In September 2020, Wayne Cawley, owner of Redemption Farms, closed on roughly 38 acres split by a major highway: about 30 acres in field, 8 in woods, and an abandoned high-density apple orchard. Over the past 5 years, Wayne has built a successful agribusiness in Redemption Farms and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon!

Here’s how Wayne built his farm and the lessons he’s learned along the way in his first 5 years of agri-business!

Figuring Out Financing

When looking to make a purchase, Wayne assumed he needed full loan approval before making an offer. He worked with Land Professional Sue Hudson to write a financing-contingent offer to move quickly, then paired Farm Credit with a Maryland ag-development program that reduced early payments and interest.

This approach was designed to help new operators enter a high-price market. Buyers looking to follow this method should expect longer timelines and set seller expectations accordingly.

Budgeting Beyond the Purchase

The first seasons were all about building infrastructure. Wayne re-worked a well, operated on solar batteries plus a generator until grid power arrived, cut drainage, and repaired trellis systems. It’s exactly this sort of behind-the-scenes work that makes production and on-farm retail possible. New owners should reserve capital for water, power, drainage, and structural fixes before investing in aesthetic upgrades.

Crop Design

To service debt and build an audience, Redemption Farms led with u-pick strawberries, a crowd-pulling crop, while they worked to revive apple trees, swapped ill-fit varieties, and added peaches, plums, cherries, blackberries, and pumpkins to extend the picking season from late April/early May through early November. The crop diversity creates repeat visits and reduces weather and market risk. U-pick isn’t automatically cheaper, and enterprising landowners should account for this.

Building a Business

Redemption Farms grows demand with consistent, simple communication. Wayne posts what’s ripe and when on social media, and backs it with emails. During one weather crunch, a single “pick now or lose the crop” message was shared roughly 485 times and cleared the field before any crops were lost. Treating social media as customer service can build a loyal customer base and generate resilient traffic when conditions turn.

If you’re interested in finding a property to start your own agri-business, get in touch with your local Land Professional today!