The Garden Perusal

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"Real"- Estates

weighing of axial moments in common evolution

Exploring idle rural real estate, dormant farms, weighing idle skills and the dormant asset
held in "potential development" paradigm.

the principle defining issues:
1. the difference between investment speculation in land and the building of "real" estates.
( One is short to mid term profit for individuals and the other is the building of long term partnerships, family and multi-generational asset. )
and
2. the difference between equity and debenture financing in real estate.
"equity" investment is "venture capital", shares in a capital corporate structure with land and buildings as managed asset.
"debenture financing" is borrowed to capitalize the long term objective with a fixed rate of return in a mortgage or bond.

Over the past 50 years, I've been an investment manager, a money traffic clerk, parking lot attendant for the sizeable fortunes of others.
I've been a mortgage servicing officer at a national level , a systems analyst weighing global factors in Third World housing issues for 35 governments, a master tradesman, a construction superintendant on large international oil patch and defence contracts. And as frequently unemployed or distracted with due cause for long periods: limited asset but substantial and measurable skills.
Personal assignments: blend analytical construction management skills with long term needs for community stability. Build a garden.

the unfolding "economic tsunami" will refocus our minds on regional needs ; food energy and shelter. The well defined, low key, small scale opportunity.
dozens of dormant rural properties, once the breadbasket of Ontario waiting for "economic recovery". Some of these abandoned, derelict and dormant rural properties currently caught in the development slump have substantial recoverable asset in buildings and land. In the shifting mood of current and projected real estate markets these could and should be redefined for their immediate and short term potential.
The appropriate setting can be revived with asset, attitude and a long term perspective. A managed construction, trades and gardening skills program with labour, cash and "rents" as equity investment partnership in a focussed effort could build a country club market garden farm while waiting for 'the economy to recover'.

Sample of "A" objective; restorable vacant property, rural, small acreage "SpinFarm" potential, listed as "country estate" potential where the buyer would demolish and build his mansion next to a golf course. In the unfolding paradigm, the property has the potential to feed the golf course.

Sample property of "B" objective:
farm, 100 acres; between Brantford and Ancaster: hand adzed heritage construction frames,
farm buildings vacant, derelict but restorable; dormantland in perimeter of buildings
investment holding by oil money out of Calgary held for long term development. We're suggesting period restoration of the property and building an agriculturally productive "country club" for the investors in lieu of dormant capital.

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The two dozen local settings we've looked at closely are a small representation of the dormant asset of a once thriving regional agricultural breadbasket. Many have salvageable houses and buildings, site clutter of substantial and measurable asset with resting and therefore healthy land with natural or organic tilth.

Sample "B" objective:
20 years Dormant; 150 Acre; rolling hills; 37 acres bush, sandy loam (excellent fruit, vegetables and berry soil), private business holding, with 14,000 sq.ft main "dycore slab" engineered building; $100,000 of idle but good equipment; a 1,000 mixed apple trees in two orchards, 80% salveagable trees; artesian springs and acre sized spring fed ponds with naturally regenerated fish stock: family disagreements over investment and development objectives keep the property idle and no one farms.

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options:

-- equity format partnership

-- long term agreements for small scale market gardens and greenhouse.

-- modest pension income; master carpenter trades skills; survey instrument skills; light to heavy industrial and commercial background in design.

-- background in systems analysis, critical path and project management.

-- restoration experience from barns to mansions.

-- salvage moxy.

-- strong farming and gardening backgrounds.

-- workshop tools and equipment profiles.

-- libraries, research skills and a sizeable office setup with several up to date computer systems.

We're ready to cook and looking for the meat:

The Objective: a family farm in transition or investment land seeking options during the transitional economy.

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Objectives in a nutshell:
rent/lease within equity defined debenture free setting :
The equity profile is crucial to surviving the unfolding currency and banking crisis.

Over a 5-10 year plan to include:
Gardens:

Natural/Organic: "raised bed", "companion planting" , "permaculture", "SPIN Farming", "4 Season farming", "forest gardens"
Greenhouse:

1-2000 sq ft.site nursery, cash cropping, passive energy component of residence and workshops AND:
Poultry: for farm "members" and friends only.
Buildings: Passive and active energy; staged restoration and "thermal-shell" upgrade .
Off the grid"systems , baking and heating "s-hearth" masonry stoves.

"Living Water" and composting systems.
Community kitchen.

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The prime determining factors are space and a restorable footprint; soil we can build. Give "handyman special" a broad margin. We can rebuild anything with a shell. We prefer older, heritage settings.