Now through 2044 more than $24 trillion dollars worth of farmland and farming assets will change hands as farmers retire. We need everyday people, not corporations, to buy this land.
Me and my two sons are currently looking for farmland to build our homestead. I’m 61, they’re 33 & 36, and we want enough land that we can each build a home, plus all of the other needed barns and shops to keep livestock and equipment, so at least 160 acres. One of the things we’ve decided to do is to put a large portions into permanent conservation easement. This will protect the land from ever being developed.
One of our goals is to have a community garden and a freezer full of meat we raise for those in need. If we raise chickens, rabbits, a steer or hog, it won’t cost much to put some in the freezer for the needy. It may sound crazy, but what does it really cost to feed a hungry family if you’re raising the food?
Fantastic article! Have you done any research on “other ways of making money with a farm?” I am talking about ways of creating Agro-tourism, growing specific crops for clients, and the possibility raising exotic and specific meat animals. Farms and farmers are dying. The local government wants the land for cheap and taxable housing, the public thinks all food comes from a restaurant or a supermarket, the vegan activists want food grown in a lab or the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) of another country. Current farmers are getting old, their children want clean and easy city jobs with fun activities and exciting nightlife. If creative people can see other ways to make a living through farming, rather than just the increasing expense of one crop farming, maybe new farmers would run out to buy land and farm before it’s too late to save the future.
Hi Alexandra, another idea is for those of us in the older generation who may have already inherited money from our parents, and have an interest in this issue, to buy farmland and then barter or lease the land to new young farmers who have the energy and strength to farm, but not the money to buy land. This is what I have done. seeing your article today is extremely timely, as I have begun to write the story of our “old landowner plus Young farmers” experience in the hopes that it will help others. I just set up a Substack called “aboutthefarm”. I will begin posting this week.
My family is Trinidad I started gardening during Covid and fell in love with it. If I can grow some of the plants from my culture in Some greenhouses because I’m in NC that I can make money from that will be ideal
My niece worked as a”intern” on a working farm with lots of crops and animals— not monoculture. Often trying to carry 50 lb bags and do general scut work was just too physically hard. She wasn’t able to keep it up. This is a painful problem for young people coming out of college and wanting to help solve the problem of maintaining a real farm with crop rotation and a mind like Wendell Berry’s.
That’s very good to know, as well. Dreams can sometimes become larger than our actual abilities to obtain and maintain them. However, I perceive that your niece is a well educated person. As such, that she understands now about arming oneself with all the information needed in advance. It’s a huge undertaking. No matter how much research goes in, it’s big— Not an impossibility. :)
I’m hoping to find some farmland! Right now my only thing is where to buy it. I am in the suburbs of a big city and all the available land is sooooo expensive. I’m sure that I will need to do more research to see if maybe the owners are willing to sell for a cheaper price.
In my area urban development is the greatest threat. The local zoning authority stated their goal clearly. “We need more roofs to attract more businesses to generate more revenue to provide more services” I have to give them credit for being honest.
I'm curious about your perspective on this. Why are you against solar farms? By the tone of your article, it gives me the impression that you are not a fan. (I also could have misread that, but that's the impression I got). I'm curious why that is - not attacking you, just genuinely curious as to your reasoning!
I’m not against solar - I’m against taking out farmland for solar panels when we have millions of acres of malls, shopping strips, bus stops, etc that can support the panels instead! Hail storms can damage the panels and lethal poisons seep into the farmland when that happens. Plus they’re hideous and someone’s gotta have an eye for beauty out here today. The solar companies pressuring farmers to sell are state funded. It’s an agenda.
Makes total sense! I'm with you on that. Accidentally damaging the environment with an intended positive solution should always be avoided and factored into green decisions. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
I call BS...I been trying to work with USDA here in NJ and it's like pulling teeth..Half the people you speak to after you track them down, don't ever call back and the other half does not want to be bothered & pushes it off to someone else.Thourougly disappointed.....
As someone who has worked in agriculture finance the last 42 years this is always the case and will always be the case. The vast majority of the farm ground will be inherited by the family of those farmers and some will be sold to settle their estates but the vast majority of those will be bought by another neighboring farmer.
Me and my two sons are currently looking for farmland to build our homestead. I’m 61, they’re 33 & 36, and we want enough land that we can each build a home, plus all of the other needed barns and shops to keep livestock and equipment, so at least 160 acres. One of the things we’ve decided to do is to put a large portions into permanent conservation easement. This will protect the land from ever being developed.
I plan to do this as well!
We’ll section off pieces to build our homes, but no more than about 30 acres total.
I’m also open to giving a piece to the city or county as a park, much like you’ve done in Florida.
Filled my heart a little more to see this! ;) May all your dreams come true and be a glorious place for all to feel welcome someday.
One of our goals is to have a community garden and a freezer full of meat we raise for those in need. If we raise chickens, rabbits, a steer or hog, it won’t cost much to put some in the freezer for the needy. It may sound crazy, but what does it really cost to feed a hungry family if you’re raising the food?
Fantastic article! Have you done any research on “other ways of making money with a farm?” I am talking about ways of creating Agro-tourism, growing specific crops for clients, and the possibility raising exotic and specific meat animals. Farms and farmers are dying. The local government wants the land for cheap and taxable housing, the public thinks all food comes from a restaurant or a supermarket, the vegan activists want food grown in a lab or the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) of another country. Current farmers are getting old, their children want clean and easy city jobs with fun activities and exciting nightlife. If creative people can see other ways to make a living through farming, rather than just the increasing expense of one crop farming, maybe new farmers would run out to buy land and farm before it’s too late to save the future.
I am working on this as we speak!
Hi Alexandra, another idea is for those of us in the older generation who may have already inherited money from our parents, and have an interest in this issue, to buy farmland and then barter or lease the land to new young farmers who have the energy and strength to farm, but not the money to buy land. This is what I have done. seeing your article today is extremely timely, as I have begun to write the story of our “old landowner plus Young farmers” experience in the hopes that it will help others. I just set up a Substack called “aboutthefarm”. I will begin posting this week.
My family is Trinidad I started gardening during Covid and fell in love with it. If I can grow some of the plants from my culture in Some greenhouses because I’m in NC that I can make money from that will be ideal
My niece worked as a”intern” on a working farm with lots of crops and animals— not monoculture. Often trying to carry 50 lb bags and do general scut work was just too physically hard. She wasn’t able to keep it up. This is a painful problem for young people coming out of college and wanting to help solve the problem of maintaining a real farm with crop rotation and a mind like Wendell Berry’s.
That’s very good to know, as well. Dreams can sometimes become larger than our actual abilities to obtain and maintain them. However, I perceive that your niece is a well educated person. As such, that she understands now about arming oneself with all the information needed in advance. It’s a huge undertaking. No matter how much research goes in, it’s big— Not an impossibility. :)
Making farming less physically hard work is the challenge. Meanwhile all the economic forces seem to be pushing family farms into this no-win corner.
Great article, important topic. My friends at are also trying to tackle this from a different perspective on permies.com/skip
I’m hoping to find some farmland! Right now my only thing is where to buy it. I am in the suburbs of a big city and all the available land is sooooo expensive. I’m sure that I will need to do more research to see if maybe the owners are willing to sell for a cheaper price.
In my area urban development is the greatest threat. The local zoning authority stated their goal clearly. “We need more roofs to attract more businesses to generate more revenue to provide more services” I have to give them credit for being honest.
Haha what a great article. You the best!
I'm curious about your perspective on this. Why are you against solar farms? By the tone of your article, it gives me the impression that you are not a fan. (I also could have misread that, but that's the impression I got). I'm curious why that is - not attacking you, just genuinely curious as to your reasoning!
I’m not against solar - I’m against taking out farmland for solar panels when we have millions of acres of malls, shopping strips, bus stops, etc that can support the panels instead! Hail storms can damage the panels and lethal poisons seep into the farmland when that happens. Plus they’re hideous and someone’s gotta have an eye for beauty out here today. The solar companies pressuring farmers to sell are state funded. It’s an agenda.
Makes total sense! I'm with you on that. Accidentally damaging the environment with an intended positive solution should always be avoided and factored into green decisions. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
Yep
I call BS...I been trying to work with USDA here in NJ and it's like pulling teeth..Half the people you speak to after you track them down, don't ever call back and the other half does not want to be bothered & pushes it off to someone else.Thourougly disappointed.....
Farm credit doesn’t do this and will respond immediately.
As someone who has worked in agriculture finance the last 42 years this is always the case and will always be the case. The vast majority of the farm ground will be inherited by the family of those farmers and some will be sold to settle their estates but the vast majority of those will be bought by another neighboring farmer.