SFG CSA idea!

Wow Michelle, that is a lot of money! To me, anyway. Property values are very low where I live. We only paid $50k for our house and it's a nice one in a decent neighborhood. Maybe you can talk them down on the price.

Kim, I like your idea! That would make a beautiful garden stand. We have a similar stand in our area and it's so cool to go see the veggies growing and get to take them home with us.

I decided that this year I'm going to focus on the very basics for my idea. I'm going to start by getting certified as a teacher, them find out if I can have a "farm" in the city limits, and them I'm going to see about purchasing the piece of land I've been eyeballing. I told hubby that I would probably not set up a business righht away, but focus more on building and setting up the boxes. And the first year I think I'll plant veggies and then donate them to our local soup kitchen. That way I have time to get the MM all right without pressure to get the highest yields possible for customers.

Sapphire, this guy is being completely ridiculous; the property is valued at about 1/4 of what he's asking! In the current economy the values are dropping every year. We actually bought our house from his father, but he was handling the sale because his father is in a nursing home. This house was overpriced for the economic situation, also, and it took him 3 years to drop the price enough so he could generate true interest. We have a plan Plantoid suggested to hopefully make him realize the true value of the property, and will try that when we get ready to move on the idea.

I love your plan to get things started. While you won't see a return on your investment right away, you WILL establish yourself as a respected businessperson in the community by getting certified through the SFG Foundation and giving food from your first year efforts to the soup kitchen. You ought to consider continuing to donate some produce to that kitchen even after you have your business up & running. It's a tax write-off! Considering your plan, an attorney might be willing to talk to you about the local laws & regulations pro-bono, or at least discount his fees in trade for some organically grown, juicy tomatoes and yummy veggies. You'll want to consult a professional eventually, to make sure you're doing everything correctly.

Thanks for the tips, Michelle! I was actually just saying to hubby that I WISH I had someone to help me through the legal crap because I have no idea what I'm doing (plus NY state likes to make it as difficult as possible for small businesses). I will certainly find an attorney when the time comes. I plan on continuing to donate to the soup kitchen. I actually have a small space in my current garden reserved for them, too. I planted some Oregon Spring tomatoes (early cold tolerant determinate) so I can take in a large batch of fresh tomatoes early in the season. Wouldn't that be a treat!

Wow, that guy you're dealing with sure sounds like a royal pain. Keep us updated on how everything goes with him!