My Organic Dream

[DANKSWAG]

MY ORGANIC DREAM

Okay I have some incredible breaking news I am officially venturing out of my comfort zone this will document my attempt migrate from a boring day job of the typical 40 hour work week Monday through Friday into my own entrepreneurship. Yes I've been blessed to recently more acquainted with a gentleman that owns a local farm that boards horses, raises chickens and has a known business already in the local area that is in another service industry on the property which is right off a major hwy can't be missed. The drive here is much shorter then the one to my current job. Plus check out the scenery in the GPNW!

We are talking about leasing some of his land, access to tractor and resources such as his horse manure, chicken manure, tree limbs branches (biochar). Access to storage in bard and building new adjcent lean structure next to barn to set up my own organic farm and I will attempt to provide all the local organic growing amendments needed.

Now I need to set down with my relative who has a master is business put together a plan, canvass local nurseries that need compost worm casting amendments. Speak to local farm owners and regional mining companies to source limestone products other natural organic material in bulk.

Anywise have a lot on my mind need to put to paper and get things rolling.




Check out the landscape and the horses.

DANKSWAG'N IT BABY!



​

 

[DANKSWAG]

This is how I am feeling right now, love to party with these guys....


[video=youtube;yG0oBPtyNb0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yG0oBPtyNb0[/video]

 

[snowboarder396]

Congrats! and good luck in the new venture! this should be many peoples dreams in getting back to the land! if I could offer any advise as to your new venture I would highly rec. anything by Joel Salatin of polyface farms. This guy is truly an innovator. Especially for smaller farms he leads the way in showing people how to maximize the most out of there land, complete synergy between stewardship of the animals and the land. A symbiotic relationship between the two, the way it used to be done and the way it needs to go back too.

If I could rec. anything I would honestly seriously look into his practices, many old and new farmers are taking his lead. I doubt you will be disappointed. And please keep this thread of your adventure going. It will be a great ride for sure. You will have your ups and your downs. But it will be a wonderful learning experience for sure.

 

[foreverflyhi]

Beautiful,

i have put in countless hours in local farms and its always good to stay connected with these sort of folks. You never know when opportunities like this can happen.

Your definitely on the right path with the amendments and organics. I believe sustainability is key to success, sustainability almost has to be preached and some how incorporated into our capitalist ways of business. So its important to talk about sustainabilty and even more important to practice sustainability.

but im a little confused, are you going to grow food and ganja? Or one or the other? Or non? Lol sorry might of missed something

 

[DANKSWAG]

Thanks Guys!

I will keep your advise close as I pursue my organic dream.

DankSwag'n it!

 

[DonPetro]

Good for you man! I grew up on a farm and spent a very influential part of my adult life working on a farm. It made me appreciate hard work and dedication. It also put me in touch with organic methodology. I miss the farm alot and think about it probably everyday. Follow your dream!

 

[DANKSWAG]

Okay so far everything is just in idea stage and nothing firm yet everyone is on board if the numbers work.

First I need to identify what retail for a bag of worm castings are in my market (market value of goods)
Then I will need to know what retailers are buying those worm castings for in my market (wholesale value of goods)
And most important I need to know what my cost are in relationship to producing my product (unit cost?)

Therefore I need to identify what my cost will be in producing my product to fruition.
These are the factors I believe I need to consider in producing, processing, packaging, distribution, marketing (sales)

CO$T= Land + Labor + Materials + Equipment + Business Cost.

Land (cost to lease, sqft), improve cost to support windrows?
Labor (Worms, initial cost no cost, verse man hours involved manage woodrows)
Materials (Bedding, Food, Amendments, Packaging,
Equipment (Mechanical Screen, Tractor with front scoop and back hole, truck, ATV w/Trailer)
Business Expense Regs, Licensing & Taxes
*I could be missing something but I believe this is about 99

Knowing the value of the product on the market, the cost to produce is one thing.
Knowing the production volume how much and how often will be part of the equation in the final analysis and a crtical piece as well for it will help determine potential gross profit prior to sans expenses for a possible net profit to be gained.

I also need to define the kind of production that can be achieved per square foot per by worms and how often, therefore I need to calculate how many worms are needed to begin composting at a sustainable rate (#worms per square foot) that can produce enough pooh to be profitable.
I need to know how much poo I can generate and how much I will need to produce and how often verses the cost of doing so n order to be a viable business


I'm thinking LLC, if the matrix of the business model works out.

 

[May11th]

Great news man. Hope it works out for you. I would love to do the same thing. Keep us updated.

 

[DANKSWAG]

Great news man. Hope it works out for you. I would love to do the same thing. Keep us updated.

Thanks May11th, looking into applying first for a SBA grant, hoping perhaps if I can tie this into a green project Uncle Sam will support that would be great to be off the hook financially and let the tax payer pick it up.

If not I will need to work on a strong business plan that clearly defines the numbers that is the only way a bank will swing it, the gov on the other hand you can sell them on the idea alone, its not their money so they ain't as stingy I figure!


DankSwag'n it ... all day long.
"That's what she said!"

 

[DANKSWAG]

Okay just a quick update on the progress so far.

I've been to my state's web site pertaining to business license, think I will go Sole Proprietorship till I have my own property to do this on. So WA has B&O tax at .00484, can't write off money spent on goods and services unless they will go back into the product or service I am selling. Fortunately most of anything I would have to buy would be considered input for producing my output. So I could possibly apply for a re-seller permit to not pay sales tax on items that will be resold but obviously in a different form once the worms got a hold of it.

I have secure wholesale worm prices to do so you have to buy POUNDS and I mean POUNDS, however 50% retail is 50% that I can purchase more worms and start a viticulture as I am doing the vermi composting.

I've got my measurements for the windrows gonna start with one 3 x 150 foot windrow.
Based on input cost and output potential revenue, the ratio or risk verses reward is a no brainier for a start up.
Can you say a few hundred cubic feet, that is just one row. If it goes good more will be built.

The only advantage I have is the person who's land and equipment I am leasing is a excavator, (he who has ears let them hear) take note perfect partnership. Has own business removing unwanted materials (manures (next door organic beef farm), wood products, soils, sands) therefore dump truck, tractor and yes a agriculture feed mixer that will help us make a consistent bedding by shredding cardboard paper composted manure and whatever together shooting it out all mixed well together. Have access to well water, land is not in city but county.

We also have access to materials that are all natural that will ensure worms arch enemy the dreaded mole will not even want to come close. Also designed a way to ensure worms protected by elements and can't leave their work site.
Once B&O tax paid on gross income and bills paid for and inventory purchased for next cycle we will split the profits and I will pay the excavator as a independent contractor for rental of property, equipment use and whatever. So I don't have to pay workers comp or insurance whatever, hold taxes from pay. Anywise I've got to secure business agreement with bulk amendment provide to use re-seller permit to save money on calcium carbonate etc.


Its all starting to come together, because I want to ensure I have very little competition till I get going. I will paste some pictures updates showing site and all but not details into making the beds and protecting these precious red wrigglers.

Though I don't think it will be a problem wholesaling hundreds of cubic feet of worm compost, I still have only one firm commitment for an order however others and potential large account if the like the input and output and they test it. For these folks I just may offer build casting to suite where they select input and I process with my worms. Just trying to be flexible like my worms are.

But it looks like I am on board at least to give one windrow a shot to see just want can be done.

DankSwag

 

[DANKSWAG]

GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS!

I am going to take a more in-depth look at composting and make other people's crap SERIOUSLY my CASH$
If anyone is looking at a business model with low cost start - up and potential as much as you're willing to bust your ass.

But as Cartman23 says

So not freaking out on what could be and getting bound up, I am trying to keep moving ordering my steps.

Since it now looks like are beds will probably not be ready for worms till the second week in April. Nonetheless when we do we can build two instead of one or attempt to build some static piles or bins to augment the windrows and hopefully increase initial production to cover delay of having product ready by 1st May or sooner as we can come behind the worms and collect their castings.

So more planning will need to go into how much resources available and to make available for the various systems not to mention maintaining a vermiculite to produce worms.

Some other good news I sourced an incredible amount of BUNNY POO! I almost did a bunny hop dance.
Meet bunnies farmer his family alpha fed some ya I am all on that SHIT!

Got it cooking right now.

Nonetheless I hope you will join Eric Cartman and I as we journey forward led by the passion to reach the very pinnacle of:

ORGANIA

DankSwag

 

[smokin away]

I have been reading RIU for over two years now. I really think they should give you some sort of great big Green star or something. Your posts have so much info and your photos are really cool. It's hard to obtain any real info from reading blip after blip. Again, keep it up as knowledge is golden. I just spent an hour finding your post and now I've got marked. Moved to the country myself last year and find it a better life for sure.

 

[DANKSWAG]

Wow Smoking Away,

I am so humbled by that, I just am so excited that there is a natural way of things to be a partner with nature and not to kick against against her and harm her. If farmers/gardener had a Hippocratic oath stating to do no intentional irreparable harm to nature then this would be a better world and probably no need for what I am about to go into business to do.

But I must give a shoot out to all the others on RIU, their trial and errors they're input has been invaluable to help me fully understand the underpinnings to all things organic.

By no means do I have my thumb on all there is to know, but I do want to make sure and I think we all owe it to each other to insure what we do share is as scientifically actuate as possible.

For me as far as organics goes it is just starting to come together. I can't wait to see what I am doing a year from now, especially since I am going to be doing several green projects on my farm.


1. Composting - Hot manures to Worm Castings
2. Generating BioChar - there will be many applications from soil restoration projects, pond cleaning etc..
3. Creating Lacto Acid Bacillus and Beneficial Microbes.
4. Creating Compost Teas for various applications.

As I will be focusing on these technologies on the farm, my excavating partner will be making his money bringing me the raw materials and helping build infrastructure on site that will use the energy from our biochar process to heat windrows during the winter, to fun steam generator etc.

So here is an update on the site, we need to clear brush and preparing to make are windrows, also I will be inquiring about to locate a steel 55 gallon barrel and a 30 gallon for the retort chamber so we can start sequestering wood into carbon for it will be essential to the success of our business, we hope to potentially gain carbon credits for every pound of carbon produced this way is worth 3 pounds of C02 credit. Since we have access to tones and tones of raw slash for next to nothing. Look Out we are going to give a new machine to the term GREEN CHA CHING MACHINE $$$!

So here is the ground before we prepare it for use... Welcome the beginning of my organic farm!

Left is the left side of the back of the property will a well water, the second picture is the right side of the back of the property.
Once cleared our 50 yard (150 feet) windrows will be built left to right, we can probably build a few here and still have room for compost piles of hot manure of various types and aged as well. Also we will build shelters to keep wood and other materials dry.

I am so pumped up for this can't wait to make a living full time making the earth greener and helping others to do so too.

DankSwag

 

[smokin away]

When I see all that brush all laying about all I can think is campfire. Using the ashes makes a great organic additive. Use it instead of Lime or Gypsum. Just start chopping on the stump pile it up over it and light. Bye Bye stump. Works so great for all the stuff that blows out the trees. Really warms you up on a cold night. Love the recycling idea but I would imagine it would take some sort of equipment to grind it all up like a chipper or something? Another item that you may want to address at this time is to have a ditch dug around the garden for drainage. I went up that way once in August and it rained every day. The ditch may also deter critters.

 

[DANKSWAG]

Status Update,

Awaiting UBI from State of Washington, so I can do business as... wait for it.... not yet.

Building vermi culture bins to ensure I have a good supply to augment what I will need to order at bulk wholesale.

Have confirmation from a retailer for their cardboard!

Have everyone at work wanting to buy my compost, promises promises right, won't count on it, but hey if I can get a few cubic feet out to people I know, it still is US currency I will be taking for my worm poop, and that works for me.

Made contact with a local hobbyist in my neck of the woods - essential for their input on experience and methods. As a hobbyist they've done this for some time, just no passion to build their lives around it. Should be able to gleams some gems from them. Also they don't sort, just hand over large bag of bedding compost with a ton of worms. I know I got then my monies worth in adults not to mention to tons of cocoons. Babies babies and more babies.

Awaiting development of site, this is currently holding the business up but I knew of this delay in which material, equipment and labor will all need to come together to clear those bushes, level the field and build out our custom windrows.

It is the unforeseen things that will irk me I am sure which will even further delay. Nonetheless I have a back up plan, it is not as elaborate as a windrow, yes static rectangular boxes of a certain sizes that will not invade planned spaces for windrows.

I will have coordinate with partner about preparing those sites as I wait for the special equipment and materials that will be our windrows. I don't really want to not get started composting of some scale and also get in hot piles to let them sit and age a little and bring in aged piles.

Hopefully we have our barrels yes barrels for BIO CHAR is on the products available at my organic farm!

Well that is that, keep ya all posted, ya hear!

DankSwag'n it!

 

[DANKSWAG]

Hot diggity dog! Got my UBI today, sweet I am officially in business.

Now the next order of Business got to pick up some barrels and start making bio chars, pics to come!

DankSwag

 

[DANKSWAG]

I forgot how much cow shit stinks, but when I give thought to it, it becomes the smell of MONEY!

I am so freaking pumped, site is near being cleared and soon leveled. Then a large green house to provide about 512 square feet for vermi compositng and hopefully about 128 feet for vermi culture. Once established then I will work on larger scale using outdoor windrow, I want to ensure I have a indoor system in place that will be the little stean engine that could until the bigger diesel one comes online.

Onsite will be three Tin Man retort systems incorporating the double barrel technique using a 30 gallon in a 55 gallon. for bio-char production which I hope to have going this weekend. I've even got some local growers who want to outsource their soil mixing to me so they can focus on other aspects of their operations. So I am freaking stoked! I've also looked into state certified organic label $400 application $200 a year to renew. However only need 95 percent output to qualify and certain non organic items are allowed. So hopefully I can swing that certification and that should bump up product value and revenue!

DankSwag

 

[DANKSWAG]

Sweetness, near my Organic Farm there is a cow pasture filled with THIS YE HA !

Jackpot, I intend to make good use of this, thanks to my friends in Organic ROLS!

DankSwag

 

[smokin away]

"Then a large green house to provide about 512 square feet for vermi compositng and hopefully about 128 feet for vermi culture."

You go Dankswag. I think we could all use one of those. I thought you might enjoy viewing the greenhouse in this video. It's on top of mountain in Columbia. I'm considering a prototype for future use.

http://www.vice.com/weediquette-show/kings-of-cannabis-part-1

 

[DANKSWAG]

Smokin away, thanks and thanks for the link, hopefully it won't be so darn choppy soon, probably getting lots of hits not pun intended.

Say Check it out got my barrels for my retort devices that I will use to make bio char.

Also keep finding several large patches of Stinging Nettle I need to harvest. I can dry and hopefully sell and have through out year for tea for me and tea for my girls and the soil they will live in soil. Columbia may have some of the most fertile soil but I can create a soil that will compete for cheap!

So we shall see, on to preparing these steel drums and building a large food dehydrator (drying rack) for nettles and I also located tons of wild comfrey too.




And if you look real close on the property and everywhere near by is Alder (march 23rd post pic) and I hear the bark is perineum to have?




This is a close of a very large rolled 4 foot bail of hay. So let it be know II took care of my employees first and provided them housing for my migrate worm staff. As part of the official launch we will have a Worm Fest Party, we humans will come and consume great food and drink of which will be composted and feed to worms. Part of living in the Great Pacific Northwest there are plenty of micro brews and spent organic grain and hops will be part of my compost program.




DankSwag'n it!