Award-winning architect-turned-farmer Norma Burns has been running her organic farm in Bennet, North Carolina, for the last 18 years, but she’s now looking to turn over a new leaf, so she’s giving the farm away to whoever wins her essay contest.
Norma says that the Bluebird Hill Farm has been “everything” to her during the last 18 years, but she’s come to realize that she just can’t put in the work required to keep everything in order anymore. She has decided to go back to the city, but wants to make sure that she leaves her beloved farm in good hands. Although it’s been appraised at around $450,000, the dedicated farmer doesn’t want to sell her property, but give it away to a couple who can best explain why they would be her best choice, in a 200-word essay. Applicants must turn in their literary work by June 1st, 2017, and pay a $300 contest entry fee.
“To me, there’s no better calling in life than raising organic food,” Norma Burns said. “I’m looking for a like-minded couple who have experience and training in organic farming and are willing and able to put in the long days and hard work that farming requires. The only thing they don’t have is an actual farm. I want to make it possible for these new farmers to get started.”
