Doolittle Family Farm LLC | Application Preview
Doolittle Family Farm LLC is seeking government grants to expand their regenerative farming operation in Story City, Iowa, which they aim to transform into a multifaceted agricultural business. The funding will be used to add chickens for egg production, bees for honey and pollination, establish a fruit tree orchard, and initiate rabbit production. Plans include constructing greenhouses, planting new produce, building fences, and developing multiple chicken coops.
The business plan proposes that adding these elements will enhance customer offerings and improve cost efficiency by utilizing homegrown products for farm-to-table dinners. Additionally, an educational component is planned, with partnerships for a summer farm school led by the owner’s wife, an elementary teacher. Within five years, the goal is to renovate a historic barn from 1916 into an event venue and introduce AirBnB cabins on the property.
The applicant emphasizes the uniqueness of their operation, rooted in family history, as they have revived a farm established by their great-grandfather in 1905. The owner, a former corporate chef with accolades, has a vision of preserving this heritage farm and passing it on to his daughters as the fifth generation.
The proposal highlights a competitive edge due to the owner’s culinary expertise and a deep connection to the land, including the preservation of untouched acreage designated as Doolittle Prairie. This historical narrative, combined with a commitment to sustainable practices, positions the farm distinctly in a landscape where few others operate with the same blend of culinary skill and regenerative farming. The location of the farm is 12626 567th St, Story City, Iowa.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 82-2893456
Location: Altoona, IA, United States
Length of Operation: 1-5
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: $100k to $250k
Annual Gross Expense: Less than $100k
Open to Loans: NO
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Funding Usage
Addition of chickens for egg production, bees for honey and pollination, fruit tree orchard, rabbit production, greenhouses construction, planting and maintaining of new produce and trees. Fence building. Multiple Coop construction projects.
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Business Plan
With addition of chickens, rabbits, bees, fruit tree orchard, and greenhouses we will be able to offer more to our customers. Better food cost percentages by using our own products for our farm to table dinners. We want to add educational aspects to the farm. My wife is an elementary teacher and we would partner with local schools to teach a farm school to kids during the summer. 5 year plan will be to turn the barn that was built in 1916 into a venue to host events. Addition of Air BnB cabins to the property. There’s 9 acres of timber located on the property with a creek that flows through. I believe I have something special located in Story City, Iowa. I have acquired my families farm that was built in 1905 by my great grandfather on my mothers side. My mothers maiden name is Diane Doolittle. I purchased the property in 2020 from my mother and uncle with thoughts of creating a regenerative farm. The type of farm it used to be back in 1905. I’m a chef by trade. I won the IRA chef of the year in 2018. I’ve just recently quit my corporate chef position with a large food company to concentrate on building this farm back to its formal glory. I have two young daughters, and I have a dream to hand down a 150 year old Iowa heritage farm to them as the fifth generation of our family. Please help me keep this piece of Iowa history going for another 100 years.
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Self Identified Competition
There’s a couple competitors in the regenerative farming business and also many competitors in the catering business. Not a single farm operation has an award winning chef running the farm growing his own product to sell in the form of catered dinners throughout Iowa. Check out my social media outlets on Facebook and Instagram at Doolittle Farm LLC and @doolittlefarmllc I believe I’m different because of the history of the property. My talents as a chef and passion for growing my own food. My story is interesting. My ancestors in the late 1800’s had many plots and acres of land in the Story City area. In 1905 when they built the farmhouse and established the farm they sold some property. When the government built interstate 35 it cut our land in half. My grandfather donated hundreds of acres to the state of Iowa. Two stipulations: One, it will always be named the Doolittle Prairie. Two, it will never be tilled. To this day it is some of Iowa’s longest untouched land. There’s a prairie walk every year that my family and I lead. What started out as hundreds of acres has now been dwindled down to 53 acres. I plan on keeping that land in our family as long as I can. Eventually handing down a 150 year old Iowa heritage farm to my two daughters who are the fifth generation of our family. Property location is 12626 567th st. Story City, Iowa.
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Contact Applicant
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