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  • From: Jerome Rigot <rigot.3@osu.edu>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] land to share
  • Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 10:01:47 -0400

Just passing along an interesting offer. Please, do not reply to me. Jerome

From: Neal Van Milligen <CAVM@AOL.COM>
Subject: [SANET-MG] I may have land to share
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

I may have an opportunity to share 300 acres of woods and pasture if some large family or a group is interested in working out a joint venture relationship. If you want to move to the country or move to another site this could be for you. I have convinced the land owner that he could be providing a life changing opportunity for the right people and he is going for it.

The owner would like to see the land be productive and provide an income for him. He would help the occupants with whatever business venture they persuaded him to take on, mostly with lending a hand and offering professional advice. This is not a solicitation for tenant farmers or share croppers. It is for a joint venture.

He is considering making this a project for either hard working homesteader types or for immigrants. He is interested in dependable people with a good work ethic who will put the land to productive use. This is an opportunity for someones who have a plan for rural life and want the site to put it into action regardless of your color, religion, ethnic background or native language (legal status is required of immigrants). NGO's, non-profits, cooperatives and other arrangements are welcome.

A good idea might be a group of similar minded individuals or families forming a cooperative of some kind to put various projects on the land. I can imagine meat and dairy goats, rabbits, perhaps cattle, vermiculture, truck gardens (CSAs?), mushrooms, fish and greenhouses, free range poultry and hogs, a sawmill and much more. Due to the relatively small size of the various parcels of tillable land (1-10 acres here and there) I do not see row crops here.

The land is in northern Alabama USA, 30 miles south of Huntsville. It has several year round creeks and springs. Some of it has old fencing but would need shoring up for goats. There are several barns in varied states of repair. Two 20,000 sq. ft poultry buildings are in very good shape. Two more are in poor repair but usable for storage, etc. There is a 4 bedroom 2 bath home on the land that could become part of the arrangement. There are several mobile home sites with power.

What I would like to see is someone or groups of someones putting together an offer that includes plans for the property with the arrangement going to the best plan. If I didn't have 200 acres of my own I would be making an offer on this opportunity. When I first came to rural life I couldn't even afford to rent a decent piece of land. Eventually I bought 10 acres of shrubs on a land contract. This offer would have been as if from heaven to me then. How about to you now?

Some of you know that my company consults on greenhouses, Organic farming, composting, free range poultry, alternative energy, rural economic development and self-sufficiency. We would be willing to be involve with you if you would like.

A sound business arrangement would have to be worked out in the event that several folks would utilize the land in cooperation with each other. What happens when new ones want to become involved or when existing ones want to leave? Who decides what is to be done and how the profits are to be used? These things must be worked out in detail ahead of time. It would be better if your plan suggested options. If you are one family and intend to make an offer on the whole parcel it should include provisions for keeping the operation going for the long term.

It might be better to discuss this away from the group unless tossing around ideas and plans seems like a good idea to the moderator. This is the kind of brain storming that could lead others to seek opportunities similar to this at other sites but I am OK with either this being part of the group or separate. If you want to share this offer with other groups, please feel free to do so.

What do you think?

Neal Van Milligen
Kentucky Enrichment Inc.
<http://www.kentuckyenrichment.com>www.kentuckyenrichment.com
www.naturalproteintech.com
<mailto:cavm@aol.com>cavm@aol.com




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