Type of opportunity:

Sale (Standard), Sale (Owner Financed), Lease (1 to 5 Years), Lease with Option to Buy, Internship / Mentorship, Employment, Employment with Transfer. More info: We are looking for a small piece of property in the Denver/Statesville area to purchase so that we can grow our own veggies and have fruit and nut trees. We also want to have chickens and keep bees. The goal is to be more self-sufficient, as well as to be able to share our harvests with those less fortunate. The farm would ideally develop into a teaching facility, specifically focused on helping families with children on the autism spectrum learn to be more self-sufficient by growing their own food and learning traditional, practical life skills. We're also considering starting a native nursery and/or a butterfly nursery, to foster the uniqueness of North Carolina's beauty.

Equipment & infrastructure:

Barn, Fencing, Well / Pond / Other water source, Greenhouse, Farmer housing, Farm equipment, Irrigation equipment, Cold storage (cooler/freezer). More info: The boxes checked off are extensive, but just having a barn or shed would be enough to get started.

Current production on farm:

Field crops, Flowers, Hay or pasture, Herbs, Orchard, Vegetable production, Vineyard, Woodlot or forest products. More info: We are interested mostly in growing veg and fruit, as well as having fruit and nut trees and perhaps an area that is wooded for exploring.

Current farming practices:

Ecological production but not certified. More info: We currently grow pesticide-free, using mostly heirloom and non-hybrid seed. We are renting at the moment, so we are using 5-gallon buckets (acquired for free from local grocery stores) in which to grow our veg. We are unable to have chickens or bees at our rental property.

Previous farming experience:

Volunteer

Number of years experience:

4

Other qualifications:

More info: I have a homesteading blog on which I have shared many stories about growing in Florida, where I was a volunteer at a local pesticide-free, 7,000 square-foot container garden. The blog can be found at MapleHill101. I also completed many courses in Florida through the extension center on "Florida-friendly" gardening and incorporated that into my home garden. I was able to help many families become interested in gardening by bringing caterpillars home from my weekly volunteer gig and giving them away on Craig's List. It was fun to share with folks how to create a habitat for them in their own home gardens.

Production goals:

Field crops, Flowers, Herbs, Orchard, Vegetable production, Woodlot or forest products.