Victorians Sell Farm with Farmbuy.com, Open Innovative Farm Development Business

‘Farm Development Solutions’ is a one-stop shop for your farming dreams

When Dan Kircher and Michelle Le Roux began downsizing their family farm, reducing it in size from several large holdings across Victoria to just one, they didn’t realise that they were taking their first step towards opening their own new and exciting business.  

A successful sale with Farmbuy

The team at Farmbuy.com came into contact with Dan and Michelle when they listed two properties on the site. Dan credits Farmbuy with the sale of both properties – one in Lakes Entrance, the other in Mildura.  

He recounts, “Both farms were purchased from buyers from outside the local advertising area and the farms captured a lot more attention than we expected, increasing the demand. We had potential buyers come from all over the state and even the country to inspect the farms. Farmbuy’s expertise and advice was amazing, and we could not have done it without them.” 

Where did the idea for FDS come from?

Dan and Michelle had always enjoyed working on farm development and management teams as part of their business, travelling to farms and tackling improvement projects from start to finish. This included levelling land, installing drainage, irrigation, planning plantings, setting up fertilizer plans and the overall development from start to finish.  

After the sale of their farms, the couple began to feel that the direction of their business was changing. They looked to this passion for developing farming properties for inspiration on where to take their commercial endeavours next. Thus, Farm Development Solutions was born! 

Dan explains, “What we are trying to do is bring our skill set, knowledge and passion to the people that might not have the knowledge yet but have the dream of owning a beautiful farm. After researching we could not find another company that does farm development on any scale so decided it’s about time that void was filled.” 
“We love developing farms and working with people that have a dream but just need some guidance in trying to bring all the crazy pieces that come with farming together.” 

What projects has FDS completed?

Some of their past projects include turning a 100-acre asparagus farm into a beautiful almond orchard. Dan recounts, “This project included removing some asparagus rows to make plans for the orchard, installing a new irrigation system, order and planting the trees, setting up a pest control and fertilizer plan. After a few years, the almond crop was far past industry standard for profit per hectare."

Transition from asparagus to an almond orchid - a project FDS worked on for six years

“Another project included turning a vacant lot of 30 acres of sandy land into a high-density avocado orchard," Dan recalls. "This was done to increase early yields, and bring in return on expenditure much sooner to the business which is always vital for new projects.” 

“In beautiful Lakes Entrance we developed a project in cattle grazing country that had the perfect climate for off season avocados and lemons. An orchard in cattle country was unheard of, but ended up being a great success. Prices fluctuate significantly throughout the year for both avocados and lemons, but from December to January this orchard receives double to triple the price as most of Australia's’ growing areas had been picked dry already. We developed 120 acres, 4 km from the coast (being close to the coast was key to keep that constant temp, less extreme highs in summer or frosts in winter)."

From cattle property to orchard - a transformation by FDS in Lakes Entrance

"Being cattle ground, all the land had to be drained, levelled, and graded to increase the soil quality in planting rows. What was special about this development was that we captured all the drainage water and ran it to a 65 megalitre dam, which we built. Even in the Australian droughts, the farmer would still have access to a sufficient body of water. Planning for good years is a start but ensuring one has water during the worst is everything!” 

What farming projects are Dan and Michelle tackling now?

Since relocating to Forster, NSW in recent months, the couple have taken on a number of interesting farm development projects. 

“Our most current project is turning 2 acres of bare land into a thriving vegetable garden for a café. So far, we have levelled out all the land, run irrigation, and built massive planter boxes and planted over 35 fruit trees. Once completed, the café should be self-sustainable with fresh, organic produce. We service 1 acre to 500 acres. No project is too big or too small!” 

If you’re looking for support with a farm development project, Dan and Michelle encourage you to check out the Farm Development Solutions Facebook page, or get in touch with them by email at info@fdsolution.com.au or by phone at 0456 584 977.  

They are currently running a promo for a free farm development consultation, valued at $500, so there’s no time like the present to get cracking on your next farm improvement project!