Steve Rivard – Looking Over the Fence
In this episode Designers of Paradise host Erik van Lennep talks with co-founder and Chairman of Iroquois Valley Farms, Stephen Rivard. Not the “usual suspect” for working in either funding or real estate, nor farming itself, Steve is a doctor who used to run an emergency room. He describes the epiphany he had around food and health that motivated his interest in organic farming, the importance of food to wellness, and how Iroquois Valley Farms helps young farmers get access to land. They discuss financial mechanisms Iroquois Valley Farms is using, how they allocate land to farmers, and some “network effects” from having new organic farmers in the farming community. Stephen also explains some of the difficulties of making Iroquois Valley Farms successful and his vision for what the next 10 years will hold. Enjoy the conversation and learn how you too can invest! References from the discussion: * Slow Money * REIT – real estate investment trust * Iroquois Valley Farms * accredited investors as opposed to non-accredited investors * B-Corps and Iroquois Valley Farms’ certification Designers of Paradise is made possible, in part, by Mind & Media. Over the last quarter century, the writers, producers, storytellers and media specialists at Mind & Media have spearheaded a multitude of engaging and complex communication campaigns. Disclaimer – Thanks for your patience with (at times) “kitchen table” recording quality. It’s our hope that you will enjoy hearing our interviews as if you were sitting in on the conversations. As we further develop our resources and capacity, we will be bringing the audio closer to studio standards. Meanwhile, thanks for listening!