Hello, out there!

Does anybody have good ideas about this topic? My original partner gave up five years ago and I've managed to hang on alone for five years mostly alone.

I've got a very nice 20-acre organic farm in a very nice location in Upstate New York. I've been trying to find one or more reasonable adult-type people to share it with.

I am _really_ tired of people thinking they should move in as instant 50/50 partners in the land and my farm businesses, without even contributing a piece of the monthly maintenance expenses or spending any time investigating whether or not we can indeed work together as partners.

I tried a clear detailed "housemate agreement" but all that's done is scare people off. Maybe that was a good thing, LOL, but I do want to be approachable!

All I want is somebody who's willing to make some financial contribution toward the mortgage/tax/utility payments -- about half what they'd pay for an apartment -- and help to take out the dirt they help to bring in. I am amazed at just how hard that's been to find.

I get a lot of "I don't have any money at all and no intention of earning any but I'm a really hard worker."

I'm willing to discuss partial partnerships, sweat equity, and almost any other reasonable ideas. But I am not interested in moochers or slaves.

I understand that Countryside used to run a "Homesteaders Connection" page but no longer does so. I know that there was trouble at the old TMEN where in at least one instance a homesteading family was murdered by someone they took in through a matchup ad. Yikes, I've met some strange characters in this search myself.

Any wisdom out there on how to go about finding a fellow homesteader and at the same time maintaining one's security? Any success stories?

Dori Green Ash Grove Community Farm Corning, NY http://www.ic.org/agrove

-- Dori Green (dorigreen00@hotmail.com), June 18, 2000

Answers

I saw some very interesting relationships formed in my years wth Habitat for Humanity. Some very strong and lasting ones. You would volunteer your time but you would /could judge one's work ethic in about 2 hours. It's fun to work with like minded people even if the pay is only the satisfaction of a job well done. I don't think single connections work very well and I think a partner is even harder to find using them. Habitat is only one of many volunteer groups--if it were me--I'd start here. GL

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), June 18, 2000.

Great idea Joel. Maybe you could just start reading every homesteading message board you can find too. Post something like "any other homesteaders in NY?" If someone answers you could write down the names and watch their posts for a while to get a feel for the person. If you post as you just did (sorry, IMHO) you will attract every wierdo and moocher for miles. Search for community gardens in NY. I've seen articles about a few of them in magazines. Obviously the people that would do that want to grow things and you could hang out and get to know them without telling them what you are looking for. Of course I guess all of this depends on the amount of free time that you have if you are running businesses. But don't offer too much too soon. Be careful and good luck.

-- Jill (AZ) (lance1_86404@yahoo.com), June 18, 2000.

Hi Dori, I would check with agricultural schools, cooperitive extentions and the like to see if they have-adults- who want to try their hand at farming/homesteading. Also, the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, NY may have a person who fits the bill. I recently met a woman, who after graduating from CIA went to work on a farm. She had the cooking part down pat, but then became intrigued about 'where does this stuff COME from, how does it grow, what's organic?!' The contract idea is a good one, if someone is scared off by it, there my well be, a reason! Good Luck!

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), June 18, 2000.

Dori - best of luck. Too bad you live so far away or I'd take you up on it in a second. But if you're still looking in about two years . . . Personally I'm retraining as a secondary math teacher so that I will be able to move just about anywhere in the country and have summers free. I'm thinking that when I'm ready to go, it would be nice to "intern" with a like-minded person while I learn and find my own land. Perhaps you might want to consider "hiring" someone - exchanging partial room and board (about half what they'd pay for rent) in exchange for specific work requirements - say 20 hrs a week. And if the first job is to build a bunk house, maybe you can feel more secure? Just an idea. And if it works out and you hit it off, you could offer a partnership, but otherwise, send him/her on their way at the end of six months or a year.

-- Deborah (ActuaryMom@hotmail.com), June 19, 2000.

Don't it get cold in upstate New York?????

-- Joe Cole (jcole@apha.com), June 19, 2000.

Checkout WWOOF (working weekends on organic farms). It is definitly hard finding a partner ... lots of people think of a farm and get all romantic.... how lovely sitting in a field, watching the sheep peacefully graze, look at all the pretty clouds - Wrong, the sheep have escaped and are now eating your neighbors prize winning pumpkins. And then there are plenty who can tell you how to run your farm better because they spent 2 weeks on a farm in ..... I think it is really hard to "find a partner"- especially if you've been the boss for 5 years and it is hard to let go of this since you have the experience of your farm etc. We have a guy that lives with us. He came 2 years ago to drop off my friends child, and hasn't left yet !He isn't a partner but he does have specific responsibilities. We also have a few that live with us and pay rent and help slightly.

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), June 20, 2000.

Lots of great ideas have come back on this. I've responded privately to most; if I missed anybody please do forgive me and accept my heartfelt appreciation here.

I'm going to try again to start a chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association in this area. It didn't take off eight years ago but demographics have undergone a huge change with the explosion of technical industry in the area thanks to R&D advances by Corning Inc. -- they've hired thousands of new people, many from other countries, most with advanced scientific degrees. And of course there's a lot more general awareness of the problems in our food system now.

I'm also officially converting the housing project to a 501(c)3 not- for-profit organization. LOL, I already _operate_ the only community gardening project in the area; it's a natural extension!

With the credibility of "not for profit" status and the backup of a Board of Directors so that house rules are presented as standards for everybody instead of just my whim, we can make this into something way beyond a landlord/tenant arrangement.

By donating the use of the land and house to the 501(c)3 within clear written limitations and guidelines, I get to maintain the aspects of control that are most important to me (for instance, all gardening and farming must be in accordance with pubished organic certification requirements). I've also found a few people who are interested in forming a land trust (another not-for-profit) to actually buy the mortgage and most of my equity.

The post about Habitat for Humanity was one that pushed me in this direction, and I got in touch with the umbrella organization that helps lots of people with housing needs, not just the few who end up with a house.

There's quite a bit of assistance out there for people with kids, but almost nothing for singles waving in the breeze all alone without a safety net of friends and family (or they have them but they're dysfunctional and part of what got them into poverty and/or trouble).

If a woman leaves an abusive relationship and goes to the shelter, there's a limited amount of time she can stay there. Part of the abuse cycle of control is erosion and destruction of her circle of support, so that she has nowhere to go. Welfare will give her about $300 a month to pay for rent and utilities, and $30 a week for groceries (hah -- a studio apartment around here is now almost $500 plus and I don't know a non-homesteader who can survive on $30 a week for food unless they're making a couple of trips to the food pantry). Welfare also will not pay security deposits -- this gives a landlord the "out" to refuse to take recipients without saying so. And Welfare won't pay to furnish a place unless you have kids.

When the shelter needs space and somebody has been there for quite a while, she's faced with no option but to go back "home". Then people ask what the heck is wrong with her.

So this will be one option. A few months at cheap rent, still a bit sheltered but without the chaos of a crisis shelter, might be enough for somebody to put together the cash and emotional quietude she needs to make a new start. And there's no pressure to move on if she likes it here. As a 501(c)3 we can acquire the funding and labor to build additional housing units for such a project -- maybe through Habitat!

I also worked years ago with a mainstreaming program for men (and women) who had been released from prison. I'm a long-time fan of Bo Lozoff (_We Are All Doing Time_).

It was the reply of attracting weirdos and moochers that got me looking more strongly in these directions. If I didn't think that was what I wanted to do, but that was what was coming through, maybe my subconscious (or my Creator) was turning me from the direction I thought I wanted (dedicated voluntary simplicity self-supporting social activists to share this place) to one that He/She wanted me to look at. Maybe I'm supposed to build a place where people can have their weird differences celebrated and can learn to work in community instead of mooch.

Thanks for the push! As this project develops, information will be posted at http://www.ic.org/agrove/housing.html .

Dori Green

-- Dori Green (dorigreen00@hotmail.com), June 20, 2000.

Dori,

Interesting post. I will be in a slightly similar situation in a couple of months myself. I just wanted to say one thing. Be very careful about selling your equity, especially "most" of your equity. If you love your farm and want to maintain control of it, you may be putting your goals at risk by selling off your interest in the farm. Probably obvious, but I have heard of so many selling 51% and losing their companies, I wouldn't be surprised if it could happen with land as well.

Laura

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), June 20, 2000.