Progress Report: Four Months

image from theswellsideofthepillow.tumblr.com

About halfway through this past month, I was doubting whether or not I would have any progress towards finding a farm of my own.  Between the holidays and a bout of pneumonia, I didn't accomplish very much (as reflected below).

Thankfully, finding a farm is not about quantity of accomplishments, but about quality.  It took reexamining my values (ie. realizing that I didn't want a house that needed gutting) and expanding my search to find a new farm with potential.  Once I found a property that I felt I could develop a business around, drafting a contract and negotiating a purchase price went relatively quickly.  Exactly 4 months from the day I left my job to pursue this crazy dream, I bought a farm!

I'm really excited about taking this big step (despite the waves of nervousness and anxiety over everything that still needs to happen in order for it all to come together!).  I'm still having trouble believing it: I bought a farm!

Things I've Accomplished:

1. Farm Tours: Visited a Plainfield Farm and went on a marathon Six-Farm Tour.
2. Attended the second part of a financial farm planning course, through Holistic Farm Planning.
3. BOUGHT A FARM!

Things I'm Still Working On:

1. Preparing my loan application and business plan for my Wednesday afternoon mortgage-approval meeting.
2. Scheduling home (etc) inspections.
3. Meeting other Lebanon Farmers.
4. Learning more about registering the farm and establishing it as a business.
5. Creating a specific crop/livestock plan for 2012.
6. Developing a logo and website (I made good progress this past weekend!).
7. Begin drafting orders for seeds/chicks/supplies.
8. Conduct a land survey through NRCS.
9. Search for part-time work closer to Lebanon.
10. Figure out all of the other details of purchasing a farm that I don't know about yet!

image from etsy.com

To check out past progress reports, click here:
One Month
Two Months
Three Months