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I am looking to buy land in NC to start a small, organic farm. I am interested in the Piedmont region, and in particular the rural areas surrounding Raleigh or Greensboro. But, really the whole Piedmont region is open for consideration.
I'll be visiting NC for the first time this week (I'm from Ohio), and will be driving around for a few days to get a feel for the land, and visiting some of the major cities, too. Before I leave, I would love to hear any recommendations from you!
I am wondering what the price and availability of land looks like around various cities, and if there are any recommendations for the best place to buy land to establish a small, economical organic farm. I am looking for land in the range of 5-15 acres.
Thanks so much! Any advice is greatly appreciated!!
I am wondering what the price and availability of land looks like around various cities, and if there are any recommendations for the best place to buy land to establish a small, economical organic farm. I am looking for land in the range of 5-15 acres.
Do you expect to make a living from this organic farm? If so, it seems like the worst place to buy land is around major cities. The land costs will be higher, because there are investors looking to buy the land for profit.
Are you the sort of organic farmer who would not use manure from chickens fed with growth hormones? I ask, because there are many commercial chicken farms in eastern North Carolina. At any rate, eastern NC land is going to be cheaper than land around Raleigh or Greensboro. I'd suggest somewhere like Richlands or Beulaville, which still is farm country.
An additional question: have you considered how difficult it is to plow up the clay soil in the Piedmont? Since you are a first time visitor, apparently you haven't seen the heavy red-clay soil in the Piedmont. That's another reason for considering an area with softer, sandier soil.
I do expect to make a living from the organic farm. As I'm starting out, about half my income will come from a self-employed job that I can thankfully take with me wherever I go, so I will have something to fall back on. But, I definitely intend for farming to be a large part of my livelihood.
I wasn't necessarily thinking of buying land close to a major city - but a neighboring rural county. I would like to be relatively close to a larger center of population, though.
That is correct I wouldn't use manure from chickens fed with growth hormones. Most likely, I would raise my own small flock of hens... Interesting to note the large number of commercial chicken farms in eastern, NC though.
Where I'm from in Ohio, we also have clay soil, so I'm quite familiar with it - much more so than sandy soil. I will be collecting soil samples on my trip, for sure. Perhaps your clay soils are quite different than ours. It should be very interesting to see... There is so much about a land you cannot know until you see and touch it for yourself.
I will consider looking more east, too! I'm interested in the transition from the heavy clay soils of the Piedmont to the sandy coast. Is it a gradual transition, or more abrupt?
I do expect to make a living from the organic farm.
....... I'm interested in the transition from the heavy clay soils of the Piedmont to the sandy coast. Is it a gradual transition, or more abrupt?
I think you will have to go two counties away from the Raleigh/Wake County area to find reasonably priced land. For example, much of Johnston County is already a bedroom community of Raleigh. Further east to Wayne, Wilson and maybe Nash county you will still find agriculture.
There is one area where there is a sharp transition to sandy soil, and that is in the Sandhills region to the southeast of Raleigh. It takes a lot of fertilizer to grow anything there, and it is primarily a tobacco region.
I think that due east of Raleigh, there is a more gradual transition to sandy soil. I am not an expert, so this maybe a question for the soil scientists. I know they grow a lot of sweet potatoes, cucumbers for pickles, and green beans to the east of Raleigh, and the soil seems relatively light.
You may also be interested in areas south of Raleigh like Duplin and Sampson Counties. They grow grapes and blueberries there, and there is good access to the highway I-40 to travel to Raleigh. I have also seen a lot of turf-grass farms in Bladen County-- I just mention this to give you ideas of what the commercial farms grow.
Thanks for all the info - it is very helpful. On my road trip out to NC, one of the things I'm hoping to find out, besides how the soil is, is how far out from some of the major cities I will have to go to find agricultural land at a reasonable price. You gave me a lot of good leads, though.
I have been studying many maps of NC (soil, geography, climate, etc.) and have found out very valuable information.
I'm trying to both consider where the best growing conditions will be (I'll be growing mostly vegetables) and where I will find centers of population (with good farmer's markets, etc.).
So hard when I've never been here!
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Originally Posted by juniperjennie
Thanks for all the info - it is very helpful. On my road trip out to NC, one of the things I'm hoping to find out, besides how the soil is, is how far out from some of the major cities I will have to go to find agricultural land at a reasonable price. You gave me a lot of good leads, though.
I have been studying many maps of NC (soil, geography, climate, etc.) and have found out very valuable information.
I'm trying to both consider where the best growing conditions will be (I'll be growing mostly vegetables) and where I will find centers of population (with good farmer's markets, etc.).
So hard when I've never been here!
Look around Kings Mountain, which is 30 miles west of Charlotte. There are 3 smaller farmers markets fairly close & a big regional farmers market in Charlotte.
There are tons of organic farms w/in a 50 mile or so radius of Chapel Hill and Durham which are locavore, farm-to-table meccas -- I know of at least 7 farmers mkts in the CH/Durham region (not including Raleigh) and its probably higher than that. Check out carrboro farmers market and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. I'd look on the western side of the Triangle where there's a big base for organic food but you will not be offering anything unique so if you want to stand out you could look east of Raleigh. For the western side I'd check out northern Orange Co up around Cedar Grove, Chatham Co (western will probably be cheaper), Alamance Co, northern Durham Co. You might like to search the NY Times for the articles they have written about Durham and Chapel Hill's local food scene.
Hmmmm.... are your dates to visit already set? If not, perhaps consider coming down at the end of the month instead for this. our art least get in touch with them.... they could probably be very helpful to you! involved farms are large and small.
Thank you for that link! My dates are set for next week, but I will for sure be heading out again for this farm tour. I plan on making several trips to NC this spring and summer, and this looks great!
The soil here is hard clay. Not good for gardening without lots of money to invest in amending the soil, year after year.
The richest soil in the US is found in the midwest.
best,
toodie
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