(Bowling Green, OH) Ever wanted to be a farmer? The Black Swamp Conservancy wants you.
The land preservation group is recruiting people interested in agriculture to grow a crop of young farmers across Northwest Ohio.
The aim is two-fold. The average Ohio farmer is 55 years old and there's a fear of family farms disappearing. There's also a desire to grow more local food in a way that won't impact Lake Erie. The Black Swamp Food and Farm Initiative will provide land already conserved by the group.
There's a two-step process for applicants who are accepted long-term: the conservation group says it can help get an aspiring farmer into an apprenticeship or job at a local farm to gain experience.
Then the organization is willing to rent land at reasonable rates to get a farmer started with a long-term goal of selling the land so the farmers own the property.