GFP039: Getting Investment to Start a Farm

Are you trying to start a farm and you are looking for investment capital? What would you do if you had an extra $10,000 to invest, how about $100,000, how about ONE MILLION DOLLARS!?!? The Wall Street Journal recently published an article about successful people trying to make a living at organic or small scale farming. My thought would immediately be that if they found success in another area of business some of that should translate over to farming. Wouldn't that makes sense after all? The answer is, "Yeah, probably." But it is not going to be ANY EASIER to farm than it is if you are starting your farm on a shoestring. There are still all the issues of huge capitol investments, mother nature, getting to know your land, working with others, and perhaps balancing your day job on top of it. Through whatever act of luck or some higher power I have been afforded a unique opportunity both for myself and for Farm Marketing Solutions. In 2013 I started a poultry farm from scratch on a shoestring budget. It is the farm I have been talking about on the podcast all year. As we move into 2014 I am now farm manager of another farm start-up that has the benefit of a land-owner and some start up investment capital. It is not an "infinite budget" and a lot of the capital has to be paid back. Even so I am able to purchase some things that I wish I had in the past and would like going forward as well as make improvements to the land and create something great. In 2014 Camps Road Farm is going to be my main focus. I am rolling my farm operation in with theirs because I am running the whole show anyways. I will smartly (hopefully) use the resources at my disposal to bring a about a successful future for the farm. Right Click to Download MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: The risk the wealthy are taking getting into agriculture What you can do to encourage investors What is the business structure of my farm The story behind Camps Road Farm (my farm) An important perspective from a successful entrepreneur getting into farming Interview with David Birnbaum of Camps Road Farm: David comes from an IT and telecommunications background. He goes into detail about his journey through life that eventually led to farm ownership in the podcast and I suggest taking the time to hear it from his perspective. One of the things that I have greatly enjoyed about working with David on Camps Road Farm so far is that he brings a highly efficient and analytical work ethic to the farm. He spends his work weeks in Manhattan doing stuff that's above my technical understanding, and he spends his weekends on the farm, well, doing whatever I tell him to, haha. His work on the farm allows me to have a day off here and there to spend with Kate and Mabel and for that I am grateful. The great thing is, while his expertise is not in agriculture, he has the ability to take my "to-do lists" and not only accomplish them, but add in his own problem solving as he goes. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Wall Street Journal "The New Gentleman Farmer" Camps Road Farm (Facebook) Episode 37 with Spence about Poultry Neversink Spirits (Facebook) Kent Falls Brewing (Facebook) Take aways: Are you doing anything on your farm that might inspire an investor? If you are planning on starting a farm of your own do you have the capital to get off the ground? If not how can you creatively structure your business plan to make yourself desirable for someone looking to invest in local agriculture? Happy Holidays!!! I cannot thank you enough as my listening audience for all the support that you have given me this year. It has been an amazing journey through 2013 and it looks to be even more wild going into 2014. I created this podcast for you and I continue it for us. I am thankful for so much and so moved by all the feedback I get from the podcast and from Farm Marketing Solutions. Thank you for coming along with me! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! -- My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month