← Earn Your Leisure
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- [00:01]
Host 1
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- [01:20]
Host 2
And it was a tea farm. And so I'm asking, I was like, okay, well, how much are you actually. Fine, you're producing tea. I get it. Okay, so how much? What's your revenue a year? And it just did not. It didn't add up at all, like, at all. But for them, it's like, a lot of times it's heritage land, which I totally respect. I get that. Right. And if they don't have to sell, then there's no motivation there. You know what I mean? It's not like, I think it's just a different system here. Right. So you just have to adjust to that. So there are deals. 1,000%. You can absolutely find land that is comparable, I would say some parts of California. And like, I keep comparing it to, like, Texas. Right? Like, you can get great land.
- [01:58]
Guest 1
I heard. I heard like 10,000 an acre on that. Is that.
- [02:01]
Host 2
Yeah, that's like a good. Yeah. And then sometimes, though, like, there might be land that's like 10,000 a plot, but it'll be because it's like they really value the road, right? So, like, it'll be like things that we don't really think about, but, like, if it's close, they'll tell you how close it is to the main road. And the closer it is to the main road, the higher the price will be. So I've seen plots that are like, say, you could go anywhere from like 300 square meters, which is like, I guess the size you would, like, build a house, right? And they'll be like, it's $10,000 for that plot, which you're like, wait, I just could buy an acre for? They're like, yeah, but not here. They're like, where's the road location? Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
- [02:38]
Host 1
Yeah. One of the things that a lot of people, especially where we're from, are ignorant to is how profitable farming can be, right? You said, we went to a tea farm. We got to see your farm, and we broke down the onion thing, talk about that. And we. Why people should really be looking at this as a business opportunity.
- [02:52]
Host 2
Oh, man. I mean, like, when you think about. I knew it had to be profitable because you see it and you're like, these guys are doing it because it's making money. But I didn't. I couldn't really wrap my brain around it. But my lawyer, again, who's been super helpful, he's a farmer, and he was like, I make way more money farming. It's like, this is sure fire. So he started to break it down for me when I started to understand, okay, it's like, this is something that. Especially here, because I think, yeah, really, I think here, like, there's so much agriculture, like, opportunities here, and I feel like the younger people are not doing it as much that they need it, right? And so, like, for example, the reason I decided to do onions is because a lot of, you know, they were getting, like a year ago, they were getting a lot of the onions from Tanzania. And then recently they kind of banned the onions from Tanzania. So it's like, they need onion farmers here. I was like, I can do that, right? So things like that. But for example, like, you know, you know, after your cost, right? If you. If you put in five acres of onions, right? And with everything. So you've got your. With the exception of the borehole, which will make your money back within the year, but say, like, just all of your drip lines and all of that stuff, right? For five acres. If you. Once you spend all that, which, say $11,000, you can make between, let's say 30, conservatively to like $35,000 within, say, a quarter, right? So at minimum you have two harvests a year for only five acres. That's a good. You can live on that, right? It's a good living. And then say you add another five acres, like, so it's. It is actually extremely profitable. They're Looking for farmers. They want people to farm. It's such a good opportunity, especially Kenya. Kenya has so much flat land, you know, and it's great soil. This is Africa. It's like you throw a seed in the ground and stuff just grows. You know what I mean? Like, literally, like, it's amazing. It takes. It doesn't take as much as we've ruined our soil in the States, you know? And it took me so much to. I mean, even thinking about that, like, when I think about my farm in California, it took me a year before I could plant anything because the soil was so depleted and it was just so ruined. Like, I had to go through this whole process of, like, fixing the soil just so I could grow stuff. Whereas here, it's like. I mean, I could put anything in the ground. They're like, oh, look, it's a tree. You should see my backyard right now. I live in an apartment. My backyard is like a jungle. And I have. I've been here a year, right? So banana trees that are, like, literally like 25ft tall. And, like, I had to cover them to keep the monkeys from taking all the fruit. I mean, it's amazing, you know, so it's just to show the difference, like.
- [05:19]
Guest 1
So I was going to ask you, what is the process actually setting? Because buying land is one thing, but having an operational farm is another thing. You got to, like, have an irrigation system. You got to, you know, I'm assuming you got to plant the seeds. You got to have people that's working it. You got to have pesticide control. Perhaps you got to put the fence. Like, I think people don't understand how complex farming. They look at farming as something that's like. Especially people from cities, right? As something that's, like, backwards, right? Or something that. But it's like, people don't associate technology with farming, but. Oh, that's like the first form of tech.
- [05:50]
Host 2
Absolutely.
- [05:51]
Guest 1
Is farming, right?
- [05:51]
Host 2
Absolutely. And like I said, it's also real money. Really. It's real money. And it's also, like, when you think about, like, food safety and just like, no matter what's happening in the world, if you're farming, you. You've got this. I mean, honestly, like, the only thing that's your enemy could be the weather, right? But even that, like, there's safeties that you can, you know, take to get around that. I mean, I think, like, for me, like, buying all this stuff, one thing I have to say is that, like, especially in the farming areas, people are. People want to work. So it wasn't even hard. Like, I got an agronomist. And these are people with like full on, like degrees in agronomy and like farming stuff that I was just kind of like fumbling through it. Like, they really know what to do, you know. And so I ended up. I ended up finding someone. It was very. Again, it's just random, like, because Naivasha specifically is a farm area. So, like, my car broke down and I was talking to the mechanic and then he was like, well, this is a good. This guy's a good agriculture. Like, he's a horticulturist, actually. And I was like, okay, cool. And then I talked to him and he was like. I was like, well, who can I have helped me, like, really do this? He's like, I know a guy. And then I just like, whatsapped him. And he was like, I'll be there on Sunday. I was like, great. But it's also like, you have to talk to people. You have to. Like, some people are not going to be as good, you know, you just got to kind of get out there. You can't be afraid to speak to people and kind of figure it out. It is something you have to learn, right? Like, I'm still learning, but it's totally doable. One thing I will say to you, different here than anywhere else. People are so willing to help. They're so willing.
- [07:18]
Host 1
I was going to go to.
- [07:18]
Host 2
I mean, they really are. There's like, no dumb questions because I asked tons of questions and they're just so willing to help and they don't want you to mess up. You know what I mean? They're like, no, no, no, that's terrible. Don't do that. You know? And you're like, oh, okay.
- [07:30]
Host 1
I was going it because as you were talking and we spent a few days together, I'm thinking, like, you're really knowledgeable on this. So there's been an education process, but even when we are with our drivers, they're knowledgeable about everything. How has the impact of the locals had on the process of you saying, all right, I've got this acreage, I want to add more. They gave me some ideas. I'm going to add this. Wait, how do I power this? This might be a new idea. How much has the impact it had on you?
- [07:54]
Host 2
So much. I mean, when you think about even moving to a place, right, it's like, the people. That's one of the first things that I fell in love with here was the people. I'm like, these people are Loving and care. And they care. And it's just from the top to the bottom. Like, you could be in the mall, bump someone. And just how that interaction goes, you know, to really needing someone to be like, I need help. I don't know how to do this. Help me. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's just so. It's. It's so different culturally. I think from that perspective, it's, like, welcoming, right? It's warm. And I think, too, like, what I really appreciate and what's made this so feasible is that there is a process. Even if it takes a long time, it's the same. They'll be like, no, this is what you have to do. You gotta do this. And so when everyone keeps giving you the same answer, you're like, okay, you're not being taken for a ride. It's like, this is how you have to do it. And so then it becomes like, all right, well, this is the way to do it. This is how we do it. And like, I said, what? You don't know, people will help. And even, you know, I'll talk to random people. They're like, did you plant this? And are you putting this around? And, oh, no, no, no, sister. You got to put baking soda. And I was like, I did hear that. They're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Put baking soda if you don't want those. But, you know, little things like that, and you're just like, oh, okay. But they're always willing to help. So it makes something that could feel really daunting and new. It makes it easier because it's not like it doesn't feel like crabs in a brow where everyone's just, like, you know, fighting to win. It's like, they're like, we're farm. We farm. It happens. You drive. You can't drive up a road in Kenya and not see some sort of someone selling some FR. Or vegetables or something, right? Like, there's so many things. People are just. They're farmers, and so it's great. Like, you learn a lot just by regular conversations.
- [09:20]
Guest 1
I feel like, so what's the hardest part of farming, right? Even from you learning in America to now having a farm and can, like, what is the hardest? Dealing with droughts, keeping animals off your farm. Like, what's the hardest part that you had to figure out?
- [09:34]
Host 2
I think I keep saying that, like, my farm in California was, like, my, like, training ground for this, right? Cause it was smaller, and I had major pests there, too. So, like, it's just figuring out, like, okay, what am I dealing with here? I think water has been a challenge.
- [09:51]
Guest 1
Like the rain or irrigation.
- [09:53]
Host 2
No, rain is great. It rains so much here. I think getting like the borehole system, like that system is so neat.
- [09:58]
Guest 1
What is that?
- [09:58]
Host 2
So a borehole is like a well, right? So it's basically they're digging into the ground and, well, first you have to get like a water analysis to see if there actually is water there. Right. So you'll pay someone to come. Then you need a geologist to check and make sure, like, see what the rock situation is. And a lot of people will say, oh, you don't need that. I did it because I just was like, I need to know what's happening. It is an extra cost, obviously, but you need to check if there's water there, and then you need to have someone come. And what I learned was someone will tell you they can do it for cheaper, but you don't really necessarily want that because then your borehole's gonna break down. And so essentially they come, they check the water, and then they have to dig down between 200 to 300 meters. And then they put the casing in there. And then you've got this pump that's going to bring the water up.
- [10:42]
Guest 1
It's like a well.
- [10:43]
Host 2
It's like a well. Yeah, it's like a smaller well, essentially.
- [10:46]
Guest 1
And it pumps up. But what is the purpose of that? To keep the crops.
- [10:50]
Host 2
It will irrigate. And also because if. Even if you're going to build a house there, you need water, right? Because a lot of the land that you're going to buy is rural, right? So there's been nothing there before. So you need to make sure, because a lot of land, like there was. I was about to sign papers on this other land, and then I. And the guy was like, you should just check. And that's when I was like, I wasn't going to do the geology. But the guy was, you should just do it. I was, okay, I'm just going to keep doing it for all the land. I ended up doing it. And he's like, there are these massive boulders up to 7 meters down. So my farming would have been how.
- [11:18]
Guest 1
Much water is under it? Like, does it.
- [11:20]
Host 2
It just depends, right? So, like, for me, right now, the. That first borehole that we saw that we just dug pulls up. It's like 10.4 cubic feet of water, whatever, every day, right? So that's. So then that's how we did the math. So then I know they said that that amount of water, if you're continually getting that can cover up to maybe 10 acres. Me wanting to be on the safe side, I decided to do five. Right. And then I'll put another borehole. So I know that no matter what we'll have water, but that's also solar. So then you have to figure out if you're going to get a generator or if you're going to hook into Kenya power, which is also an option.
- [11:52]
Host 1
Yeah. One of the things we kind of like breezed over was the animals. And you know, we grow up in farms, it's like, hey, hopefully these groundhogs don't eat this or the birds don't eat it. You have a whole different set of animals. Hyenas, giraffes, zebras. How is that navigating that and making sure that they're protected because it was their land, right?
- [12:11]
Host 2
Absolutely, absolutely. I think the thing that I've learned so much about being here too, and it's funny actually, even being in California, is that there is a way and people have been doing it for millennia. Right. There's a way to farm and not completely like ruin the ecosystem, but become a part of it.
- [12:25]
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- [13:33]
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- [13:52]
Guest 1
Can I get you a refill?
- [13:53]
Sponsor 2
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