What organizations can help me find land?

FarmLink Programs Most Northeast states offer land-linking services. Most of these programs try to link retiring or exiting farmers with individuals interested in getting started in farming. They also offer counseling to guide the process, whether the farm is going to be sold from one party to another, leased, operated as a partnership, or organized … Read More

I’d like to start a CSA. How do I know how much land I need and how much to plant for the number of shares I want to offer?

Rachel Schneider at Hawthorne Valley Farm provides the following estimate of land needed for new CSA farmers. This is intended only as a starting point. You may find these to be too high or low for your farm, but your experience and advice from nearby farmers will help you get more refined over time: 0.5 … Read More

How can I learn more about my land and what will grow well on it?

If you would like to learn more about evaluating your land’s potential for farm production, start with the Evaluating Land, Environment and Facilities tutorial at left and navigate through the chapters on climate, soil, and infrastructure.

What realtors, publications & websites are good for finding available farmland?

strong>Farm Newspapers with Listing Farm Properties for Sale Grassroots – The Voice of New York Farm Bureau – 800-342-4143 Country Folks – Lee Publications – 800-218-5586 Farm Real Estate Brokers* While conventional real estate brokers list farms for sale, most active farms are considered commercial property and are listed by real estate agents specializing in … Read More

How can I find someone to farm my land?

There is no single clearinghouse for this information, and there are likely many more landowners seeking farmers than there are farmers seeking land to lease. A good starting place is to get really clear about what you’re offering. Describe in writing: Your land – size, location, type of soil, flat or hilly, a brief description … Read More

How can I get access to land?

Getting access to land is one of the most important questions to ask when considering starting a farm. With land prices as high as they are, there is no easy answer to this question. Leasing a Farm Owning farmland can be expensive and can make it more difficult to develop a profitable enterprise. Leasing is … Read More

How can I farm if I can’t afford land?

While it’s still tricky to negotiate, more and more farmers are finding that you don’t need to own land in order to farm. Owning farmland can be expensive and can make it much more difficult to develop a profitable enterprise. Leasing is one of many options. As the Greenhorns say in their Guide to Farming, … Read More