Succession Planning

My wife and I have reached a point in our life were we are wondering what is to become of our homestead once we die or otherwise are unable to care for it.  We have no  children.  Our current plan is to donate our estate to charities,  but there may be other options. Any ideas?

I plan to pass my land on to a permie.

This thread may give you some ideas:  https://permies.com/t/101848/Otis-test

Hi Tyler,

Thanks for the link.   I had searched for similar threads but couldn't find one.  I am not sure I see the solution, but it does help to organize the questions.

I've had similar thoughts about purchasing land and what to do with it 'later'.  So far I've mostly considered a land trust with stipulations for permaculture use.  And I'm still thinking about other options to keep in mind if a natural or unnatural catastrophe occurs that makes the property unsuitable for maintaining a healthy permaculture environment.

Hi catherine,

I have seem too many times where the terms of a trust were not enforced.  It just gets too messy for people who have little invested. This is where things get fuzzy for me.  I would love to give someone the break I never got.  I suspect I am being unrealistic.

My Grandmother leased almost 1,000 acres to a tree nursery, then put a couple acres into a trust for a son who was extremely impaired and lived in their home until he passed, which was about 15 years after Grandma.  She was advised to pay to have those two acres parceled into tiny lots.  This was in the boonies where everyone knows everyone and there was only a cursory payment.  (Like paying $1 for a vehicle so it could be transferred with a legal bill of sale kind of payment).  Before my aunts and uncles began to pass away, 10 siblings and their children, and eventually the children's heirs, would have to be in unanimous agreement and sign before anything could be done with all those tiny lots.  They were about the size of parking spaces so no one was interested, in addition to the monetary value being split between so many individuals such that there was next to nothing worth pursuing.  This was early 1960s.  There may be laws against tying property up like that now.  I've also read that some states have laws about the minimum size of a parcel.  Anyway...

Southern Illinois is stunning, especially so near the Karber's Ridge / Garden of the Gods area.  (I almost bought 80 acres there in 2007.)  Seems there would be substantial interest if you can get help putting what you want done in legalese.  Maybe go fishing with a no-name advertisement and see what bites?  Then use that feedback to further refine how you want things done?  I'm guessing as rural as it is there, the circle of 'land people' is small and tight with information and assistance, though.  

Good luck with it all.  Most importantly, enjoy!  You've got a slice of heaven down there :.)

This question has been bothering me as I see many individuals/couples with land wanting people there to help and for community (but won't sell and join the other land holders).

I have an answer but it isn't easy:  you recruit.    
You must recruit like a college recruits brain power.
You must recruit like a college football player recruiter.
You must recruit like a Army recruiter.
You must recruit in person, not online.


some will leave
then you're going to have to cut
some will become unable

I have some ideas on how to both recruit and cut.

One method to cut is to require that they spend one summer as a boot at Wheaton Labs AND they get a good review from both the other boots and Paul.
Make them put enough money in an escrow account to leave Wheaton Labs that can't be touched until they officially do (you decide a metric which defines leaving Wheaton Labs).

Sure you're going to lose a few to Wheaton Labs but that isn't going to hurt the wider permaculture environment; it's going to strengthen our knowledge and our USA community.

Current succession planning status ?