Beginning farmer finds farmland and secures a lease with the right support

Daniela Aldrich learned that searching for farmland was easier with a team on her side. It required assessing soil quality, utilities, and access to the markets on multiple properties. It also necessitated the writing of a secure lease that considers the farm’s viability and growth.

Like many beginning farmers, Daniela started her farm business at an incubator farm. In her case, she launched Dancing Harvest Farm at New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she received training, mentorship, and temporary access to land to grow vegetables and start a CSA. Incubator farms help aspiring and new farmers launch and grow a farm business by providing a supportive environment and resources that might otherwise be difficult or expensive to access, such as shared access to land, greenhouses, tools, and machinery.

Daniela reached out to Land For Good (LFG) in the fall of 2021 for help assessing land and for feedback on an offer she made on a property. While she was eager and excited about the opportunity, Daniela came to realize that the property did not align with her needs. She recalls reaching out to determine whether or not she was “crazy” for wanting to buy this farm.

“I was telling a friend about this property, and they said to talk to someone at Land For Good and that they will ‘tell me if I’m crazy’ for wanting to buy this farm.“

Daniela Aldrich, farmer Dancing Harvest Farm

This preliminary consultation with LFG empowered Daniela to walk away from that opportunity for good reasons. She had hesitations regarding the workability of the land, felt overwhelmed by the compounding expenses, and recognized a desire to build her confidence before taking the leap to buy land. Following that consultation, Daniela then spent time working more in-depth with our team to clearly articulate her farmland criteria, narrow her geographic search, assess multiple properties, and ultimately secure a lease in 2023 on farmland that better fit her needs.

“All of these steps felt overwhelming to take on alone, but having LFG field agents who were both farmers themselves and experienced in this process made me more confident to keep moving forward.“

Daniela

Daniela wears overalls and sun hat while prepping her row crops thanks to her secure lease.

Daniela first worked with Jae, our Massachusetts Field Agent, who guided her through the land search process, pointing her in the direction of useful resources, sharing information on rental rates, and connecting Daniela with financing opportunities. Bolstered by this support, Daniela hit the ground; she knocked on doors hoping to talk to the homeowner/landowner, dropped off veggie bags and letters, scoured Google maps and public records, visited different farms, applied for different types of financing, and more. In the winter of 2023, farmland in South Portland, Maine, became available through Maine FarmLink, and Daniela was ready.

This farmland in South Portland, Maine, is owned by Jon Ruterbories, who is the fourth generation owner of the land, and his wife, Anne Sedlack. Jon unexpectedly inherited the land in 2022, and Jon and Anne had no idea how they would manage owning 17.5 acres, especially the associated maintenance, taxes, and other costs. Still, they knew they wanted to keep it in the family for future generations and continue Jon’s family’s farming legacy. They also knew they didn’t want to farm the land themselves, but they heard about Maine FarmLink and decided to try posting the opportunity. They had a lot of interest from farmers, but they knew Daniela and Dancing Harvest Farm were the perfect fit when she reached out in February of 2023.

“The most important thing was that she had an enthusiasm for the land.”

Anne Sedlack, farmland owner

Daniela recalls how beautiful the flat open fields were and how she was able to envision vegetable rows immediately. The proximity to markets was enticing, and she was excited about the possibility of building a small, but engaging, neighborhood farm. Thanks to the additional time at New Entry’s incubator farm, she felt confident shaping an acre of crop beds and building up a CSA membership.

After LFG’s support for Daniela during her land search process, it was seamless for Daniela to return to us to develop the lease agreement. Jon and Anne appreciated the support as well.

“We originally started working with Land For Good to develop our initial contract. We really loved how they spent time talking to each side of the arrangement to figure out the hopes and fears to ensure that the contract was a document that worked for each side.“

Anne

Jon and Anne recall having a hard time figuring out the best way to share the land with someone else. Jon had grown up having free range of the land as a child, and they knew they wanted their children to have the same experience. It just took open conversations to figure out the right balance.

The first three year lease was signed in March of 2023 and then refined as a 10-year lease in the fall of 2024, much to Daniela’s delight. When they needed more help, Jon and Anne shared “that it was an easy decision to return to Land For Good.”

“Kate, LFG’s Maine Field Agent, led me through important land-use considerations and pushed me to think about my farm business in new ways so that I wasn’t just focused on my land lease being secure, but also supportive of the farm’s viability and growth. She also advocated for me and supported the open communication Anne, Jon, and I have built and value. This past fall when we all got together to write a 10-year lease, it really felt like a successful and positive team effort.“

Daniela

Daniela is currently in her second year of the Journeyperson Program at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, receiving hands-on support, training, and mentorship. The program is designed for farmers in their first three to five years to further develop the skills they need to farm independently and successfully.

Looking ahead to the future, Daniela plans to keep farming for her CSA, build relationships with local chefs and grocers in South Portland and Portland, and expand her production area to a new field. Jon and Anne have now renovated and moved into the farmhouse with their 7-month-old daughter, who is the fifth generation of the family to live on the land. They’re excited for her to grow up watching (and someday helping with!) the hard work and love that goes into growing food.

For her fellow farmland seekers, Daniela says:

“Reach out to LFG as soon as possible, even if you don’t have a clear vision for your farm yet! Stay open-minded and prioritize communication, even and especially when it’s questions you’re unsure about.“

And for her fellow farmland owners, Anne says:

“Being really transparent from the outset is a huge key to success. Really think through what it would be like to share the land and what boundaries you have that you wouldn’t want crossed. I think it is much easier for the land owner because there isn’t enough open space for farmers. We got so many great responses and felt like we were able to choose a farmer whose mission aligned with our hopes for the land.“