Sorry to post this, but before I can get on the topic of asking where all the affordable land is I must post this as I've gotta post it everywhere....
We are a group of four enthusiastic aspiring growers with varied experience of working in commercial and community organic veg operations. We are currently looking for a site to set up an ecologically and financially sustainable growing project producing organic food for sale to local people. What motivates us to do this is not just the desire to grow good quality chemical-free food that is affordable, but also to help educate and inspire people to reconnect with the land and each other. We have plenty of ideas of how to be diverse and make the most out of a growing space both in terms of growing food and community, what we are lacking at the moment is the space to be able to do it.
We are looking for roughly 3-6 acres of land. Ideally, we are looking for land that has some infrastructure in place, with a water supply being particularly crucial. Access to some cultivation machinery and storage/packing space would be a bonus, as would existing organic status. We are very flexible and open to ideas about the kind of business relationship we want to set up with a landlord, ranging from a Farm Business Tenancy to a Land Partnership-type arrangement with more input from the landlord. We would also interested in building links with other growers and CSAs, for example by supplying into box schemes and seeking to develop the market garden as en educational space.
Please get in touch if you have some land you would be interested in renting out or if you know someone who might, or even if you have some advice for us.