Two Ways To Access Affordable, Secure Land in Iowa:

Landowners may choose to attach a conservation easement to their deed. This kind of easement restricts and permits certain uses – in SILT’s case sustainable food farming. When land is restricted like that, it becomes more affordable to the people who want it, sometimes as much as 40% less. When you buy this land, you can farm it, live on it, raise your kids, have ag-related businesses on it but you must always keep it primarily in nature-friendly food farming (SILT supports diversified farming operations that include fiber, flowers, timber and other products). SILT does not own the land, but we are obligated by law to monitor the easement (usually an annual visit) and enforce it when necessary.

Interested? Then fill out our Farm Seeker Survey and be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter on the homepage.

On land donated to SILT, we offer long-term discounted land leases even your kids can inherit, and the option for you to own the house and barns. After a 3-year starter lease, you begin to earn equity in the buildings with no money down and no interest. When you or your family is finished farming, we buy the buildings back from you at the same price.

Interested? Then fill out our Farm Seeker Survey and be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter on the homepage!

Read These to Discover if a SILT Farm is Right For You

Time on the land, not in your truck.

SILT is targeting parcels of all sizes near major metro areas, giving you proximity to a local foods direct-sale, retail and wholesale market. Eventually, SILT expects to be active in supporting food hubs and aggregators to increase odds of success and meet your needs from seed to sale.

Not quite ready to start farming? 

SILT will continue to network with farmer education organizations such as Practical Farmers of IowaWomen, Food and Agriculture NetworkMOSES and the Land Stewardship Project to inform you of every chance to improve your skill set and practices, build a business plan that will success, seek out the right markets for you and more. 

“When there’s plenty of money, the speculators and bankers beg it first, and the farmers always lose out in the long run. What we need is a law to fix the value of land and remove it from speculators.”  1916. 

Three Miles Square. Paul Corey. 1939