Finding ground to rent.

I am looking for some farm land to rent to expand my current farming operation. I have a few leads, but other wise I need to go out and find some. We live in a small township where my grandpa is highly respected.

Is knocking on doors acceptable?

What about printing off a nicely prepared letter about my interests and what I'm looking for and placing it in mailboxes?

What routes to you take to find for farm ground?

Thank You!

I'm curious as to what replies you get because I'm in a similar situation. Keep trying to pick land up but its hard without paying through the nose and or stabbing someone in the back. I've noticed alot of people don't take me seriously because I'm younger and don't farm 1000 + acres. It's definitely an uphill battle.

A very good question, My kids will interested in the replies , as they are looking for a little more for their farm crops. Hope you get a lot of good ideas for replies.

I'm in the same boat. I do letters with what we are looking for and give them phone numbers and email address. You get people contacting us via email more than not. It is non threating and they can fish for your price and things without appearing to sell out their current tennent. I also do personal contacts as well. It is very hard. I raise some livestock for one person instead of paying rent for their tillable land. I get frusterated and disapointed at some not taking me seriously because I use equipment from the 1940's-1960's. Drive by my fields and you would never know the differnce. I got one field because the older farmer wanted to see the older equipment being run in his fields. In fact last year my soybeans out did a lot of people around me planted by a $50 double run grain drill on 24 inch rows. Just tell everyone your love for farming and always ask. Don't be afraid of someone telling you no. My dream is giving up my day job for full time farming. Some day it will happen. Farming is all I have ever wanted.

Where I live in Ohio farmers don't pay too much for rented land. The main benefit to the land owner is the reduced property taxes due to Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) valuation for taxes. If that is true in your state make sure you tell the land owner of that benefit.

I see people advertising that they are looking in our local "shopper" (weekly add paper). Not sure how well it works, since the same adds are almost always in there.

I might point out, it's against federal law to put anything in a mailbox except U.S. mail.

Beyond that, I don't have an answer. Around here, some folks run an ad in the local newspaper. Don't know how successful it is.

On the other extreme, my father-in-law passed away about 8pm one evening. At 8am the next morning, a neighbor knocked on my mother-in-law's door and said if she wanted to sell the farm, he'd write a check right then.

The bto's around here just flat out offer to out pay the current tenant. Nothing personal just business.

Some folks around here advertise in small town newspapers.

To me it would seem all right to prepare a nice letter/flyer - but I would knock on doors and hand them to people or get addresses and mail them.

What about your grandfather letting people know you are interested in renting land? If he goes to a regular coffee-hour gathering, that will get the word around quickly to local folks.

Thank you for the replies guys, I have sufficient English skills to prepare a letter. My grandpa is very active just not so much in the township anymore, he doesn't socialize a lot.

Is it very recommended to put a letter in mailboxes?? I know it's not legal but???......??

I'm looking for about 200 acres and the closer to home the smaller the parcel I could farm, make it more worth wile.

References are everything. If you have happy landlords already, ask them if they mind you giving their name out.

Someone who doesn"t know you is afraid you won"t pay because many young farmers bite off more than they can chew (been on the receiving end of that).

Knocking on doors? Yes, it is alright to do. Nearly all the BTO's and Mennonites do it and do it aggressively. I agree with the poster as far as placing an ad in a local paper but that allows your competition a chance to game plan against you and there will be a few that will resort to lies to damage your ability to compete. I hate to say it but it is a game of paying top dollar anymore. Most people look at stewardship of the land as secondary. Most landlords could care less if you lose money because you overbid and usually are not up for variable rate rental agreements where there is a chance their revenue could decrease. I hate to say it but your Grandpa's reputation does not mean much as there have been too many instances over the years that the kid or grandchild does not hold up to the older generation's ideals. Most landlords will want to write a pretty tough agreement to be sure you have the ability to pay including requiring you to escrow money if you do not borrow money or a letter of credit from the bank if you do borrow money. Sorry I could not be more encouraging. Hopefully most of your prospective landlords are above table with the rent. I would say more than a few locally take part of the rent under the table and at that point it is hard to develop a sensible counter bid. Good luck.

I am a small farmer also trying to expand. It is very hard. I have been able to pick up some by driving around and looking for small (2? Or bigger) acre pieces of unused land. They are not ideal, but I am farming 200 acres of these little pieces. And some I pay no rent, they are happy to have it taken care of. I keep things mowed really well, run older equipment but try to keep it looking and running good, hoping people will notice and think of me when they look for a tenant. I do get a lot of compliments, but so far no land offers. I am going to need to be a little more aggressive.
Josh
Josh

A letter may be fine, but dropping it off is very impersonal. How would you react to one? You"re trying to develop a relationship with someone.....that takes a personal touch. Establish rapport. Be active in your church and community, meeting people, volunteering, helping, etc. And NO piece of ground is ever worth losing a friendship over. I"ve been passed over, then contacted later, the owner coming back to me cuz I always was friendly, even when getting turned down.

Keep plugging away. I wish I could stumble into deals like you do. It's nice when people focus on the important things versus how new your equipment is. Sometimes I wonder what bizarre universe I stumbled into where I am at. It's harder for me to take things now being middle-aged versus being younger. I wish I was twenty something years old again.

You did not say what state you are in. That kind of makes a difference.

Also I would not put letters in the mail boxes. I think a letter or flyer personally delivered would go over much better.

You are going to need to establish a relationship yourself. NOT your Grand Fathers. Also the current farmers will usually be able to out bid you on the ground.

You have an up hill battle to get started.

Most younger farmers do better finding an older farmer that is still farming and help him. Then slowly take over his ground as he ages.

As for you finding 200 acres. Well I MIGHT hit the lotto tomorrow too. You more then likely will have to start with the junk ground no one else wants. Then work your way up. You are not going to find GOOD land right next to home. Just not likely to happen.

112312,
Upon reading your post again, had more detailed thoughts:
In my opinion, it is a bad idea to put info/flyer in the mailbox (not only because it is illegal) but because it will give a bad impression about you... gives the impression that you are unethical if/when it meets your needs.

But to have a nicely done flyer in-hand, a knock on a door with a friendly smile and a brief but friendly explanation of "I am trying to get started farming, so I am looking for land to rent... but I don't want to intrude on your time, so here is a flyer with my contact information. Please contact me if interested or pass my name along to anyone you know who may be interested. Thank you for time."

Also like the idea of the guy who said get involved in your community a bit, so you get to know folks - they will help you spread the word too.

Regarding an ad in the paper: a local guy just runs an ad that says "Local, young farmer looking to expand wants land to rent. Will consider smaller plots of land."

Get involved in the community but do not pin your hopes on that action will win you a lot of ground. Sad to say but most of the BTO's here really have no community involvement. Also sad to say is highest bid speaks loudest these days. Best thing going for the OP is he is young and there is time for things to change. I've been alive long enough to see that very few are on top for very long. The forces of time have a way of overtaking most everyone at some point whether they are deserving of such or not.

Very good replies!! I am somewhat involved in the community, but as with everyone else it seems that the BTO's are sucking up the ground as fast as you blink.

The responses here are very thought out and I really have gained some ideas from them. Thankfully I am able to pay the money for decent ground as I am not entirely new to farming, just never really rented ground to farm before.

This is northern Ohio.