FOR ASPIRING FARMERS
How to find retiring farmers looking for someone like you
By Sam Marwood
There are retiring farmers looking for someone to keep their place going. They just haven't met you yet.
Finding them, and knowing what to say when you do, is how aspiring farmers who didn't inherit a farm get onto one.
Keep your ear to the ground
Most leads start small. You hear of a farmer wanting to lease their land. You notice a farmer's fence is down. You meet someone at dinner who knows the farming community.
Each one is a reason to call in and offer a hand.
What to say, and when
Say a neighbour of yours is starting to slow down. The guide's advice comes in two steps.
In your first chats, ask about their farming history and tell them how much you like their farm. If it fits, mention your vision.
The next time you meet, say you've been thinking about their situation. Ask whether they're keen to stay on, because you have some ideas about how they could stay while you help with the work.
You don't have to mention ownership. For now, the aim is just to get them open to the idea.
Write a letter
A heartfelt, handwritten letter to an older farmer whose farm you'd love to be involved in shows you've taken the time, and that it matters to you.
Say plainly, in the letter or in person, that you're not asking them to hand anything over. You're offering to keep working what they built, on terms that suit them.
That's a very different conversation to a stranger wanting to buy them out.
Aim for first right of purchase
Once there's trust, your goal is ideally first right of purchase. When a farm goes on the market, competition ramps up from neighbours, bigger operations and other aspiring farmers.
A sole right to buy, even for a limited time, is priceless.
Put yourself in front of them
Does your job get you in front of retiring farmers? Plenty of jobs do: livestock transport driver, fertiliser rep, real estate agent, stock agent, professional adviser, contractor, vet, nurse, even councillor.
If yours doesn't, make a 60 second video on your phone. Say who you are, explain that you're looking for a farming family who want to step back, and outline your skills. A paid post can put it in front of farmers in the district you'd like to farm.
The person they already know
When a retiring farmer looks for someone to take on the farm, the one they choose may well be someone they've worked with and already trust.
That kind of trust is built over a long time. Could you be that person for a farmer you already know?
The full guide, You Can Own a Farm, is free at cultivatefarms.com/resources.
You can build your own plan at cultivatefarms.com/plan.