This is our fourth year farming in Missouri, and for all that time we have been leasing land from another farm to grow our produce. It is a work-trade, and we do 20 hours of work per week for them in exchange for a house to live in and space to grow. It has been a great setup for us, but we have always ultimately wanted our own land, especially so we can grow perennials like fruit and nut trees that take several years to mature.
Back in March we secured financing and have been actively hunting for the perfect plot ever since. After seeing quite a few properties (quite a few), we finally found an amazing chunk of turf that we love! It is an old farmhouse in Leasburg, MO, between Cuba and Bourbon. This only adds about 10 more minutes to our St. Louis commute and allows us to keep attending the same three Farmers’ Markets and see all the people we’ve come to know and love over the past four years.
The land itself is 15.5 acres, about half wooded and half open pasture, which gives us plenty of room to grow our produce, raise some animals, and put in that orchard! The house on it is 119 years old, and understandably needs a little work, but is solid overall. There is also a cozy 2-story barn, a nice little woodshop (Randy is very excited), and a few other outbuildings. Maybe we’ll host a WWOOFer or two some day…
We’re going to finish out the season where we are (it’s hard to pack up currently growing vegetables), but we can’t wait to start establishing our very own farm!