[Chapter 154: Anderson Farm}
The next day, Linton and Winnie, along with their assistants, bodyguards, Goodman, Henry, and a group of nine people, flew to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Montana. They then took three Mercedes-Benz SUVs arranged in advance by Meena to Parker County.
Given the importance of his assets and safety, choosing the largest possible farm that met the geographical conditions was a priority. Naturally, his first target was this farm in Parker County called Bruce Farm.
As Winnie had mentioned, the air in Montana was incredibly fresh. Without any heavy industry, the environment was well preserved. Endless lush green farmland stretched everywhere, with forests covering about 30%. The temperature was relatively cool, around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The roads were average, and vehicles didn't move quickly. Although traffic was light, it still took nearly an hour and a half to reach Bruce Farm.
...
The farm was rectangular, running about 34 miles east to west and 27 miles north to south.
On the west side, it bordered the Rocky Mountains, and a river called the Missouri River originated there. It flowed from west to east across the farm, over 65 feet wide, carrying enough water to irrigate the whole farm.
Most of the terrain was flat plains, with some rolling hills near the western edge by the Rockies and a lake over five acres in size in the middle of the farm. There was also another lake of about three acres.
Currently, the farm primarily grew barley and sugar beets. A small number of cattle and sheep were raised on the western hills.
It was planting season in April and May, and the entire farm echoed with the sound of machinery. Workers were driving tractors plowing the fields.
The main entrance was on the south side, about two miles from the state highway on a private farm road.
Not far from the gate was the farm management area. There were three buildings: in the center stood a massive three-story villa, meant for the owner's residence and office, though it was currently vacant, awaiting its new owner.
On either side were two long two-story buildings housing over 40 workers in total.
The yard had more than ten pickup trucks and ATVs.
About 150 feet away stood a stable housing over 30 horses, next to a huge warehouse.
Beside the warehouse were several large farm vehicle garages for tractors, seeders, harvesters, mowers, and balers.
A small river, likely a tributary of the Missouri River, flowed nearby.
Bruce Farm was about 12 miles from Parker County's main town, a small town with fewer than 15,000 residents. The entire county had about 28,000 people, but the town had decent businesses and all essential amenities.
...
After surveying the farm, Linton was quite satisfied. Although the north-south length was slightly shorter than ideal, it was still sufficient for installing his super anti-lightning towers.
He skipped viewing other smaller farms and decided to purchase this one straight away.
Next came the negotiation with the real estate agency. Henry, Winnie, and Goodman took turns bargaining with the agent, finally closing the deal at $92 million, with 40% down payment. The remaining 60% was financed with a bank mortgage arranged by the agency, to be repaid over ten years.
After signing the contract and paying the down payment, though other procedures were pending, Linton was essentially the owner of the farm.
The agent handed over the farm's affairs to him.
...
The current farm manager was a white man named Tuck Ilonka, 36 years old, along with 37 staff members.
Since there weren't good hotels in Parker County, Tock suggested that Linton's group stay overnight in the villa, which had been empty for months but regularly cleaned and was far better than local hotels.
After Linton approved, arrangements were made immediately to prepare the villa.
Then Tock showed a ledger and reported on the farm's operations.
...
Bruce Farm covered 230,000 acres, with 180,000 acres of arable land mainly growing barley and sugar beets. The farm practiced crop rotation: one year planting, one year fallow.
Last year, they harvested 200,000 tons of barley and 80,000 tons of sugar beets.
The 10,000-acre hilly pasture near the Rockies on the west raised about 5,000 cattle and 5,000 sheep.
Farming was mostly fully mechanized.
Last year's total output value was $38.6 million; after costs, staff wages, and taxes, profits were about $9.5 million.
The farm's return rate was quite good -- over 10%. Although operating costs were not low, the net return was about 8%, which was decent and stable, though not as high as in high-tech sectors like computing. Linton wondered why the previous owner wanted to sell.
However, the farm's operating funds were zero, so they would have to inject new capital.
Linton handed the ledger to Winnie and Henry to review for any improvements.
...
Linton gently used Soul Induction to ask, "Where are you from?"
"I'm a local from Parker County," Tock answered.
"How long have you been here?"
"Since 1983, about ten years now."
"Do you have family? Where do they live?"
"A wife and two kids. Our home is in Parker town, and I go back every weekend to see them."
"What about the other workers?"
"All are locals from Parker County. Most live in Parker town, some from nearby small towns."
"How do they handle time off?"
"They take turns resting -- each person gets four days off per month, coordinating so they don't overlap. During planting and harvest seasons, no vacations are allowed, while longer leaves are rotated between November and February."
"Is all the accounting accurate? Are there other ledgers?"
"Boss, rest assured. This is the only ledger. There are no hidden accounts."
"When exactly are barley and sugar beets planted and harvested?"
"They're planted from late April to early May. Barley harvest is mid to late August, while sugar beet harvest is in early September, as their growing season is a bit longer."
"When does it start snowing here in winter?"
"Usually light snow starts in November, turning into heavy snow by December."
"Can we switch to planting only barley this year?"
"That's unlikely. We signed an agreement in March with the sugar factory to supply 80,000 tons of sugar beets. Changing plans now would likely bring penalties.
Also, we've already bought and started cultivating seeds for both crops. With seeding just days away, changing now isn't feasible."
"Can we ensure all barley and sugar beets are harvested before September 10?"
"No problem. The whole farm is fully mechanized, and the process is fast."
By this point, Linton had a good idea: To avoid disrupting production and attracting outside attention, the Thunderstorm Protection Array work should proceed during the fallow period starting mid-September.
Considering heavy snow begins in December, the actual construction window was just about 80 days. He would need to find a capable construction company and prepare everything in advance -- site surveying, material procurement, machinery, etc.
"From now on, our farm is renamed Anderson Farm. Starting tomorrow, change all farm signs to 'Anderson Farm.'"
"Sure, boss."
*****
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