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Farming Field

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the smallest amount of money needed to get started?
    With 10 hectares being the smallest projects we are accepting... for purchase, implementation and maintenance of the project to the 4th year, 150 000€ would be the minimum viable amount. There is possible financing available which could reduce this amount but we cannot guarantee approval of loans with our partner bank. Many families have also embarked on this journey together with friends or other family members, pooling resources to reach the minimum viable amount, to reduce risk or do larger projects.
  • What if I dont have the necessary funds?
    We are well aware that the minimum amount is not always achievable for the majority of families and we are looking at the possibility of pooling resources in a investment vehicle starting in 2024 / 2025 depending on demand. If you would be interested in something like that, and have between 50 000€ to 100 000€ available, please contact us and include "Investment Pool" in the subject line and we will get back to you ASAP. This Pool would allow you to get the exact same advantages as single investors, including ownership, without the large capital outlay.
  • How much money can I expect to make?
    Almond and Walnut orchards can be very profitable and a simple google search would bring up a lot of resources. Once you get in touch, we can talk in more detail, but the IRR of our prjoects are over 20% and even the minimum sized ones should be able to sustain a family of four living in this area quite comfortably.
  • How do I find land if I dont know the area or even the country?
    We are constantly looking for more land and are currently looking to aquire 300 hectares per year. Once you have decided to form part of our journey, we will find the perfect piece for you and send you all the relative information about it including price, water availability, location in relation to our other farms, drone videos, photos and possibility of constructing a house. You can then decide whether it suites your requirements or wait for other available land. You are obviously more than welcome, and we often advise families, to make the trip to see what we are all about and also walk on their own land but many simply dont have the time and buy according to our recomendations and videos.
  • How is Josephs Dream remunerated?
    We have made the decision to try and reduce everyones overheads while our orchards are growing and thus provide our services below the cost of what anyone would be able to if they were to do it on their own. The amount paid to us includes all labour, management, administration and gives access to our network of suppliers, technicians and the co-operative which we are building. The amount is also based on the yearly subsidies recieved from the EU for organic agriculture which means it comes at almost no cost to the owners. To foster a team mentality, we prefer to work on a yield share model where we recieve a percentage of the crop if we are able to reach certain yield metrics, meaning we only recieve a share once the yield is enough to cover all costs and provide a good profit to the owners.
  • Is my investment safe?
    Before you decide to embark on this journey, you will be informed of all the risks involved so you can make a decision for yourself. The bulk of the investment is made into aquiring land in Western Europe, in a rapidly developing area which is grossly under developed at the moment. The land is in your name and the company who farms the land will also be fully owned by you, you are the only one who has access to the bank account and you pay your own invoices through online banking. The land is improved with up to 60% EU capital and we would find it hard to believe that the sale value of the land after implementation would be less than the amount invested but we cannot guarantee that. Running costs are subsidised almost 40% through the EU CAP program and once the trees have their first harvest, we doubt you would look back with regret from there. This said, farming is inherently unpredictable but we use all instruments provided by the EU and insurance companies to reduce these risks considerably.
  • Why are there such generous incentives from the EU, it seems too good to be true?
    The EU is on a mission to insure food security as well as stimulate rural areas through their investment funds. Their focus on sustainability also pushes them to move the ball forward by subsidising modern, organic and profitable agriculture. To get approval for a project, a complete business plan must be handed in, this is measured against industry standards for yield and costs which then determines whether the project is viable. Once projects become profitable, the income taxes generated through the profits as well as the stimulus to the economy through jobs and other related services means the EU recieve their investment back many fold over the 30 years these farms are producing.
  • I am looking to leave my home country and move to Portugal, would this investment help me emigrate and can I live off the farm income? What is the cost of living?
    Buying land and being the owner of a agri business would most definitely be helpful in the emigration process, the farms should provide income starting end of the fourth year which would also simplify the move for those not able to work online. We have been involved with aquiring visas for over 60 people over the last 4 years and would be more than willing to help you in the process. The farms, once in full production, should be able to support a family of 4 living in our area but each persons expenses and living costs are different so we should discuss your specific situation. A family of four can live very comfortably on 3000€ a month in the beautiful area we find ourselves but - depending on your lifestyle - it can be done for less.
  • How long do the orchards take before they become profitable and for how long do they stay productive?
    We focus on Almonds and Walnuts for the moment but as our acreage increases, we will look to add other perennial tree crops. Our investment documents have more detailed info on each but in general we tell people that Almonds will yield their first excess income in year 4 (Small harvest year 3) with production to year 30, and Walnuts in year 5 (Small harvest year 4) with production to year 40.
  • I dont know anything about farming or nuts in general, can I still invest?
    Most of the families investing through Joseph´s Dream are not farmers by profession but rather, looking to diversify their investments to a stable jurisdiction with good returns. A proportion of the families currently involved, have plans to emigrate to Portugal over the next 4 to 7 years and are thus building a house on their property to be able to enjoy their orchards with their families on a daily basis. We handle all aspects related to the farm and have monthly visits from the nursery and other technical support staff which means the owners can take a hands-off approach.
  • Who do you sell the produce to and will there always be a market?
    Currently we have sell to a co-operative close by. The EU has been focusing on expanding the network, and we also have strong ties with co-operatives in Spain. That said, we are in the planning process to set up our own co-operative which will be owned by the various agri companies in our management structure and hope to have it operational by 2025. Due to the varied uses for nut crops, there will always be a market, though prices may vary from time to time. We have developed a business model with production costs far below the main producers in California. This gives us a buffer where - even if prices fell to below their production costs - we would still be profitable. California produces about 80% of the worlds almonds and we have further protected ourselves by deciding to get EU Organic Certification for all our farms which gives as a further advantage over foreign and local competitors.
  • I have many questions, how can I schedule a call with you to find out more?
    We have a huge influx of families interested in our current business model and our CEO is bombarded with emails and messages on a daily basis. To try and eliminate unnecessary calls, we ask that you fill out our contact form and we can then send you a preliminary questionaire to determine the compatability of your intentions and expectations with the services we provide. Once through that process, we will schedule a zoom call to discuss in more detail.
  • Why do most people get involved in this?
    Many people need a change in their life, their carreer path is often draining or they would like a simpler life in the Portuguese countryside. Others are looking for a Euro income to supplement their salaries or retirement in their home countries while yet others wish to try and retire earlier than would have been possible otherwise. We envisage, conservatively, that there will be 40 foreign families connected to our Investment projects living here by 2030.
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