[CHARITY] Buying Vacant Lots to Create Free Apple Orchards

[Timothy Doenges]

Hello,

My wife and I are thinking about starting a charitable LLC that owns several land tracts in residential areas of our local towns. We were wanting to buy them and plant fruit trees on them—ideally 12-15 trees, some early season, mid season, and late season apples. We would want to have privacy fencing around the property, but have it open 3-4 days a week for anyone to walk over, grab an apple (or a bunch), and do whatever with them, no questions asked. Obviously, we would prefer them to go to hunger, but in this model I don't think we could control that.

Anyway, I was hoping to get some insight into potential legal issues we would run into with this kind of a purchase? We wouldn’t necessarily be looking for donations or anything, and really don’t want to put it in a nonprofit, but what would liability be in this case?

Thanks, BP!

Tim