What do you do when you’re unable to secure a bank loan due to zoning restrictions? That’s the challenge Nile Estep faced when he had the opportunity to buy a 3-acre farm near his business, Hacienda Hay & Feed, in Carmel Valley. With the farm purchase, Nile could establish an asset to support his other business, Good Roots Events, which he founded in 2015. Based in Redwood City, the company designs experiences aimed at fostering connection, including workshops, team-building events, and farmers’ markets for corporations and other clients, including certified farmers’ markets in Carmel and Portola Valley.
Despite a house being on the farm, it was considered to be commercial property by bank lenders, disqualifying it from a standard residential mortgage. Nile had to get short-term financing through a hard money loan, but he needed a better, long-term solution. After hearing about California FarmLink from another farmer, he connected with our team. We quickly saw the potential. “I want to thank you all so much for your help in securing my loan!,” Nile wrote, “Truly, I cannot tell you how much it means to me and my family.”
With longer-term financing in place, Rising Valley Farm is now on a more stable footing. With a tenant growing diverse vegetables on the property, the farm is using agroecological practices like native plant hedgerows and soil-building while also hosting workshops and other immersive experiences for visitors.
Learn more at Hacienda Hay & Feed and Good Roots Events.
Pictured above: Nile and his fiancée Petrina Pinto on the farm in Carmel Valley. (Photo credit: Nile Estep)
