Market Farming

["Brigette Leach" <avalonfarmshomegrown AT earthlink.net>]

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Brigette Leach

Avalon Farms Premium Homegrown

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----- Original Message -----

From: Steven Rogers

To: Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: 12/31/2004 12:22:45 AM

Subject: [Market-farming] WOOHOOO! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I BOUGHT A FARM!

After 15 years of market farming, I just bought my own farm today. I started out in 1989 on a 1/2 acre garden at my own house and another rented 1/2acre, both in the city of Portland, Or. The place I owned was an acre total with two rotten houses and a large shed that was nicer than the two houses. I paid full price, no inspection, no representation--closed on 12/24/1981 for $49K. Turned out it needed a roof, wiring and a water heater. Six months later the bubble burst in the real estate market and the house lost one third of its value. (Ah, the Reagan years. Some people swear they were great, but they were the worst economic times ever for me.) All of my friends and family told me I was and idiot for ever buying the place and that I should just cut my losses and walk away. Oh, did I mention the neighborhood's nickname is felony flats? Well I stuck it out, started farming, expanded to 1 1/2 acres until I finally got the year I had been waiting for where everything went r ight-my sales doubled from $75K/year to $150K. I decided I had proved my original point about being able to make it on a small acreage in an urban setting, and I found 15 acres to rent with Irrigation out in the suburbs. Beautiful place-on one side a National Wildlife Refuge, on the other side a Home Depot. Amazing soil. The bottom ground needed no irrigation or fertilizer even for lettuces and carrots. All the land had been rezoned for industrial or residential so the prices were really high-up to $200k/ acre. Last May, I listed my house and 1 acre in Portland for sale-it had been rezoned for rowhouses so I got $265K for it. In the meantime, farmland within 45 miles of Portland doubled in price. Today I looked at properties 60 miles from Portland and just bought a 20 acre farm with buried 6" mainline irrigation. 350 gpm well, 3bed 1 1/2 bath farmhouse with a new roof furnace and water heater. Lrge pole building for processing with 3-phase power. All for $249K. The payments will be less than what I am paying in rent right now. All I can say is thank you Jesus! 20 miles closer to Portland and the price would have doubled. 35 miles closer to Portland and this becomes a $750K property. Now I have a place to put the 1/2 acre HayGrove tunnel I just bought.

 

 

 

Steven Rogers

singingpigfarm AT earthlink.net

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