Future Farm

Here is a rough outline of my big dream, which for now is called "Future Farm."

The group: There are roughly ten of us that share the dream. I say roughly because while I do not doubt anyone's commitment, I have to leave room for the possibility that not every one of those people's paths will lead them to Future Farm. Maybe some of us will be there to get things started, and others will join as they are ready. Maybe some of us will reside there, but have alternate careers. Perhaps some of us will only ever be visitors at Future Farm. That's okay. No matter who and no matter when, there will be an awful lot of love and fun and work involved. I also say roughly because there are other people in our lives that are becoming more and more enamored with the idea of being part of Future Farm. It is also our hope that members of our families will wish to join us at some point in time.

The place: We all want to be near our families. That is the primary determinant. Luckily, all our families are from Maryland, but some may move in the future. The current proposition is somewhere along the Blue Ridge Mountains with Washington, D.C. as the key urban market. But really, who knows. Another large factor will be where we can access affordable land.

The ideas:

• Vegetables, fruits, and herbs
• Chickens (for eggs, pest management, and nice company)
• Bees (for honey production and/or renting out hives for pollination)
• A moderate- to large-size Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
  
• A low-income CSA
• Farmers markets
• An on-farm restaurant/bakery/ice creamery
• An on-farm bed and breakfast
• A small non-profit farm animal sanctuary for abused and abandoned livestock
• Barn dances and concerts
• Environmental education programs
• Research projects
• Having parents retire to the farm
• and more...

The beginning: I know that we cannot practically start all of these ideas at once. We have to start small and simple. At this point my sketch of the first two years involves not truly embarking on any of these ideas, but doing vital prep work. The farm managers here advise not growing crops for the first year, but rather growing weeds! We could establish our fields and beds, let the weeds go wild, and then obliterate them without having to step delicately around cash crops (Presto! Way fewer weeds to deal with when we are growing food!). We could devote our time to building massive amounts of compost (one of the most valuable and vital resources an organic farmer can have), as well as improving soil structure and fertility. We could establish an orchard, which won't bear fruit for the first few years. We could take the time to get connected in the community, construct facilities, and hold outside jobs to save money. From there it seems the most practical first step would be to start a CSA and a flock of chickens.

I have no doubt that with our dedication and diverse skill sets we could do everything on that list and more. Just slowly and steadily.