I’m looking for either a farm incubator where I can learn from experienced farmers and get hands-on experience, or a small property (1-4 acres) close to a population center, ideally within 10 minutes, for intensive vegetable production. Market access matters. Depending on the opportunity, I have different business plans formulated for how I want to make this work. I can provide those upon request. I know Year 1 is for learning. I’m planning to follow Daniel Mays’ approach: one-time tillage to establish beds the first season, then transition to full no-till with cover crops starting Fall 2026.

This interest goes back 15-20 years. When I lived in New York City, I started ordering from Miller’s Organic Farm in Pennsylvania. Raw milk, pasture-raised meats, eggs, goat’s milk, kefir. Raw milk was hard to get back then, especially in NYC. I eventually moved to Missouri specifically because it was one of the few states with clear laws allowing raw milk sales. I’ve been there six years. So this isn’t a new idea for me. I’ve been living this way and thinking about farming for a long time.

At some point I thought: why am I paying to have this shipped to me when I could just go to the source and grow it myself? That question stuck with me. I’ve since read extensively. Joel Salatin, Greg Judy, Jean-Martin Fortier, and especially Daniel Mays. His no-till organic vegetable approach is what I want to do. I’m not interested in extracting value from the land. I want to improve it. Build soil health, increase biodiversity, follow nature’s model instead of fighting it. Organic is non-negotiable for me. No pesticides, no compromises on that. I’m starting with vegetables, not livestock. Vegetables are a good way to build experience before taking on animals.

I’m a self-taught software engineer. 20 years in the field, no college, no bootcamps. I learned everything from books and figuring things out on my own, and I built a real career from that. I recently walked away from tech to do this full-time. I know how to teach myself things and stick with them.

I have savings from my previous career, so I’m not depending on Year 1 farm income. I’m committed to working on this daily. I’m also open to working on other farms while I learn. What I want is to blur the lines between work and recreation. To do hard physical labor that actually produces something, grow food for myself and others, and live a quieter life.