Some thoughts; stream of consciousness, but hey.
As a potential someday "Otis", I would want and expect an "investment" of some sort (work trade for Rent, Part Cash Rent, even if small).
maybe the desirous individual would need to work off-site part-time to pay their rent? I mean, it's what I did to get to live here.
Aside from the certifications, which are useful, I'd need to know how they interact with me
and with this land. I've lived here 45 of my 65 years, and I've taken it from wild/feral grassland sheep over-grazing lands to meadows with mixed softwoods and oak woodland areas, bringing back wildflowers which were suppressed for 40 years from prior grazing. The windbreaks from tree planting has been transformative in enjoyment of the place, comfort from destructive winds, and beauty, but is now considered dangerous by the Insurance Corporations and Cal-Fire.
I want to see a potential steward demonstrate that they have vision and creativity, follow through.
I volunteer with a local Land Trust as a Monitor, and inspect properties in our Trust to insure the wishes of the establishing folks are honored, which is set out in the original Trust documents. Our place will eventually be in this Trust too and land uses will be restricted to emphasize wildlife habitat, soil building, water retention, diversity and abundance. I want it to evolve forever, not get bulldozed to become another F'ing Vineyard.
*I also think it's generally a bad idea to give anyone an incentive to Compost me prematurely!
so no guarantee of a title transfer going in
As someone who is examining this concept
hopefully well ahead of my demise, I see a transitional process with co-tenancy;
*Help with Projects, maybe seasonally at first, and maybe live on or live off site? Perm Classes taught here?
I can't imagine ever STARTING with a promise of longevity; it would be more like let's build a small living space for you and then you can live in it for the next year, until we re-negotiate and set next-goals; ok, you haven't burned anything down and you planned and built that greywater wetland I haven't built yet and cleared some poison oak to plant more Pomegranates and citrus, so let's go another year? ok, you're maintaining the Berries and handling the visitor/pickers, change the water filters monthly without me asking and do you want to plan the next five years projects with me cause I likes ya?
*Develop their own cash-producing projects on site, perhaps with profit split where % shifts over time? I have underperforming projects currently which could be run jointly or handed over to the new kid to run; Strawberry U-Pick and some Nursery stock. With some new, unexpected and potentially serious health issues, I am can barely keep up with weeding both, let alone the minimal marketing and stock production. That's not to say I'd rush this process.
We live in an area which has grown to be very expensive to live, so there are few young families with kids who are willing to do menial work like pulling weeds, hoeing or even breaking a sweat; the teenagers that are here are largely pampered and "will work for $20/hr". I got this from my 13 year old nieces when I asked if they'd help me with the berry patch; "how much are you gonna to pay us?". Work ethic has changed.
*Many oldsters need some cash flow in later years as Social Security is pretty meager and many never wanted to become Stock Investors and Money Managers, so have small cash flows.
Property Taxes can take a real bite and you get no reprieve from them; ours are $6k/yr, $3k paid every 6 months.
I'm not saying I'd expect $1,000's a month for someone else to be here, but would need to be some bit of income generated.
In exchange, Co-tenant would be allowed successive fixed terms of residence and use of facilities.
*Newcomer would eventually need to take on the property taxes(now called their rent) from their now thriving home enterprise on (still) my property for a negotiated period. This would allow elder some freedom to use their monies, perhaps for travel?
*In other words, exchange would happen all along the path to transfer, so the reward for next steward is not only at the end.
This could all be a two year process, a five year + process, more or less; depends on the individual(s).
I believe this is a grand idea, as my niece will most likely inherit a 30 acre ranch and some funds in another county, so she doesn't need this place. Her daughters are too young now for me to to judge their interest or capabilities. Also, they probably shouldn't be BURDENED with a place where, after transfer, the property taxes would be near to $1k/month.
*I have a question for potential stewards; Would you consider an Otis deal where you were granted lifetime tenancy and control, after which the property reverted to my family? Interesting twist, huh?
*We also are considering transfer one day to a local Native American land management organization, so #Landback.
It all depends on who we meet and who we click with, trust and when the wife and I might expire!
I agree that there are MANY likely elders who might love to develop a stewarding relationship to protect their land and visions, but it is fraught with fears of them being taken advantage of, trusting a moderator or go-between etc.
Get to know your local elders! Float some ideas with them, test the waters.
Not sure how many elders are going to find this forum?
By the way, this is not me floating that we're hunting for someone; we're
starting the process of
considering what we're gonna do as we age here.
I came to this site to try and find permies in my area to share site visits, see what others are doing, and will keep scrolling to see what I can find. I thought maybe we'd find person or persons to help me on our place, not necessarily with long term intentions, small projects first.
I know it can be tough for folks who are drawn to work on the earth to have access to land and the financial stability to sustain themselves. I'm hoping people get creative in making it work for everyone.
I'd be open to participating in a moderated chat with other potential Otises to share notes and experiences.
Maybe that could result down the road in a moderated, anonymized chat between Otises and potential Stewards?
Ciao Tutti!
