Small irrigation farm in Lauriston VIC - Truffles or mixed farming

Overview

Opportunity type: Small irrgation farm in Lauriston, near Kyneton, VIC

Land size: 40 Acres - 25 Acres cleared land, 15 Acres native vegetation

Short-term vision: Develop farming enterprise, land is particularly suitable for truffles with a big demand from Melbourne truffle hunters,

Long term vision: Work with a young farmer to realise the dream for the property, with a view to eventually sell the land

Accomodation: Not currently, opportunity for a Tiny House. Difficult at present with some hope for the future. The shed will soon have a 1 BR cabin (65m2) for temporary accommodation, with septic tank, 46,000 litres of tanks and drinkable bore water.

Current status of the land: Grazing kangaroos and occasional sheep

Details

State of the cultivatable area: Cleared pasture

Zoning: Farming

Road access: Good, suitable of driving 2WD cars when dry.

Electricity access: Connected to mains power at shed.

Mobile phone signal: Excellent

Infrastructure: Shed with power and water with 108m2 (not including cabin). Shed has 3 roller doors (3m wide 3.6m high) for machinery access/storage with concrete slab floor. The land is fenced

Known environmental hazards or risks: Winds are high on the top of the hill but much reduced in the valley. There is arable land from the hill to the valley.

Farm Machinery & tools: N/A

Water source: Rain, Dam, Bore. 19ML of bore water under licence for irrigation (and stock and domestic).

Visitor access: Access via locked gate. Access would suit agritourism business.

Preferred production systems: The climate, soils, north-facing slope and proximity to Melbourne is perfect for truffle production, but it would suit other intensive, irrigated crops such as pomegranates, vegetables, nuts, food forest, permaculture, etc.

Preferred farming practice: Prefer no-dig (except for establishment cultivation), free of artificial chemicals. Soil biology is pretty good because there has been no cultivation or chemicals for decades and no fertiliser for 15 years.

Soil details: Permium tillite formed from glacial action around 290 million years ago. Mudrock in isolated areas, but otherwise good soil depth. Soil analysis showed it was good for truffles (which require poorer soil ideally to encourage mycorrhizal dependence), but for crops requiring higher fertility, some organic fertiliser would be required for optimum production.

Preferred arrangement: For discussion with the aim of the arrangement being mutually beneficial.

Mentorship: Yes

https://honeysuckleorganicfarm.com.au/

Honeysuckle Road, Lauriston, Victoria, 3444


Expressions of interest

Please submit your interest here. For suitable candidates taht are forwarded on to the owners, references will be required.


Site photos

https://honeysuckleorganicfarm.com.au/the-land for a gallery and more detailed info