New England has reversed the trend

[FarmboyBill]

pooter news said that unlike the rest of the nation where the farms are disappearing due to age of current owners, farms in N England are growing in number. Mostly new farmers are in ages of 20s 30s.

[Terri]

I wonder how they can afford it: I hear that the cost of land is high, and that the tax payments may be higher than the mortgage!

[littlejoe]

That's disturbing to me, Terri! I've dreamed of having s sustainable place paid for, and not owing anything more than taxes. However, so easily a dream could be lost by our govts doing.

We have control of such, but we best wake up and take it!

[gweny]

I know 3 young farmers in the NE. One is a mushroom farmer. He grows shiitake and lions mane, and other high end mushrooms. Number 2 is a worm farmer. He grows worms mostly to fill an order for a medical testing company. The third grows trees, mostly for Christmas.
Have the # of farmers grown or just the definition? These new farmers are not feeding America. They are filling a niche. Id love to see actual data on what exactly these new farmers are producing. I suspect it's likely more of the same.

[billooo2]

Several years ago I attended a seminar and one of the speakers was from Ohio State. He spoke about 2 trends.. One is that the number of farms 150-300 acres are disappearing. He referred to those as the usual 'family farm.' He said the the number of farms over 600 acres is increasing. He also said that the number of farms less then 50 acres is increasing.

The other trend regarded consumers. He said that approximately 70% of the shoppers buy by 'price alone.' He said that the other 30% are more concerned with quality, and they are willing to pay more for what they want. He also said that percentage is growing.

He was saying that the smaller farms can survive and thrive by addressing the desires of the consumers who are looking for quality, and are willing to pay more.

[unregistered168043]

Me and my wife are part of the surge in young NE farmers. At the farmers market we notice that the age demographic still favors older ( 60+) farmers but there is a healthy and increasing number of younger farmers.

What is driving it? It has become very difficult ( especially in rural areas ) to make ends meat in the traditional way. Young people are learning that the routes our parents took are no longer available to us.

[Terri]

Originally Posted by littlejoe

That's disturbing to me, Terri! I've dreamed of having s sustainable place paid for, and not owing anything more than taxes. However, so easily a dream could be lost by our govts doing.

We have control of such, but we best wake up and take it!

Littlejoe, not all states tax the same way! My taxes for 5 bare acres are about $600 per year, while my sister on the east coast was paying $5000 dollars a year in taxes on her home! She said that everyone in New York paid that kind of property taxes. She had no idea what it was on bare land,but she thought it was pretty high.

[jwal10]

I see many new farms starting here, 5 to 15 acres. Very diversified. They raise a little of what sells and a couple things they are passionate about, makes a good mix. These young people are very willing to trade, too. We all use these special ingredients to make our own speciality's and trade around. We work together, lots of hand labor, quiet, good fun, good conversation, good friendships, good meals. Very simple life, close to the earth. Not like the hippies of the 70's, very goal oriented young people....James

[Tommyice]

There is also a lot of Green Acres grant money to be had. I know in Jersey (a state that was once known as the Garden State because of its farms) is giving away lots of it to maintain open space and prevent development. You can buy a farm, get the grant, but you have to keep the land as a farm and it can never be developed. If sold, the new owners have to keep it as a farm as well.

[billooo2]

Originally Posted by Darntootin

Me and my wife are part of the surge in young NE farmers. At the farmers market we notice that the age demographic still favors older ( 60+) farmers but there is a healthy and increasing number of younger farmers.

What is driving it? It has become very difficult ( especially in rural areas ) to make ends meat in the traditional way. Young people are learning that the routes our parents took are no longer available to us.

A friend of mine realized that he was not making money doing farming the 'traditional' way of farming. He decided that he would try doing more 'direct marketing' to consumers. He started out with 'grass;raised' chicken, turkeys, pork, and beef. Along the the way, some members of the Weston A Price Foundation discovered him. They asked him about supplying raw milk. He looked into 'herd shares,' and started including raw milk. He is doing much better financially. He said that the thing that he did not expect ......every month he gets 'thank you notes' from customers........they are grateful for what he is doing. Also, in the summer, they will host a 'pot-luck' picnic at the farm for all of his customers.

Originally Posted by Terri

Littlejoe, not all states tax the same way! My taxes for 5 bare acres are about $600 per year, while my sister on the east coast was paying $5000 dollars a year in taxes on her home! She said that everyone in New York paid that kind of property taxes. She had no idea what it was on bare land,but she thought it was pretty high.

Here in Missouri, those same 5 acres would cost you less than $100/year taxes in our county...my son has a home on a lake..modest, but nice..on an acre lot..taxes are $158/year..

John and I are looking at a home..1800 sq feet on an acre..yearly taxes $654...

My mother's home in Hingham MA was a simple split level ..nothing fancy at all...$8000/year taxes...that was in 2004!!

[FarmboyBill]

My taxes on 20 was $35 last year.