Resources > Beginning Farmers > Access to Land
As you begin to plan your farm, it's important to answer some questions for yourself about your goals. This is especially true if you don't yet have land secured for your enterprise. You will have very different land needs if you're producing high-quality vegetables versus grass-fed beef. You will also have different needs if you are seeking to farm full-time, as a hobby, or simply for agricultural tax assessment. It's important to be very clear with yourself and your family about these things before you purchase a piece of land.
Land is prohibitively expensive for many people looking to get into farming, but owning land is not the only option. Again, depending on your goals and needs, you may be able to work out creative solutions for land leases or farm transfers.
Excellent information and suggestions about securing access to farmland.
Department of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University
Provides a website of farms and farming situations offered and desired, in addition to networking, consulting, and educational support for beginning and retiring farmers to help in the business transition process. Also offers Business Transfer Guides, which consist of 3 workbooks designed to support the orderly transfer of a farm business from retiring farmer to new operator. The Junior Generation guidebook is for beginning farmers; the Senior Generation guidebook is for retiring farmers; and the Facilitators guidebook is for service providers assisting with the process. The guides are designed to assist all parties through a step-by-step transfer process, at their own pace.
$10. To order, call NY FarmLink at 1-800-547-3276.
Phone: 1-800-547-3276
The 124-page guide is divided into four parts: Strategies to Transfer Farms and Farmland; Strategies to Protect Your Farmland; a resources section; and sample worksheets and documents.
$10 plus $2 S&H for each order of 1-5 copies. Make checks payable and send order to:
New England Small Farm Institute
P.O. Box 937
Belchertown, MA 01007
