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Noble Hill Agricultural DevelopmentGrowing Farmers, Growing Food

● City of Springfield Noble Hill RFP

● Green Circle Projects● What will we do

there?● Who benefits● Why is this important

Maybe You Know Someone Who Wants to be a Farmer?

● Century ago, everyone farmed

● Now, less than 2% grew up on Farms

● Yet young people want to farm

● How do they start?

To Start Farming Today You Need...

● Commercial Growing Experience

● Access to Capital● Access to Markets

But What If You Had a Persistent Dream of Farming, Even If You...

● Didn’t Inherit a Farm?● Didn’t have much

money?● Didn’t have extensive

commercial farming experience

Short Answer…You Can’t

● Banks Won’t Loan you Money without Commercial Success

● And Extensive Experience

● And Business Plan and Reliable Market

Might be why the Average Farmer Age is 60...

● And getting Older Every year

Not Enough Farmers...So Food Travels Far To The Ozarks!

● 1500 Miles “Farm to Market”

● Lettuce from California Peppers from Holland

● Ozarks, once leading producer of Tomatoes, Strawberries

How Can We Use Our Community Resources?

How do we create a path for Local Farmers:

● Young people● Veterans● Second Career Folks● Immigrants

Noble HIll Agricultural DevelopmentGrowing Farmers. Growing Food

● Greenhouses and Irrigated Fields

● Ag Accelerator● Agro Forestry

Demonstration● Food Hub

Noble Hill Agricultural Complex4 State of The Art Hydroponic Greenhouses

Noble Hill Agricultural Complex16 acres-Irrigated Produce Fields With Season Extenders

Noble Hill Agricultural Complex5 Acre Agroforestry and Permaculture Demonstration ● Pecans, almonds and

chestnuts, native fruits● With Forrest Keeling

MDC, USDA, MU Extension, MSU

● Demonstration to Local Schools Landowners

Noble Hill Agricultural ComplexOnsite Food Hub Will Purchase Foodfrom Beginning and Local Farmers

Specifically...How Does Noble Hill Help Our New Farmers?

Noble Hill Agricultural Complex1st Stage: MSU Certificate

● MSU-18 hr certificate, 2019● 1) Commercial Greenhouse

Production, 2) Organic Field Production

● Paid Internship Opportunities MSU, OTC, Drury, SCG, Veterans

Noble Hill Agricultural Complex2nd Stage: Ag Accelerator

● 3 years of Commercial Experience

● Leased land/Greenhouses, Access to equipment

● Guaranteed Market-Food Hub● Experienced mentorship,

business and marketing help

Noble Hill Agricultural ComplexThen...many options

● Buy a Farm-3 years is enough for SBA, Farm Credit Services

● Continue leasing Land or Greenhouses at NH

● Job Managing Greenhouses● Job Managing Other Farm

Noble Hill Agricultural ComplexTimeline

● Present Proposal to City: November 30th● City Review: December-March, 2019● Design: Spring 2019● Site Work: Late Spring 2019● Construction: Late Summer 2019● Opens: Spring 2020

Noble Hill Agricultural Complex: Site Map

Noble Hill Agricultural DevelopmentGrowing Farmers, Growing Food

Thank you!

Mike Chilesmchiles@farmteamozarks.com

John Chilesjchiles@farmteamozarks.com