Seeking Organic Farm Partner
I am seeking an investing partner for an operating organic oriented, free-range ranch/farm in South Carolina about 50 miles southwest of Charlotte. I will provide
land, equipment, infrastructure, and animals worth more than $500,000. The property includes a house which is presently occupied by a Resident Manager. I will consider a working partner who moves into the house and operates the farm personally or an investing partner with the present proven Resident Manager providing on-site labor. We have several enterprises underway or planned on the farm and the partner may choose to invest in one, some, or all of our activities.
We have about 90 acres at our disposal. Forty three acres are fenced into 5 pastures, with about one third wooded, one third in coastal bermuda, and the remainder in a mix of clover and endophyte free fescue. We have a barn, a small building suitable for selling farm products, a well rated at 66 GPM (sufficient for truck crop
irrigation), a 288 egg incubator,
chicken coops and brooders, a
tractor (very old), numerous implements(all new), an ATV, several trailers, a few fruit
trees, etc. All of the basic equipment and infrastructure to operate the farm are in place. My wife and I own everything free and clear.
The partner can select the activities in which to invest, including the entire operation. The minimum investment would be $30,000 for one activity or $250,000+ for participation in all ventures. We can negotiate methods of protecting the partner’s investment, but we will not obligate our physical land in any way. Beyond that limitation, I am very flexible. The land will be available to the partner and her/his family for recreation and hunting.
Activities underway on the ranch today include:
• Raising free range Kiko goats with approximately 100 goats today
• Raising pasture
feed Berkshire pigs with 34 today
• 400 cage free hens and adding 40/week, but with less than 100 laying today
• Roosters for meat with about 200 today and adding 40/week.
• Hatching
chicken eggs at about 80 per week with all eggs from farm.
• Farm and crafts festivals, with two conducted to-date.
Future Activities
• Truck crops
• Pick-Your-Own berries, fruits, and vegetables
• Christmas trees
•
Honey
• Turkeys and other fowl
• Farm camp to connect families to the land and traditional farming techniques
• Family day activities
• Easter Egg hunts
• Halloween festivals
• Corn maze
• School tours
My vision is a farm based on traditional organic farming techniques with free range animals, fruit trees, berries, vegetables, and an educational camping program. We will market all of our products directly to the public under our own label. Naturally we cannot compete in price with large mega farms, so our products will be aimed at the niche market of consumers who are concerned about the introduction of chemicals and hormones into our food and environment. We expect a major cliental to be upscale restaurants in the Charlotte area.
After retiring from an international corporation, I began my quest towards this vision in 2008 on my wife’s inherited ancestral farm. I have a Chemical Engineering degree, an MBA, and I grew up on a farm, but I have found my organic farming/marketing expertise lacking. I have mistakenly recruited managers to run a working farm, not a sophisticated business. In addition, I furnished all capital and operating funds which left the managers with little “skin in the game”. We have achieved some success, but not as quickly as I wish.
Return or compensation is subject to discussion, but starting point will be a 50/50 split of profits.
Please check out our ranch
Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/rogerridgeranch and our website at
http://www.rogerridgeranch.com/ If you are concerned this may be a scam, let’s meet on the property less than 45 miles west of the Charlotte airport so you can check out the farm and me!