We are a group of older women. We aren’t rich but we all have a house and some financial security. If we put our assets together can we reach these goals:
- no debt
- a warm place to live, simple & modern
- friendship & support
- share the cost of power, internet, insurance, rates etc
- buildings resilient to increasing floods, heat, wind, drought
- space for gardens & tree crops
- shared space to eat & drink together
- spare accommodation for family
- proximity to town
Council rules about dividing land in Golden Bay mean you can either buy a section for about $350k, or a block of farm land for $700k+. As individuals the costs seem ridiculous. However, if we join our resources the costs get more manageable. If we buy a block of farm land we could make money from parts of the land we don’t need for houses or gardens.
The most basic land use is summer hay, but that would only return a grand or two. We could look at more niche crops like commercial hemp, which needs a license and testing to ensure THC levels are low. We could also investigate solar farming. This would probably require a 50/50 partnership with someone who can manage buying, installing and maintaining the hardware. And of course we could rent space to campers in summer, or set up a safari permanent tent camp. The latter would need some investment.
Further goals if we have land to use:
- solar power & storage to generate more power than we need, and charge EVs
- space for cash crops
- perhaps holiday accommodation