I've made it through two of the three screening levels to launch a crowd funded loan through Steward, which is what I hope will become the money needed to push us over the finish line on the new property. I like this model, because it provides a framework for me to pay the money back, with interest. I've never much liked the GoFundMe model of just asking for cash, though I've certainly used it myself and contributed to it for others. But if I'm doing something that I intend to make money from, I feel like I ought to pass those funds back to be re-invested in others.
The downside to Steward is that it'll take until the end of November or December for the funds to pay out, which means the strawberries will be going in the ground late during what is shaping up to be a cold winter. I'm looking at logistics to get the plants under row covers, deep straw mulch, etc to make sure they are able to put down proper root systems and produce well in the spring. Normally strawberries are planted in October and November from plugs, though some put in bare root plants in January and February. It seems to me that a plug with a root system ought to be able to do fine planted in January, so long as the tops are protected, but I want to make sure there's not something I'm missing before I borrow money on that understanding.
All said, I'm trying to dot my i's and cross my t's before this thing rolls out. Once it does, I'll be asking all of you for your support - you can invest as little as $100, and the terms I'm leaning towards are 8% interest over 3 or 4 years. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I pass the last round of vetting!
