GFP045: How to Find Farm Land

Wouldn't it be nice if the perfect piece of land just fell into our respective laps? I know I would love it. Since that kind of miracle doesn't happen every day we must resort to more conventional land-locating techniques. In today's farm podcast I highlight my strategy for finding land. Since my farm is currently very very wet, I will be looking for some dry pasture nearby where I can run some chickens until my pastures dry out. I will be applying these techniques myself in the weeks to come. They've worked in the past, they will again I'm sure. Since my farm is still very young I have found a number of websites that have been very helpful. Even with all the online "stuff" that you can do now-a-days. We're keeping an eye out. That being said, having my website up and running has made life a little easier for me. Find land can be a lot of fun. The trick is to not let it become stressful. You can listen to the episode to get all the tips and tricks Kip and I have to share. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: How to think outside the box to maximize results Having a business plan is important when you find that perfect piece of land and you're talking to the customers. What a mentor can do for you My custom method for finding farm land Interview with Kip Kolesinskas Kip Kolesinskas joined American Farmland Trust in January 2012 as a consulting Conservation Scientist for the New England Office. Kolesinskas will spearhead conservation projects and identify opportunities for collaboration on conservation and farmland initiatives across the region. For 20 years, Kolesinskas served as USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist for Connecticut and Rhode Island, where he brought his scientific expertise and programmatic knowledge to numerous state, regional and national NRCS projects and initiatives. From 1995 to 2011, he managed the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) in Connecticut, which contributed $38.6 million to protect over 10,000 acres of farmland. At NRCS, Kolesinskas worked closely on several projects with American Farmland Trust and other partners, including theFarmland ConneCTionsproject, the Planning for Agriculture and Conservation Options guides, and the Working Lands AlliancePlowing Ahead conference and white paper. In addition to this wealth of professional experience, Kolesinskas  is an avid fisherman, cook, gardener and local foods advocate. Upon receiving an A.A.S. in Plant Science from SUNY Cobleskill, Kolesinskas received a B.S. in Soil Science from Cornell University and completed additional coursework at Texas A&M and Lancaster University and Schumacher College in the United Kingdom. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: CT Farm Link ( there's one for each State) We Soil Survey Land For Good UConn Extension New England Farmland Finder EasyFarmWebsite.com How to Start a CSA in 100 Days Take aways: In any kind of marketing, including finding land, how comfortable are you meeting with and talking to new people? How did you find your land? Share your story in the comments below. Cheers! -- 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