Wanna be our new neighbours?
One of the great things about living here at Shalomstead is that we are part of Largo Farm. We are part of a larger community than just our little family (as lovely as that family is!)
In fact, if you’ve been following our adventure so far, you will know that we have a unique form of home tenancy and land sharing with our neighbours – we don’t actually own anything! We don’t pay rent, we don’t exchange labour for housing, and yet we are able to share together with our neighbours in the common life of this community. There’s no doubt about it: the land and the house we inhabit are the legal property of our neighbours, and we have no interest in “buying” it. But we have a unique form of sharing, which allows us to homestead in the community without having all the investment capital which it would have taken us to set up on our own. I know, it is unfamiliar. There are not many models for this type of land-sharing arrangement. Our community is pioneering a new way, for a new era.
Now, the great news is that our neighbour up the hill, a ten minute walk away, is also looking for someone to share her farm, in the same way we share with Judy, Tom, Johnny, and Josephine. Our neighbour’s name is Betty, and she is Judy’s sister. The photo above is a little glimpse of some of Betty’s homestead. She has beautiful gardens, a gorgeous barn-style house, and lots and lots of land. She is looking for someone to come and join her, hopefully a couple or young family. I’m copying Betty’s own description of what she is hoping for below. She is also open to exploring other options and possibilities.
If you don’t have money for land or housing, but really want to homestead on a beautiful bit of land, in an amazing little community, then this could be for you!
If you want to start the conversation, please contact Betty at bettydaniels@gmail.com
Here’s some of what Betty has to say:
Don’t Own Land, But Want to Start Farming?
I am looking for one or two families to share my farm in northwest Saskatchewan.
The People: My husband retired from farming in 2008 to work with our son near Saskatoon. Since then, we have rented the cropland and pasture to neighbours. I return to the farm in early April and remain until mid-October, during which time I tend our extensive gardens.
The land has been in my family since the 1930s. My husband and I moved there in the early 1970s. He operated a grain farm. I gardened and preserved food, taught English as a sessional instructor and, with my husband, founded a community theatre group.
The Land:
Approximately 130 acres of our home quarter is cultivated cropland. The remaining 30 acres are home to five natural ponds (two with year-round water), lots of birds and small mammals, two large vegetable gardens (including strawberries, raspberries, asparagus, currants and fruit trees), a 20 ft x 48 ft wood-heated greenhouse and one smaller greenhouse, a two-car garage, six grain bins, a solar cooker, poplar bluffs and plantings of mixed trees, some seeded grassland and a wood-heated 1800 sq foot cedar house surrounded by a landscaped garden and shelterbelt. The 30 acres could accommodate an additional family or two.
Our farmstead overlooks hills to the east and a lake to the south. The remaining four quarters are primarily cropland, although they include some native pasture as well as a number of ponds and poplar bluffs. The pasture includes access to a good dugout.
The Community: The farm is 5 km east of Cochin, a resort village with a growing population of retirees and people who commute to work in North Battleford. The village has a grocery store, a restaurant, a small library, a volunteer fire department, a Plus 40 club, two churches and Cochin Community Theatre.
We are a few km from Moosomin First Nation to the north and from the farms of two of my siblings to the south. My sister Judy and her husband Tom, with an adult daughter and son, operate a small mixed farm and community-shared agriculture garden. They share their farm with a younger family, Janice and Sean and their three children. The ten of us (plus my husband when he’s home) enjoy frequent potlucks and shared social events. We will soon be joined by my brother’s daughter Rachelle, who plans to return to her parents’ farm and take over operation of their seed business, Prairie Garden Seeds.
The Situation: Although Doug has created a new life working with our son, I want to maintain the family farm. I am therefore looking for one or two families to share the homestead and to farm the land.
I would provide:
shared use of the homestead, including gardens and greenhouses
shared use of our water truck (with 1400 gallon tank)
housing (either shared use of my four-bedroom house or alternative housing) for a one-year trial period
start-up costs for shared chickens and possibly dairy goats, and for an unheated grow-house
the opportunity to rent cropland and pasture
The Dream: Although the land has been farmed conventionally, I want to make a transition to sustainable agriculture. That would mean reducing fossil fuel inputs, eliminating agricultural chemicals, finding sustainable ways to maintain soil fertility, and diversifying the farm operation.
The Cost: For the sake of both parties, I would require a one-year trial period before either side made a commitment. During that year I would provide housing and shared use of the homestead in exchange for work. Since I would not expect any capital investment during that first year, rental of the cropland and pasture would be optional. (The renter would have to provide any necessary farm machinery and livestock.) There would be an opportunity to practice sweat equity in the construction of buildings for livestock, the seeding and fencing of pasture and other farm improvements. At the end of the year we would negotiate such details as long-term land tenure (perhaps via a Community Land Trust) and permanent housing.
The Requirements:
I would like to share my farm with a family of two adults (children of any age welcome), at least one of whom wants to farm and has farming experience.
I prefer people in their mid-thirties, or older—but would accept younger people.
Must be financially solvent, and able to join me in the spring of 2015.
Should visit the farm at least once (preferably more) before making any commitment.
Handyman and carpentry skills would be a major asset.
I would like a business plan, or written description of your proposed farm operation.
It is not necessary for one household to rent all of our land.
Interested? I’d love to have you come to the farm for a visit.
Betty Ternier Daniels
bettytdaniels@gmail.com