Trying to Move to BR - Need Advice on the Area (Baton Rouge: 2009, insurance)

[K-J]

Good day everyone and thank in advance!

I'm considering relocating to the baton rouge area. I've worked in high tech most of my life (I'm a Software Configuration Manager / TFS Administrator) and I'm looking for a change in career if I cannot find work in my field there (I'm actively looking for tech work in Baton Rouge).

I'd like to get into gardening, selling culinary herbs to restaurants and stores, and perhaps even get into very minor organic farming of produce. I'm considering an operation I can do from my own home, so finding a *cheap* home with at least a little space is preferable.

This is my dream.

I've been doing internet research about Baton Rouge and surrounding areas (Port Allen, Baker, Millerville, Shenandoah, South Baton Rouge, for example), trying to find a place where I can get a very, very cheap place to live (or buy), with just a little bit of land for gardening. A place with a very large yard to 1 acre will do fine (you'd be surprised how much one can grow in a small space when one grows "up" . I don't care so much about the structure I live in, as long as I can get something pretty cheap.

For instance I saw and have inquired into this property (http://homegain.homesandland.com/lis...ingid=12126258) because of the land.

I know that you get what you pay for, and I'm sure this place will probably have too many problems or potential problems to consider seriously. But the price is right and it has a good bit of land for growing. And I don't mind going out of town a ways to get something like this.

I would be very grateful to get advice on where I might want to go look in the Baton Rouge area to find a place with land, so I can begin to fulfill my dream of being an organic gardener / farmer.

Questions that might be helpful to know is:
- What parts of the Baton Rouge area might be best to support such a business?

- What parts of the Baton Rouge area might be best to find a really cheap place to own, so I can set up my greenhouse? Again, I don't care what I live in (really old home, trailer, etc), as long as the it's actually livable.

- Would people and business of the Baton Rouge area be open to buying locally grown, organic, non GMO produce from a local resident as opposed to a corporate farming operation?

- Are there may farmer's markets in Baton Rouge, where I could sell my wares?

- Do you think local restaurants would be willing to purchase fresh, live organically grown culinary herbs delivered a few times a week to their restaurants?

Any information you can provide would be very helpful, and I'd be extremely grateful.

Genuinely,


KJ

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by K-J

I've worked in high tech most of my life (I'm a Software Configuration Manager / TFS Administrator) and I'm looking for a change in career if I cannot find work in my field there (I'm actively looking for tech work in Baton Rouge).

While BR is not a tech town, if you were looking for suc a job, there are several options (1) healthcare - we have several hospitals and insurance companies, (2) there are several larger companies like Shaw and Turner Industries, (3) state government/the universities deal with large systems. With this option, though, there is a caveat - they're about to do some big time budget cutting.

Originally Posted by K-J

I'm considering an operation I can do from my own home, so finding a *cheap* home with at least a little space is preferable.

Questions that might be helpful to know is:
- What parts of the Baton Rouge area might be best to support such a business?

- What parts of the Baton Rouge area might be best to find a really cheap place to own, so I can set up my greenhouse? Again, I don't care what I live in (really old home, trailer, etc), as long as the it's actually livable.

- Would people and business of the Baton Rouge area be open to buying locally grown, organic, non GMO produce from a local resident as opposed to a corporate farming operation?

- Are there may farmer's markets in Baton Rouge, where I could sell my wares?

- Do you think local restaurants would be willing to purchase fresh, live organically grown culinary herbs delivered a few times a week to their
restaurants?

To answer the first and second questions, about the only parts of East Baton Rouge Parish where there is a lot of land would be (1) Central, (2) the far southeastern part of the parish, down near Hoo Shoo Too Road, although in either case, I'd have some concern about flooding. After that, look at the outlying parishes, as (except for Livingston and Ascention) there's not a lot of suburbanization

As to having a market for your product, you do have several farmers markets like Southside Produce and Fresh Pickins. For restaurants, I suppose there's a market, but you'd need to establish relationships with the various restauranteurs.

[MetroBTR]

I think it could work out here for you. Outlying parishes to the North and West of Baton Rouge will probably be your best bet.

[darylwi]

Agree with both previous posters. If WBR doesn't work for you, try northern EBR, E. Feliciana and perhaps even Pointe Coupee. You can get more house and land for the money in those areas than you would in BTR or the 'real' suburban parishes (Livingston and Ascension).
And you still wouldn't be that far from the city.
Once you're established, you have to market yourself. Companies and even some people tend to stick with what they know, so if they don't know you they won't buy from you. But if you get out at the markets and promote yourself and have a good quality product, they'll come back for more.

[K-J]

These are all excellent responses. I'm very grateful for the information. If anything else comes to mind, please let me know.

Truly, I am very grateful for everyone's time and info.

[redbean]

There's a farmers market downtown every Saturday and Sunday from about 8 to 12. It is very well attended and something of an event.

Red Stick Farmer's Market#

I think they organize a smaller one in a different location once or twice a week also.

As far as buying land goes, I would think that something around Zachary, St. Francisville, or out towards Gonzales would be good. If all you want is one acre you should be able to find something even closer in, just keep searching the MLS. There's a public site that I use, it www.gbrar.com, that has most of the listings that are on MLS and you can search by the number of acres desired.

[darylwi]

I think they just started up a farmers market in Denham as well. I don't know much else about it though, but they've been marking it up at the level they've normally done the downtown farmer's market. Speaking of which, they're doing the Farmer's market downtown on Sunday's too now? I did not know this. Of course, I don't see why they wouldn't. It has been a big draw since it began, especially this time of year and into the summer.

[redbean]

Originally Posted by darylwi

I think they just started up a farmers market in Denham as well. I don't know much else about it though, but they've been marking it up at the level they've normally done the downtown farmer's market. Speaking of which, they're doing the Farmer's market downtown on Sunday's too now? I did not know this. Of course, I don't see why they wouldn't. It has been a big draw since it began, especially this time of year and into the summer.

I'm not too sure of the hours, but I bet you're right. I think it is only on Saturdays. Sorry for the wrong information.

[BRMan]

(To KJ) You know, the Farmers Market in downtown BR would be a good place to start selling your product, as there is a decent crowd there.

[darylwi]

Originally Posted by redbean

I'm not too sure of the hours, but I bet you're right. I think it is only on Saturdays. Sorry for the wrong information.

I'm pretty sure about the 8-12 bit. Maybe even a little later. I remember there being a pretty good crowd left even at Noon.

Here's a link to what I found in Denham Springs. Not sure if it's the one I keep hearing about or not, but it is in D.S. and it looks like it's every Saturday as well.
2theadvocate.com | Food | Livingston Farmers Market for April 16, 2009 — Baton Rouge, LA