The Wearing of the Green

Everyone knows that they are supposed to put money away for a rainy day. The question is, where is it best to invest your savings so that the money will grow into a very large umbrella, ready to hoist on the rainiest of downpours.

Land, of course, is the tried and true safe haven. Didn't Scarlet O'Hara's father tell her as much? The land is the only thing that lasts. And you won't go hungry again, as God is your witness, if you have land to grow things on.

If there's a group that knows land and growing, it's farmers. Now a consortium of Irish farmers, through a Malahide consulting firm, are investing their savings in land and they're growing a resort. In Florida. You didn't think they'd be doing that in Ireland, did you? There's no sun there, raining all the time, and who'd turn up for a February holiday with those conditions?

So far, about 130 farmers have put in around 130,000 euro each. They've got 250 acres of land near Lake City, within an easy commute of Orlando and all things Mickey Mouse, and the Quail Heights golf course is undergoing a transformation. What is now a 27 hole course is going to be re-configured into an 18 hole championship course, and the remaining property will be turned into a resort. According to reports, there will be 550 apartments, a very nice clubhouse, and plenty of shops.

Mr. Malachy Mitchell of Farrelly & Mitchell has noted that the more progressive farmer is capitalizing

"on the value of their land,(to) generate additional cash income and spread their assets for retirement and succession planning".

He used to be an official with the Irish Farmers Association, so you can presume that he knows what he's talking about.

Those Irish farmers are a clever group - not about to let the grass grow under their feet. But to have that kind of savings to invest? Farming must be a good business in Ireland. That reminds me. I'm out of imported Kerrygold butter.