Virginia farm has unique price tag

Aug 04, 2015

Requires $200 and a written component

Between the machinery, support system, advances in technology, the farmland itself and other costs associated with agriculture an aspiring farmer could end up spending nearly $1 million before a seed touches the ground.

A couple who own a farm in Champlain, Virginia is offering their farm for a more modest price.

For $200 and an essay of 1,000 words, you could own the 35-acre Rock Spring Farm, located a few hours south from Washington.

Essay

The farm comes equipped with a three-story, four-bedroom house, a five-stall barn, an air conditioned workshop and a two-story cottage. Not to mention the two miles of trails and acres of loamy soil.

A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis last year is one of the reasons why Randy Silvers and his wife Carolyn Berry are giving up the farm. Weeding and other duties take a toll on Silvers to the point where swinging a hammer for longer than five minutes can be too much.

The essays must be received by Thursday, October 1^st. After they’re reviewed, the couple will select 25 entries for final consideration. They must pass the essays to a three-member panel consisting of an educator, a hobby farmer and a horse enthusiast.

The winner will be announced on Thursday, November 26^th.

The essays must be well-written, too. Berry said no spelling or grammatical errors and that the first paragraph should pull them in.

If the farm essay contest doesn’t generate the kind of interest the couple hopes, they will put the farm up for sale, valued around $600,000.

The entry money would also be returned.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about the essay contest. Would you enter the contest? What kinds of things would you put in your essay?

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.