After years of planning and moving out of the city we are finally in a position to purchase a small property. We have found one which is only about 5 acres and has been organic certification for its small orchard. The property generates a small income and the current owners are prepared to mentor us for a few months after the takeover. This is a big step for a couple of city slickers. Any advice?
Re: Buying organic property Enjoy every moment of it and keeping posting so those of us still in the 'burbs can envy you!
Re: Buying organic property Hi Mungbeans, A permaculture assessment of the property will give you some good information regarding its overall potential, threats and issues. This information is great when thinking of buying, as it helps you make an informed decision. Let me know if you need any assistance. Paula PermUP
Re: Buying organic property Have you done a Permaculture Design Course yet? It knowledge you can gain will set you in good stead for the inspection. Assistance from an experienced pc will also be of benifit, Atleast be sure you have water and a northly aspect. intent-observation-intution
Re: Buying organic property Slightly connected question... If the property has Organic certification for the Orchard, would Certification follow through to future crops planted on the property and will the certification follow through to the new owners without a further "in-certification" period?
Re: Buying organic property The certificate doesn't come across automatically. We have to sign a training agreement with the current owner and have the property inspected again. Every type of crop has to be certified. At the moment it has certification for the orchard and all vegetables and herbs grown there. I am in the middle of reading all I can about permaculture design and hopefully will get some time soon to enrol in a permaculture course. My husband and I will both be in a sharp learning curve for quite some time to come, I think. The one thing that has me most concerned is that the trees are spaced quite far apart and most of the property is covered with grass. The current owner spends several hours a week keeping the grass low. The main reason for this, I believe, is to prevent the property from becoming a breeding ground for brown snakes, which are rather prevalent in this part of the world. This seems a big waste of energy to me. Naturally one of the first things we will be looking at is trying to cut down on the energy wasted keeping the grass under control.
Re: Buying organic property Thanks for the info... Regarding the grass, i'm not a big fan of trees growing in lawn. If the space between the trees is ample you could mulch and grow something else under them, that should cut the energy/effort down and increase the turnover.