from the Army after 21 years of service, seeking opportunities to better understand and learn farming techniques and practices through real life experience and mentorship. recently left culinary school after a year to pursue a life in farming and sustainable food practices as well as food to table.
Entering Farmer #20444
I am looking for a family farm where I will live and work with my family. Open to any any kind of operation including ranches, orchards, vineyards, dairy, grains, etc. Looking for areas with good schools, and a good place to raise our young children. Of course, we need to make a decent living from the property as well.
Entering Farmer #20442
Interested in crop or dairy farming but honestly open to anything.. New to this and in the beginning stages without experience.
Entering Farmer #20438
My husband and I are both Cornell University graduates. Erik was a Natural Resources Management major and I was a double major in both the Plant Sciences and Agricultural Sciences. I was a top graduating senior in the Cornell Plant Sciences Department and an American Society for Horticultural Sciences recognized 2011 Collegiate Scholar. Erik and I were also both Nationally Ranked NCAA Division I athletes. I held a job throughout college, secured scholarships, and worked incredibly hard to graduate with no student debt. My parents, both full time farmers, couldn’t afford to contribute to my college education and my degrees are entirely self-funded. After taking the GRE’s, I decided to follow my heart and return to the family farm rather than pursue a graduate degree. As the youngest of four daughters, it had become clear that none of my other sisters were likely to take a full time interest in a farming lifestyle.
Erik and I are now full time farmers, deriving 100% of our livelihood from the land we steward. As you can see from our university interests, we work each day to secure a stable and sustainable future for our farm. We direct market all of our farm products to local communities. These communities benefit from having a direct connection to the farm and farmers who produce their food. We began further processing our livestock into retail cuts of meat in 2014 and have been slowly expanding our products and customer base. Currently, the farm sells more than 95% of its livestock directly to the end user by retail meat cuts, internet sales, local farmer’s markets, a Meat CSA Program, and live animal sales. Feel free to check out our farm online: https://www.twinbrookfarmsandlivestock.com/
The recent Wayne County Agricultural Development Plan detailed that there was a 30% decline in agriculturally related firms in the county between the years of 2006 and 2015. I wish I had the statistics from the most recent 2022 Census of Agriculture as I write this note. Wayne County has been losing farms at a rapid pace over the last 10 years. That same development plan detailed that the number of farmers older than 55 increased by 40% from 2002 to 2012, while those farmers younger than 55 declined by 26%. In 2012, 60% of principal farm operators worked off farm. So the county trends are: aging farmers that are forced to work off farm because they are unable to derive a sustainable livelihood and very few young farmers entering the business. Of course, we are seeing similar patterns across the country, but Wayne County risks losing the majority of experienced farmers to aging and retirement leaving little opportunity for young farmers to enter the playing field once properties are lost to rising land prices and development.
Do you have livestock and hay ground? If you are a retiring farmer living somewhat near to us with no heir., please reach out. If you’re seeking young farmers will love and appreciate your farm land, please reach out. If you’d like to stay in your farmhouse indefinately and would consider a creative ownership agreement, please reach out. It hurts my heart to see georgeous farms fall into ruin and sold to development. If we can help prevent the loss of your farm, while expanding our own access to additional hay and grazing ground, please reach out.
I have dreams for my family farm. I see a future for my family farm. We’re doing it! I need your help to safeguard these irreplaceable resources -the rural landscape and our family farms- by supporting and protecting farmlands and working landscapes.
Entering Farmer #20436
No farm experience, looking for homestead/small sustainable farm. Regenerative farming, living off the land, giving back to the land
Entering Farmer #20425
I am seeking an opportunity to grow medicinal herbs with a focus on native medicinal and edible plants, Chinese medicinals and raise rabbits for the animal food industry. I also wish to grow figs and seasonal heirloom vegetable plant starts. I plan to market the herbs wholesale dried to the retail business market initially and potentially grow into food processing beyond dehydration. I currently have a collection of heirloom figs that need a proper in ground home. I wish to utilize the figs for both fruit production and fig tree starts. I believe the leaves can also be utilized for sale.
I am seeking a career change for a more satisfying and fulfilling live work environment. I started my career change exploration by working at a greenhouse grow production business then a retail nursery business. I spent a month on an ecotourism focused organic farm this past summer. I have experience in B2B sales, real estate sales, property management and hospitality.
I have a rough draft business plan and see an opportunity opening in the market of medicinal herbs grown in the USA as well as a burgeoning health pet food movement. There are few providers in this region for this market opening.
Thank you for your time and consideration.