I was interested until I saw the essays had a 200 word limit. I do not think I could express myself in so few words. Professional who essentially had a stroke, turned to agriculture, started raising goats for sustenance (cheese n milk) because could no longer afford groceries. Retained enough business sense to start produce business. Lost part of foot, other leg in cast, but still keeps going. Kind of a combination sob story n success story. I dont mind whoring my story out for 20 acres.
Thing is, what Smokefire said about moving to Alabama or anywhere is right on the money. Sure there are folk reading this who do not have land, or who havent had it for long. Once you get settled, you get kind of attached. If I were a people person, I would probably feel the same way even without land.
Thinking on it, but not too hard. Still, I love goats, turning land into crops, and the thing has everything to make commercial food products. So hot pepper goat cheese, hot sauces, and so on. Think goat milk hot pepper chocolate. OK, maybe not. All complete with a set of mentors to help navigate the laws and red tape. It would be like having Luckydog come live with me for a summer to kick start a hot sauce business.
I would need a banjo.
able eye said:
"The Spells are asking each entrant to pay a $150 submission fee, and said they hope to get 2,500 entries in all, which would total $375,000. This amount will be used to pay off the rest of their mortgage"
lol
Yes, they were unable to sell the farm for what it is worth so they are using an alternative method. If enough people do not participate, it doesn't work. Kind of like playing the lottery. Unless lots of people play, the jack pot does not grow.
SmokenFire said:
The contest is an inventive way to get out from under that debt, but I have to wonder how many people really would want to pick up everything and move to Alabama to make goat cheese...
Exactly. Some folk seem to think it is a scam, but the information is right there. it is not a free give away, but I would not call it a scam. By doing something outrageous like this, the media hit on it, people like me share it, and they get publicity. Even if we readers do not enter, the story provided us with a wee bit of entertainment.