A landowner in Maine is offering to lease seven acres of farmland for free on Facebook, hoping to secure the land's future as a productive farm.
Mike Maher, a Maine native and entrepreneur, purchased the 34-acre Harpswell property in 2021 for $1.5 million with the dream of establishing an organic farm and business school, Bangor Daily News reported.
After the plans fell through, Maher decided to offer a 50- to 100-year free lease in exchange for someone looking to farm the arable land.
"I don't want to make money from this," Maher said. "I just want to find a way to make sure this farm is viable for the next generation."
On November 23, Maher posted the offer on Facebook by the Maine Farmland Trust and has received five to six serious inquiries.
"I am willing to give a free very long term (think 50 years) lease on the land to a capable farmer who is willing to make the improvements necessary to improve the land and farm it. I am also willing to help on the brand and marketing side of the business. No housing, just land being offered," the ad read.
While the property is technically free to lease, it comes with caveats. There will be no access to the adjacent farmhouse or barn and no existing power or water hookups.
"I'll always keep the farmhouse," Maher said. "I know it's a weird situation."
Maher envisions the land being used for small-scale organic farming, blending vegetables, animals, and orchards, and is even open to cannabis cultivation under legal guidelines.
Potential tenants must shoulder the costs of drilling a well and installing electricity, which Maher believes will demonstrate their commitment to farming the land.
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