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Re: The cost of leasing land



I think Andy Lee is right here that as little money as you can pay for the
land the better off you will be. I live in the inner city and was very
lucky to hook up with folks on a large suburban tract of land
(approximately 2 acres). They let me grow cut flowers on 1/2 acre. In
exchange they get lots of flowers, beautiful flower beds to admire,
plants of all sorts, and
many vegetables. I pay for the water I use. (They also get added
pollinators for their fruit trees and a lot more wildlife and
entertainment for their kids :-) I do maintain the garden and the piles
of things a little bit more neatly than I do at home since they are in
their front yard. Overall (this is only our second year) I think
we're all happy and it's a good learning experience though sometimes I
wish I lived where I grew so (a) I could camp out if I wanted and (b) I
could extend the season a bit with some cloches...But, I feel absolutely
lucky to have met these folks and think it is a good way for people, like
me with no money and no land to do some growing. 

Ag land is leased by the acre pretty cheap compared to what the cost is
for "prime development land" (hate those words). Most folks in prime
development land would consider ag rates a give a way anyways...But, even
ag rates figure into your total cost and I don't think anyone thinks you
can make much money farming so....

I really do think that a well-run sustainable garden of any sort that
doesn't involve destroying habitat (my flowers are where lawn once, and
the increase in critter life has been out of sight) is actually an
improvement to someone's land and so they shouldn't be charging you much
if anything, but then I don't think we should actually be owning land
either :-)



eliza


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