Farming Full Time
Updated Dec 22, 2025
Seeking
- 1 to 5 acres
Nattalie Davis-Rush
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Plan
Vision and Mission: The FCCMI Harvest of Hope
Fully Committed Christian Ministries International Inc (FCCMI) is establishing a high-intensity, regenerative market garden and vocational training hub. Our mission is two-fold: to restore the lives of returning citizens through "Green-Collar" job training and to provide nutrient-dense, locally grown produce to our 100-member CSA and church-run food bank. We aim to prove that land stewardship is a powerful tool for community healing.
Our Operational Plan (Years 1–3)
- Production Scale: We are seeking 2 to 3 acres of tillable land to implement a bio-intensive, no-till system. This model maximizes every square foot to support 100 weekly CSA shares and high-volume staple crops (potatoes, squash, greens) for our food bank.
- Labor & Training: Our core workforce consists of participants from the Gwinnett Reentry Intervention Program (GRIP). They are trained in professional agronomy, GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) food safety, and logistics. This provides them with a verifiable work history and marketable skills for the agricultural sector.
- Methodology: Rooted in my family heritage of farming, we utilize regenerative practices—no synthetic chemicals, heavy focus on compost/soil health, and integrated pollinator habitats.
What We Are Looking For in a Land Partner
We are seeking a partner who values social impact as much as land productivity. Ideally, we are looking for:
- Infrastructure Support: Access to a high-volume water source (well or municipal) and electricity. We are prepared to invest in our own semi-permanent structures (hoop houses/wash-pack stations) through USDA grants.
- Stable Tenure: A "transitional" arrangement starting with a 1-year pilot, moving into a 3-to-5-year rolling lease.
- Accessibility: Proximity to the Highway 316 or Highway 78 corridors to facilitate worker transportation and efficient delivery routes for our 100 members.
Desired Transitional Agreement
Description of Desired Transitional Agreement
Fully Committed Christian Ministries International Inc (FCCMI) seeks a multi-phase arrangement that allows for the stable development of our vocational training program and 100-member CSA.
Phase 1: Proof of Concept (Years 1–2)
We propose a "License to Occupy" or a short-term lease to establish our baseline infrastructure (irrigation, soil prep, and mobile cold storage). During this time, the landowner benefits from intensive soil improvement via organic, no-till practices and the maintenance of the property's agricultural tax status (CUVA).
Phase 2: Operational Stabilization (Years 3–5)
Upon meeting production and workforce milestones, we seek to transition into a long-term Rolling Lease (3–5 years). This provides the security necessary for FCCMI to invest in semi-permanent infrastructure, such as high-tunnels and a professional wash-and-pack station, often funded through USDA Urban Agriculture grants.
Phase 3: Long-Term Stewardship (Year 5+)
Our ultimate goal is to establish a permanent "Restoration Hub." We are open to discussing a Lease-to-Own agreement, a Bargain Sale (for tax deduction purposes for the owner), or a permanent Farm Management contract where the ministry acts as the long-term steward of the land.
Landowner Protections:
FCCMI will provides full liability insurance and a clear "Site Security & Supervision Plan" for our returning citizen participants. We provide the landowner with annual "Impact Reports" detailing soil health improvements and the community reach of the food produced on their land.
Type of Current Production on Farm
Produce / Land Cover
Livestock
Additional Information on Produce or Livestock Needs
Integrated Production Strategy:
Our primary production goal is a 2-acre Intensive Market Garden utilizing bio-intensive spacing and no-till regenerative methods. This allows Fully Committed Christian Ministries International Inc (FCCMI) to maximize yields for our 100-member CSA while maintaining a dedicated "Giving Field" for our weekly food bank distribution.
Crop Focus:
- Diverse Vegetables: We focus on a high-rotation mix of high-value crops (heirloom tomatoes, peppers, salad greens) for our CSA members and high-calorie staples (sweet potatoes, winter squash, brassicas) for food bank stability.
- Pollinator & Herb Borders: We integrate native flowers and culinary herbs to increase biodiversity, improve pest management, and offer high-margin "Bouquet Shares" to our members.
Livestock Integration & Vocational Training:
- Apiary (Beekeeping): We plan to maintain 2–4 hives. Beekeeping is a key vocational skill we teach our returning citizen participants, fostering patience and attention to detail while ensuring maximum pollination for our fruiting crops.
- Pastured Poultry: We utilize "chicken tractors" (mobile coops) as a biological tool. The poultry provides high-quality protein (eggs) for the community while naturally fertilizing the soil and managing pest populations in our fallow beds.
- Small Ruminants (Sheep/Goats): If the property requires land clearing, we intend to use managed grazing to suppress invasive species and build soil organic matter without the use of heavy machinery or herbicides.
Community Restoration Goal:
Our production is designed to be a "Living Classroom." Every crop harvested and every animal tended provides a tangible metric of success for our workers, building the confidence and technical skills necessary for their successful reentry into the Gwinnett workforce.
Preferred Equipment and Infrastructure
Equipment and Infrastructure Details
Food Safety & GAP Compliance:
Our primary goal is to operate a GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) Certified facility. To achieve this, we require a dedicated, sanitary Wash-and-Pack station with a concrete or gravel pad and potable water access. This infrastructure is vital to ensure that the produce going to our 100 CSA members and the FCCMI food bank meets the highest safety standards.
Human-Scale Professional Tools:
We utilize intensive market gardening techniques, which prioritize human-scale mechanization over heavy tractors. We plan to utilize a BCS Walk-Behind Tractor with various implements. This specialized equipment is ideal for training returning citizens because it is precise, safe, and teaches the technical skills of modern micro-farming.
Cold Chain & Season Extension:
Cold Storage: We require a walk-in cooler (CoolBot system) to preserve the nutrient density of our harvest. This is especially critical for our food bank distribution, where shelf-life is a priority.
Season Extension: We intend to utilize High Tunnels/Hoop Houses to ensure year-round production, providing consistent employment for our trainees and consistent food for the community during the "shoulder seasons" (late fall and early spring).
Security and Stewardship:
We prioritize site security. We will need a secure, lockable storage shed or barn for our professional tool kit (Jang seeders, flame weeders, hand tools). As a ministry, we are committed to maintaining a clean, orderly, and beautiful farm site that reflects our respect for the land and our neighbors.
Qualifications and Goals
Preferred Farming Status
Full Time
Farming Experience
1 to 5 years
Farm Education/Training
Additional Info on Experience/Education
Personal & Heritage Experience:
I was raised on my great-grandparents' working farm, where I learned the foundational principles of land stewardship, animal husbandry, and crop cycles. My great-grandmother and mother were both avid, lifelong gardeners who instilled in me a deep respect for the soil and the discipline required to maintain high-yield production gardens. This heritage gives me a practical, hands-on understanding of what it takes to manage land from seed to harvest.
Educational Commitment:
While I carry a legacy of traditional farming, I am a committed life-long learner. I am currently aligning our ministry’s farming operations with UGA Extension research-based practices and GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) standards. I am actively seeking to integrate modern intensive market gardening techniques (such as no-till and bio-intensive spacing) to maximize the impact of our 2-acre project.
Leadership & Vocational Training:
Through Fully Committed Christian Ministries International Inc, I am combining my agricultural roots with a mission for social restoration. My experience includes leading community initiatives and managing the logistics of food distribution, which I am now scaling into a formal vocational training hub for returning citizens.