The Art of Moving Farms + What is the Right Scale for Part-Time Farming (With Alex Ball!)

[@williamcurry185]

That is brilliant. The most important thing I got from this was the concept of a mobile wash/pack trailer. Just casually thinking about it, leave enough road space in between major beds for basically an RV to roll into and move the wash/pack station to the product and not the other way around. Work in the AC, has bathrooms and a shower, and could be written off as a business expense! Easily convert to a vacation wagon then back to business mode. I’m seeing no downside aside from investment cost. When not in use park in somewhere out of the way and use extra growing space. 10/10

[@Beesunflower369]

This was great to hear the perspective of someone who has had to move garden plots/doesn’t own land that they’ve cultivated for years.

[@ThinkLittleFarm]

Love the perspective and unique experience Alex has. Very good episode!

[@brokenmeats5928]

I love ALL No-Till Growers videos!

[@redsetterfarm5853]

Great episode, great to hear from the perspective of a Ypsilanti local. South east Michigan born and raised.

[@janew5351]

Reminds me of the lady who brings all the equipment to your location to butcher all your meat birds from Madac, ontario

[@ajb.822]

Lotta good stuff ! I would just advise/remind folks that this doesn't mean that renting is right for you. Don't ever feel you HAVE to do it, bc it makes sense on paper or to your circle of friends and family. They don't always know or understand the things about you which factor in, either direction ( you renting/leasing or preferring "owning" ). Even for those of us with chronically challenging health and energy levels, renting, or living in an apt. and buying all your veg, or whatever, whatever... is not necessarily the best choice for you and your biggest needs and the types of things you can do, in the ways you can do them, with the energy you have. For ex. for me, I can better putter around my own garden and home, barefoot and bra-less and get a lot more done, with ability to lay down flat as needed now n then, than I can handle a seemingly easier or more lucrative lifestyle or job, somewhere or someway else, esp. if my garden can be as close to the house as I want, or I can plant a privacy hedge, or whatever, without having to worry about a landlord. Obviously, there's still lawns and zoning and neighbors and taxes etc. etc. no matter what. But not having to deal with yet one more person in my business, who's land it is I'm farming on, is a HUGE relief to me. I'd have to have a guarantee from God on the person and situation being & staying good for me and a fair bit to my def. liking, b4 I'd choose renting over owning. ( A spouse to share everything with is enough ! And I worked for my Dad til my 30s... & had lived there too, til mid-20s. Prob. I've just had enough of not just being able to live my life, or farm how I want, with less "cooks in the kitchen" ! ) Again, this is just me, but maybe it's a helpful ex. in some way to someone, on the factors to think of, over time, in what truly matters MORE to you, for your own approach. That said, it may also come down simply to what's available and what you can afford ;) ! Achieving our goals may take a lot longer than we'd hoped. I just wanted to reassure folks that if, deep down, you still feel land-"ownership" is what you want, that's ok. You prob. have a reason even if your can't articulate it yet. Even if it doesn't make sense "on paper", to others around u, or seems achievable soon.

[@helenbunch9065]

So cool to know of you in Ypsilanti! I will look for your goods :).

[@ajb.822]

Cool wash-pack trailer ! Yes, my main comment below gets into my own preferences, but it would have been much easier and more enjoyable going into our last 10/rental years if we'd realized sooner we would be renting awhile, and transitioned quicker to less of lighter (weight) & more easily moved infrastructure. Even if a $ investment, and esp. for items which are more suitable ( than what we'd had) for multi-uses, or at least, more user-friendly. For a mobile wash-pack trailer option, I'm thinking of some cheaper but very decent & solid looking ice fishing hunting trailers I've seen for sale on fb MP over past yr. (for own-use at least/not needing to be like an "inspected kitchen" .. terms slipping mind). Often more insulated than a normal camper, theoretically it could be easier to keep it cool inside, and some have a sink/water hookups or tanks. Holes in the floor for fishing thru, could be modified for out-flow for water, or even have bins under to catch veg. waste in. Possibly in/a low wagon already hooked up to a lawn tractor... .

[@aileensmith3062]

Although I do not totally agree with Alex on a couple of points. It was a good video to watch and of course learn. Diversitivitey that is positive is not a bad thing!

[@alicabban6327]

Can you help explore this topic more please. I can’t afford to buy farmland too and it’s normal for corn and soybean croppers to rent land too. It’s more likely that we can rent plots within farms and issues are lease lengths, water supply, electricity and fencing as well as temporary outbuildings

[@rebeccairvin6219]

@alicabban6327- Be sure to check out the video lHow to Start a Farm on Church Land” that No Till posted on their you tube channel 3 months ago. Maybe there is a church near you that you could lease land from. The other possibility is getting help from the Farmers Land Trust. The Collaborative Farming podcast ( also on the No Till channel) did an episode on August 28 that would be worth listening to.

[@PacificGardening]

Strange to me to advocate not buying land but buying an absurd custom trailer as a wash pack, but whatever works I suppose.

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Wow that's mad 100k

[@hoosierpioneer]

Is there an organization that connects people with land to people who want to rent farmland? I don't feel safe advertising myself.

[@devinsullivan7233]

Renting is the worst! You have no control over your future. You can be locked off that property at a moments notice. You can’t make decisions about the land. I rented and farmed from the age of 21-32. I’m 36 now. There’s no better peace of mind than owning your land. And I don’t mean owning a mortgage but owning your land out right. It’s a bigger responsibility but it is well worth it to know that any improvements you make to YOUR LAND you are adding value to your property if you ever want to sell.

[@lulajohns1883]

I'm part time gardening until my grandson goes to school

[@scottbaruth9041]

Land in the country is nice..until the deer and racoons show up at night. I'm curious about the city farmers. I'm thinking dogs and cats, huge litter box ideas? Kids at night? Wonder which is worse? Also the water source. No way where i live you could afford to be on city or rural water. And a well.. you need 5 acres and permission from the county to drill.