Anyone familiar with my blogs knows about the current tsunami of farm succession.  The average farmer is 60 years old so in the next 15 years, half of all farm equity--land, buildings, equipment--will change hands.  Furthermore, if this coronavirus has taught us one thing, it's that the current industrial food system is fragile and we desperately need more regional production, processing, marketing, and distribution for resilient food security.

             Interestingly, many wealthy people are suddenly looking for a bunker.  The typical cycle, though, is that someone without farming experience but a pocket full of money buys a piece of property.  They listen to the advice from government folks and regular farming folks and before you know it they've spent $1 million on fences, equipment, exotic breeding stock and other foolish things.

             At this juncture, somehow we need a mechanism for existing and successful farmers to capture this capital investment from urban wealth looking for farm bunkers.  Most successful farmers I know could certainly use an infusion of cash.  Seldom would any of these farmers use it to buy fancy equipment or fancy personal effects like cars and gadgets.

             Successful farmers know where their weak links are and the best marginal reaction to stabilize their resource base, and perhaps their customer base.  For many these day, the weak link is software and their internet customer interface, whether it's a more functional shopping cart, better inventory management or more sophisticated communication.  It may not be anything the normal person would consider true farming, but a successful farm requires far more than a better way to weed the green beans.

             Pride gets in the way of this kind of collaboration.  Farmers often feel like wealthy folks got their money too easily.  I understand.  When you work as hard as farmers do and hit 60 without a 401 (k) it's disheartening and easy to scorn or at least wonder about those big salaries in the city. 

             By the same token, the urban wealthy sector now wanting a bunker has no clue about the rigorous disciplined work load and commitment to making a farm run efficiently and successfully.  Too many have the notion that farmers are just hillbilly red necks who prefer the raw humor of HEE HAW more than the sophisticated humor of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.   Seldom does a person of urban wealth, who wants an agrarian bunker, seek out an existing successful farmer for a symbiotic hook up.

             I don't have an answer to this problem.  But as I learn about more urban wealth looking for a rural bunker, I'd love to create a bridge so that this post-pandemic cash investment doesn't get squandered on unnecessary toys and development.  Strategic targeting of this urban wealth into specifically chosen and established agricultural concerns would turn the food security flywheel far faster than wealthy folks throwing money at start-ups.

             The criteria for a functional agricultural community, or food cluster, is not difficult.  Multi-generation multi-species carbon fertility hydrology enhancing direct marketing youth oriented duplication minded and business savvy.  I don't know how many of these there are in the U.S.  20?  50?  100?   It's not many, but I've learned in life that if you want to go someplace, hook your wagon to someone who is already going someplace.  It's a corollary of the saying that if you want something done, get a busy person to do it.

             Are you looking for a bunker?