Renting Farmland in the Rutland Region

Locating your farm business is an incredibly important decision that will shape the development of your farm and your life. In the Rutland Region, you can find very good farmland, but it can be difficult to access. Most of the fertile, well-drained, best located soils are actively being farmed. Depending on where you are looking in the region, good agricultural soils are still priced very high when they are put up for sale. Renting can offer you a opportunity to farm without owning land. Some farmers prefer renting because of the flexibility it allows and the decreased carrying costs of the land that they incur. Especially when you are starting out, it is difficult to know exactly what you need to successfully implement your business vision. What types of soils are ideal for the crops you plan to grow? How much acreage do you really need? What markets do you plan on accessing and how convenient is your farm location in relation to them? Renting up front allows you to answer these questions from your own experiences operating your farm, and will help guide you in the future if you do decide to purchase land to farm on. Because renting is almost always much cheaper than purchasing property, you can direct more of the farm's profits back into its operation.

Contact us if you are seeking rental farmland in the Rutland area. Also check the New England Land Link which lists farm rental and sale opportunities by state. Hosted by the New England Small Farm Institute

If you are a landowner seeking to lease your property to a farmer, please click here to contact us regarding your rental opportunity. We will share this with farmers seeking to rent farmland in the Rutland area.

Resources on Renting Farmland and Creating Leases that protect farmers and landowners

- On-line leasing tutorial and other resources are available through Land For Good.
- "A Lease Agreement Guide for Landowners and Farmers" and other resources from UVM's Beginning Farmer & Land Access Program.
- Learn more about farm transfer, rental and non-traditional tenure options from the New England Farm Transfer Network.

Looking to buy a farm?

- The Vermont Land Trust's Farmland Access Program helps farmers access affordable, quality farmland. Here's a brochure.

- Network within the community you want to buy in. Talk to landowners and retiring farmers. Finding farmland to purchase before it goes on the market is one key to affordability.

- Take the time to scour local real estate listings and "for sale by owner" websites. Also, drive around the places you want to buy - often. This can become tedious, but fruitful if you happen to be in the right place at the right time!