Tips for Finding Land

Welcome! 

New England Farmland Finder (NEFF) helps farm seekers learn about and find available farm properties in the six New England States. This site makes it easy for farm properties to be posted, and for you to search for them. NEFF is free, simple, automated, and always current. It is a great tool for your own farm search toolbox. 

Here you will find more information to help in your land search:

Preparing For Your Farmland Search

Regardless of where you are looking for farmland, we recommend that you do some planning before you start your farm search. Goal setting, business and financial planning, and clarity about what you need and want in a farm property are important. It’s also essential to prepare before you reach out to a landowner. 

Check our Resources tab to access materials to help you prepare for and conduct your farm search. Get information on: 

  • Business and financial readiness
  • Connecting with landowners: helpful hints
  • Farm property assessment
  • About leases

How To Use This Site (as a farm seeker)

First, create a free Farm Seeker Account. Then once logged in, you can search for properties in a number of ways.

To start looking at posted properties, click on Search Properties in the top menu. 

  • Narrow your search by using the filters that match certain criteria, such as acreage or housing. 
     
  • Use the map to narrow your search. You can zoom in to get more detail on the farms in your target location(s).
     
  • Scroll through all the posted properties by state. Each property is linked to its detailed description.  

When you sign up as a Farm Seeker, you can choose to subscribe to our weekly email digest of new properties on the site. You can edit your subscription status at any time by clicking on My Account in the top-right corner of any page.

Recent properties also will be added to the bottom of the listings by state, and several of the newest properties are also featured on the homepage. 

The property descriptions are provided by the property poster (usually the owner or owner’s representative). NEFF checks for clarity but does not “fact check” the descriptions. 

If you are interested in a property, log in to your farm seeker account and then use the contact form at the bottom of the property posting to contact the owner.  

Questions? Problems? Need help? Please contact [email protected]. The NEFF administrator will be glad to assist you.

Additional Strategies To Find Land 

New England Farmland Finder and partner programs in the New England Farm Link Collaborative (Connecticut Farm Link, Maine FarmLink, Vermont Land Link, and Land For Good) are valuable tools for your farm search. In addition, your chances of success are greater if you use a multi-pronged approach. 

Consider these other tools and strategies to find farmland: 

  1. Make and post a flyer showcasing who you are and what kind of land you are looking for. Post it at conferences and meetings. Tack it to bulletin boards at your co-op, input supplier, local farm organization. Hand it out!  While farm linking sites are increasingly popular, some landowners simply don’t go online and are just as eager to find a farmer the old fashioned way!
     
  2. Use your networks. Ask around. Put yourself out there! Inquire at your state department of agriculture, conservation district, Farm Bureau, Extension, and trade groups. Network at conferences. Check with buy local groups, farmer training and education programs, lenders, local town boards (such as agricultural commissions), neighbors, and suppliers. Spread your word at twilight meetings, mixers, and workshops. Inform local and regional land trusts about your interests. This is where a one-page flyer can really shine, both in hard copy and electronically!
     
  3. Get assistance. New England Farm Link Collaborative (Connecticut Farm Link, Maine FarmLink, Vermont Land Link, and Land For Good) provide various one-on-one services to get you started and support your search. To get started, email these providers, based on the state(s) you are based in OR are looking in. Also check the New England Farm Link Collaborative Guide to learn more about what these programs offer.
  4. Work with a real estate professional. Some buyer brokers care about farming and farmland and will be motivated to help you, even if they don’t know a lot about soils or farm infrastructure.
     
  5. Look at other posting/listing sites. You never know! Check out MLS, Zillow, Trulia, and even Craigslist. (In NH, take a look at www.farmsandbarns.com.)

Managing Your NEFF Account (as a farm seeker) 

Click My Account in the top-right corner of any page to update your account information, including your username, password, and email address. Here you may also opt in or out of subscribing to receive a weekly email digest of new property listings.

To contact a property poster, you must first create and be logged in to your farm seeker account. Once logged in, you may inquire directly to a property poster using the contact form at the bottom of a posting.

New England Farm Link Collaborative

NEFF also partners with other farm link programs in New England. Most properties in Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont that appear on NEFF are co-listed with Connecticut Farm Link, Maine FarmLink, and Vermont Land Link. Check the New England Farm Link Collaborative Guide to learn more about what these programs offer.