How To Earn Money On A Hobby Farm

Last Updated on May 19, 2021

Are you looking for ways to make money farming, even on a small farm with small acreage? I have put together a detailed list of more than 105 ways that you can make money from your own farm along with lots of additional resources to help you get started. With a list this large, some of these will surprise you!

When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Introduction on How to Make Money Farming

Making money from farming typically involves selling meat, eggs, milk, or produce that you raise on your farm. If done correctly, these can be a good source of income. But did you know that there are a lot more ways than just these to make money on a farm? With a list of over 105 small farm income ideas, my hope is that not only will have a pretty good idea about how you will make money on your own farm once you are finished with this article, but you will also have a list of resources to get you started.

Traditional Ways to Make Money Farming

1. Pastured Chicken

Selling pastured chicken meat on your farm can be a very profitable. So much so that Joel Salatin has written an entire book on exactly what you need to do in order to succeed at it. One key thing to keep in mind is that some states allow on-farm poultry processing (up to a certain amount) and other states don't. If your state doesn't, you'll have to find a poultry processor who can do this for you and that can definitely cut into your profits.

Recommended Reading:

Pastured Poultry Profit$

A couple working six months per year for 50 hours per week on 20 acres can net $25,000-$30,000 per year with an investment equivalent to the price of one new medium-sized tractor. Seldom has agriculture held out such a plum. In a day when main-line farm experts predict the continued demise of the family farm, the pastured poultry opportunity shines like a beacon in the night, guiding the way to a brighter future.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

I also created a video on how to build a Joel Salatin style chicken tractor.

Recommended Video:

2. Pastured Turkey

Here in the U.S., selling pastured turkeys can be very lucrative because of one even that happens every year. Thanksgiving! You can even use the same type of farming system that Joel Salatin uses for his chickens to succeed with this operation. He covers this in the book I shared above.

3. Free-Range Eggs

Eggs are one of the most nutritionally complete natural food items available in the world. And because of this, it's no wonder so many people eat them. Pastured and free-range eggs can have almost double the nutritional value that store-bought conventional eggs have. This means that you can ask a little more for eggs raised this way than eggs from a CAFO operation. Joel Salitan also covers this in his book I shared above.

I also created a video touring the Joel Salatin style Eggmobile that I use on my farm.

Recommended Video:

4. Pastured Pork

Pork is increasingly becoming one of the most popular meats in the western world. And pastured pork is becoming even more popular because it's much healthier than pork from pigs raised in confinement. Selling pastured pork can be another great way to make money farming. You will need more space to raise pastured pork than you do for chickens but less space than you will for raising cattle.

Recommended Reading:

Storey's Guide to Raising Pigs, 4th Edition: Care, Facilities, Management, Breeds

Stressing the importance of sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices, farmer Kelly Klober provides expert advice on making any size hog operation more efficient and profitable in Storey's Guide to Raising Pigs. The most comprehensive book available on the topic, this fourth edition features the most up-to-date practices, illustrated with color photography. Both beginners and experienced farmers will find all the information they need to select, house, care for, breed, and butcher pigs, along with marketing advice.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

I also created a video about the best pastured pigs rotational grazing system that I designed.

Recommended Video:

5. Grass-Fed Beef

Grass-fed beef, and more importantly, grass-finished beef can be hard to find. This is why it can be a very lucrative farming endeavor. Selling grass-fed beef and grass-finished beef is becoming more and more popular as people are realizing the health and environmental benefits from it. If you have the space to raise cattle, you should consider it. And once again, Joel Salatin has written a great book about how to make money selling grass-fed beef.

Recommended Reading:

Salad Bar Beef

In a day when beef is assailed by many environmental organizations and lauded by fast-food chains, a new paradigm to bring reason to this confusion is in order. With farmers leaving the land in droves and plows poised to reclaim set-aside acres, it is time to offer an alternative that is both land and farmer friendly.
Beyond that, the salad bar beef production model offers hope to rural communities, to struggling row-crop farmers, and to frustrated beef eaters who do not want to encourage desertification, air and water pollution, environmental degradation and inhumane animal treatment. Because this is a program weighted toward creativity, management, entrepreneurism and observation, it breathes fresh air into farm economics.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

6. Farm Fresh Vegetables

As the organic movement continues to grow, fresh vegetables that have been raised sustainably and organically are very popular right now. And certain vegetables raised organically, like lettuce, tomatoes, and kale, can be sold for a lot more than others. Even if you only focus on growing a few different vegetables, you should consider selling organically raised produce from your farm.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming

Les Jardins de la Grelinette is a micro-farm located in Eastern Quebec, just north of the American border. Growing on just 1.5 acres, owners Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene feed more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands and supply their signature mesclun salad mix to dozens of local establishments. The secret of their success is the low-tech, high-yield production methods theyve developed by focusing on growing better rather than growing bigger, making their operation more lucrative and viable in the process.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

7. Farm Fresh Fruit

Raising farm fresh fruit is not a get rich quick endeavor. It can take several years for fruit trees to mature. However, once your trees are ready, selling farm fresh fruit is a great way to make money farming. There's an old Chinese proverb that says "the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." With that being said, go ahead and plant fruit trees now so you can be ready to start selling fruit in the future. Some of the faster growing fruit trees will start producing in 3 to 4 years.

Recommended Reading:

Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More

For more than forty years, Orin Martin has taught thousands of apprentices, students, and home gardeners the art and craft of growing fruit trees organically. In Fruit Trees for Every Garden, Orin shares--with hard-won wisdom and plenty of humor--his recommended fruit varieties and techniques for productive trees, including apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, sweet cherry, orange, lemon, fig, and more.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

8. Honey

Normally, I wouldn't put honey under the traditional ways to make money farming but it has quickly rose to this rank. Raising bees and selling honey is now more popular than ever. And because of that, we are starting to see the previous decline in the honeybee population level out. Selling farm fresh honey can be a great way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Additional Ways to Make Money Farming

9. Maple Syrup

Do you have maple trees on your farm or even your backyard? If so, you have some untapped potential for additional farm revenue. Tapping, collecting, and boiling maple syrup can be a lot of work but can also be very rewarding. And boiling maple sap over an open flame from firewood you collect from your property can give the maple syrup a unique flavor that I have never tasted from any store bought syrup.

I recently was able to record a video series with a friend who makes maple syrup from his own backyard which covers every step of the process.

10. Christmas Trees

Similar to raising fruit trees, raising Christmas trees is something you'll want to be in for the long haul. Growth rates vary based on the tree type but the average is around 7 years.

Recommended Reading:

Growing Christmas Trees: Select the Right Species, Raise the Best Trees, Market for the Holidays (Storey Basics)

Growing beautiful Christmas trees is a great way to generate off-season farm income and make better use of your land. From selecting a site and planting the right species to marketing and selling trees, this Storey BASICS® guide shows you how to build and maintain your own small tree nursery. Including handy tips for making handcrafted kissing balls and holiday wreaths, Growing Christmas Trees covers everything you need to know to successfully cultivate stunning evergreens that will provide income and bring holiday cheer.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

11. Heritage Livestock

With more farms moving to pasture-based systems, heritage breed livestock are becoming more and more popular. Heritage breed animals still have a lot of the characteristics that help them to thrive on a pasture based system. With lots of farmers now seeking out specific heritage breeds for their unique characteristics and flavors, this can be an additional way to make money farming. And if your breeding stock is registered, you can ask even more for them.

12. Mushrooms

Mushroom farming is gaining steam and there's a good reason why. Certain types of mushrooms are very good for you and can be very profitable. And growing mushrooms is not that difficult. You can consider raising and selling mushrooms as another way to make money on a small acreage.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

13. Freshwater Fish Farming

Have you ever thought about how fish farming could benefit your plants? If not, you should look into Aquoponics. Aquoponics is a system for raising plants and fertilizing them with the waste from fish in a sustainable way. Not only can you sell the produce from this system, you can also sell the fish.

Recommended Reading:

Aquaponic Design Plans and Everything You Need to Know: From Backyard to Profitable Business

Aquaponic Design Plans, Everything You Need to Know, from Backyard to Profitable Business This 600+ page user-friendly book shows you how to easily produce an abundance of Fresh Organic Produce and Plentiful Healthy Fish. Feed Your Family Healthy Food, Barter and/or Sell SurplusEverything from Beginner Basics to Operating a Profitable Aquaponic Business, Step-by-Step Instructions and SO much more is included in this VALUABLE resource.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

14. Sorghum Molasses

You may not be familiar with sorghum molasses but your grandparents probably are. Sorghum molasses is a sweet, sugary, brown syrup that comes form the sorghum plant. It was much more popular during the turn of the century than now, especially in the southern US but this shouldn't prevent you from considering it. Like maple syrup, it can be enjoyed on biscuits, pancakes, and more.

Although you can purchase equipment to make this process much easier, here is a great video of someone who makes sorghum molasses by hand.

Recommended Video:

15. Raw Cow Milk

More and more people are seeking raw milk because of its health benefits. This means selling raw milk can be a lucrative farming venture if you know what you are doing. Raw milk laws vary state by state so you need to have a good understanding of what your state allows before you get started. If direct raw milk sales are not allowed in your state then you may be able to start a herd share program. This type of program allows you to have a contract with your buyers where they technically own a share of the cow. This is how most raw milk producers operate in the U.S.

If you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out and joining the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. If you are a member, they will give you advice on getting started and provide you with the contracts you'll need to stay legal. They even have this awesome interactive raw milk sales map to see quickly what your state allows.

Recommended Reading:

The Small-Scale Dairy: The Complete Guide to Milk Production for the Home and Market

The Small-Scale Dairy includes everything you need to know in order to successfully produce nourishing, healthy, farm-fresh milk. Whether for home use, direct sale to the consumer, or sale to an artisanal cheesemaker, high-quality raw milk is a delicate, desirable product. Successful and sustainable production requires the producer to consider and tackle many details, ranging from animal care to microbiology to good hygienic practices–and, for those with commercial aspirations, business plans, market savvy, and knowledge of the regulations.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

16. Raw Goat Milk

Goat milk is more like human milk than cows' milk. And because of this, it can be much better for you and easier to digest. Some people who have problems with cow milk don't have issues drinking goat milk. And raw goat milk can be even better because of all of the probiotics it contains.

If you are interested in selling raw goat milk, once again, I highly recommend that you check out and join the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

17. Raw Butter

If you produce milk on your farm, why not make butter too? Raw milk butter falls under the same laws as raw milk so be sure to use the resources I provide above to see what your state allows.

18. Raw Cheese

Locally produced cheese, especially cheese in the gourmet category can be very popular. If you are already producing milk, whether it's from cows or goats, adding cheese to your farm products can be another way to make money from your milk business. If it is considered raw cheese it is also subject to your state's laws. Check the resources provided above under the raw milk sections to learn more.

Recommended Reading:

The Art of Natural Cheesemaking: Using Traditional, Non-Industrial Methods and Raw Ingredients to Make the World's Best Cheeses

Most DIY cheesemaking books are hard to follow, complicated, and confusing, and call for the use of packaged freeze-dried cultures, chemical additives, and expensive cheesemaking equipment. For though bread baking has its sourdough, brewing its lambic ales, and pickling its wild fermentation, standard Western cheesemaking practice today is decidedly unnatural. In The Art of Natural Cheesemaking, David Asher practices and preaches a traditional, but increasingly countercultural, way of making cheese―one that is natural and intuitive, grounded in ecological principles and biological science.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

19. Hops For Local Breweries

Locally grown hops can provide a nice added touch to beer produces by local breweries. Reach out to local breweries and find out if they would be interested in purchasing hops grown on your farm. If so, it can be another way to generate revenue on your farm.

Recommended Reading:

The Hop Grower's Handbook: The Essential Guide for Sustainable, Small-Scale Production for Home and Market

Today, farmers from Maine to North Carolina are working hard to respond to the craft brewers' desperate call for locally grown hops. But questions arise: How best to create hop yards―virtual forests of 18-foot poles that can be expensive to build? How to select hop varieties, and plant and tend the bines, which often take up to three years to reach full production? How to best pick, process, and price them for market? And, how best to manage the fungal diseases and insects that wiped out the eastern hop industry 100 years ago, and which are thriving in the hotter and more humid states thanks to climate change? Answers to these questions can be found in The Hop Grower's Handbook―the only book on the market about raising hops sustainably, on a small scale, for the commercial craft beer market in the Northeast.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

20. Firewood

Do you have woods on your property? And do you have a chainsaw and a wood splitter? If so, you should consider adding firewood to your farm products. Firewood harvesting can be a great to generate additional revenue on your farm in the winter as the rest of your farm activities slow down. Where I live, a rick of firewood is roughly 1/3 of a cord and is sold for around $50. That's not a bad chunk of change.

If you are in the market for a chainsaw, check out this article I wrote about the 5 best farm chainsaws of 2020.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

21. Flowers

When people think of farming they don't typically think of raising flowers. But flowers can be a nice way to make money on a small farm. With the hundreds of different varieties available, there is so much you can do with flowers. You can sell them as fresh cut flowers, seedlings to be replanted, in pots to be enjoyed in someone's home, or even raise edible flowers.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

22. Livestock Guardian Dogs

We have Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dogs on our farm that live with our pastured chicken flock. Since having them, we have never lost a single chicken to a predator. It's pretty amazing. There are several different breeds of livestock guardian dogs too. These are not the same type of dogs as herding dogs. Livestock guardian dogs have characteristics that make them better at protecting the animals rather than trying to control them.

If you decide to get livestock guardian dogs, consider getting a male and female if you want to sell their puppies. Also, livestock guardian dogs need to be raised as puppies with the type of animals they are going to protect. This is to help them assimilate with the animals they are guarding. So, another option is to raise them with the animals they are going to protect and then sell them once they are trained.

I recently made a video about our Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dogs that has some great information if you are interested in learning more.

Recommended Video:

23. Chicks & Ducklings

Chickens are arguably the most popular farm animal and more and more people are now raising backyard chickens in the city. Since they are so popular, why not consider selling baby chicks or even baby ducklings. This is as easy as putting a rooster with your hens, incubating the eggs, and selling them once they hatch. You could also consider selling a complete setup for someone who wants backyard chickens which could include feeders, waterers, starter feed, and a heat lamp.

Recommended Reading:

Hatching & Brooding Your Own Chicks: Chickens, Turkeys, Ducks, Geese, Guinea Fowl

Gail Damerow shows you how to incubate, hatch, and brood baby chickens, ducklings, goslings, turkey poults, and guinea keets. With advice on everything from selecting a breed and choosing the best incubator to feeding and caring for newborn chicks in a brooder, this comprehensive guide also covers issues like embryo development, panting chicks, and a variety of common birth defects. Whether you want to hatch three eggs or one hundred, you'll find all the information you need to make your poultry-raising operation a success.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

24. Pullets

Depending on the chicken breed, it can take 4 to 6 months before a chicken starts laying. For those who don't want to wait that long, you could consider selling pullets to them for more than baby chicks.

Here in the area where I live, I've seen pullets go for around $20. This can be another way to make money farming. The hardest part is figuring out how to keep your feed cost down while you wait for them to reach laying age.

25. Hay

If you have a larger farm and pastures that aren't being used, you could consider getting a hay baler to turn those pastures in to hay. You could even consider growing organic alfalfa or other grasses so you can ask a premium for it.

Recommended Reading:

Small-Scale Haymaking: How to Get Started (Country Workshop)

Haymaking is many things to many people. It provides vintage tractor enthusiasts with an easy and productive way to put their prized machinery to good use. It is an easy and potentially profitable crop to grow on a small farm. And, of course, it evokes powerful memories for anyone who has spent a summer day haying.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

26. Livestock Feed

There are two options when it comes to selling livestock feed. One is to create your own feed to sell. You can either grow or buy the individual components and mix it yourself. The other option is to find a local feed mill that you could buy and resell feed from.

This works especially well if you are located in an area where the closest feed mill is far enough away that people wanting to buy a few bags here and there don't want to drive to it. And it works even better if you are selling organic or non-GMO feed that is hard to find at a local store like Tractor Supply.

You would need to mark the feed up enough to cover the time and fuel spent picking the feed up from the feed mill as well as a little more to make it profitable. My family owns a feed mill and charges about $13 a bag for non-GMO pig or chicken feed. That same feed can be sold for closer to $20 a bag in or near a large city.

27. Compost

Do you make your own compost? Why not consider making more than you already do and sell off the excess? You could either create your own by using your leftover scraps, yard waste, and garden waste or you could buy the materials from an off-farm source and make larger batches. Lots of small gardeners want fresh compost so this could be another way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

How To Compost: Everything You Need To Know To Start Composting, And Nothing You Don't!

This guide is for those new to composting and the following topics are covered: * Types of compost bins and the pros and cons of each (as well as no bin options) * Composting accessories and which are essential (answer: none!) * What to put in your compost bin -- and what to avoid (sorry, dog poop is out) * An easy way to balance carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials (no math involved!) * Compost troubleshooting -- common problems and how to solve them (from sulfur to slime - its covered)

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

28. Compost Tea

Simply put, compost tea is compost that has been steeped in water for a period of time until the nutrients from the compost are infused with the water. This water becomes a type of spray on fertilizer that is rich in nutrients and easy to apply with a sprayer. If you decide to sell compost, why not sell compost tea as well for people who would prefer a spray on fertilizer.

Recommended Reading:

Compost Teas for the Organic Grower

Everything you need to know about feeding your garden, orchard, or smallholding with homemade and chemical-free "teas"―packed with recipes for creating nutrient-rich, healthy soil, to give you healthy plants and ecosystems

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

29. Animal Waste

Similar to being in the compost business, certain animal wastes are sought after for fertilizer. This could either be horse manure, cow manure, or chicken manure. If you tend to keep your chickens in one location during the winter like me, you could gather up their waste when spring rolls around and turn it into fertilizer to use or sell.

30. Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom produce can offer a unique taste that can't be found in the stores. This is why a lot of gardeners are now choosing heirloom plants over conventional. You wouldn't believe how many different types of tomatoes there are and the wide variety of tastes they have. If you are growing heirloom produce, you could consider saving seeds and selling extra to other gardeners.

Recommended Reading:

The Manual of Seed Saving: Harvesting, Storing, and Sowing Techniques for Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits

Growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs from seed has many benefits for both the gardener and the planet. Why save seeds when you can buy them so cheap? Not only does seed saving allow you to grow a diverse, organic array of fruits and vegetables, it also offers an opportunity to work closely with nature and be even more hands-on with the food you grow, cook, and eat. Supported by research from the global conservation organizations Arche Noah and Pro Specie Rara, The Manual of Seed Saving features information on how to maximize seed quality and yield for crop plants like asparagus, carrots, corn, rhubarb, spinach, squash, and tomatoes. Plant profiles include critical information on pollination, isolation distances, cultivation, harvest, storage, and pests and diseases.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

31. Seedlings

Similar to above, instead of selling the seeds themselves, you could start the plants and sell them for more money as seedlings. This can work really well if you have unused greenhouse space and you are already starting seeds for your own garden.

Recommended Reading:

The Easy Way to Start a Home-Based Plant Nursery and Make Thousands in Your Spare Time

Do you dream about starting a plant nursery but arent sure how to start? Are you afraid of regulations and irrigation and spending too much to get started? Do you wish you could stuff your yard with beautiful plants without guilt? If youre ready to take your love of gardening to the next level and start making money, this book is for you.In The Easy Way to Start a Home-Based Plant Nursery and Make Thousands in Your Spare Time, gardening writer and nursery owner David The Good shares how he created a profitable backyard nursery operation on a tight budget. In it youll learn how to propagate plants quickly, work with wholesale nurseries, find your niche, find places to sell, market your plants, deal with accounting - and most of all, turn your plant hobby into a ready stream of cash, almost overnight. You can start a nursery without business experience, without fear of complicated regulations, without miles of irrigation tubing and without buying new land. Unlock the secrets of a successful nursery business today!

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

32. Tree Nursery

There are hundreds of different types of trees you could sell with fruit trees being the most popular. You could also consider specialized in regional trees that grow well in your area instead of just the standard ones that people buy from the big-box stores. Where I live, there is a permaculture nursery that specializes in selling trees and plants that work well in this area for people following permaculture design systems. I think this is a great idea.

33. Herbs

Herbs are often overlooked as garden plants because most people focus on traditional plants. If you don't think that herbs are worth selling, just walk down the aisle at your grocery store and look at the prices for organic herbs (if you can even find them). Organically grown herbs can be an additional way to make money farming. And the best part is that they typically don't take up much room in the garden. Because of this, selling herbs can be a great way to make money on a small acreage.

Recommended Reading:

The Homesteader's Herbal Companion: The Ultimate Guide to Growing, Preserving, and Using Herbs

The Homesteaders Herbal Companion is a beautiful guide for the modern day homesteader. From learning how to incorporate herbs and essential oils around your home, to learning how to enhance your familys health and well-being, this book is the go-to guide for those wishing to live a more natural homesteading lifestyle. This book takes readers through the basics of herbalism, including the different types of herbs and the uses for them around the homestead. It also breaks down how herbs are used in tinctures, salves, essential oils, and infused oils. Better yet, if youre a homesteader with livestock, youll learn how to maintain their health holistically as well. With an array of beautiful photos and easy to read terminology, just about any homesteader, new or seasoned, can learn from The Homesteaders Herbal Companion, and finally feel comfortable incorporating the many wonderful qualities of herbs around their homes.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

34. Herbal Tea

If you are growing herbs in your garden, why not dry some out and offer it as herbal tea. This is even better if you grow them organically and sell organic herbal tea. You could consider herbs like chamomile, lemon balm, mint, lavender, and peppermint.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

35. Mealworms

Mealworms are a great alternative feed source for poultry, are high in protein, and are relatively easy to raise. They act like mini garbage disposals and do a great job of breaking down waste. You can consider raising some and selling them to people who may want to feed them to their chickens or raise them themselves.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

36. Earthworms

Earthworms can be used and sold for a few different purposes. They make great fishing bait and some people utilize them in their compost bins to help break down their waste. They are relatively easy to raise and you can even put them to work for you on your own farm.

Recommended Reading:

Worm Farming: Everything You Need to Know To Setting up a Successful Worm Farm

Curious in what worm farming is? What it takes to get started? How you can make it Fun and Profitable?This is just a few of the questions that are answered within Worm Farming: Everything You Need to Know To Setting up a Successful Worm Farm! The ULTIMATE guide to worm farming...Discover the many benefits of what is also known as, vermicomposting. You can get free fishing bait, use as source of food for wild birds, fish and chickens, create a nutrient rich potting soil that is a fun hobby while teaching you about the environment.You will see that getting started in worm farming is much easier than you think! Details on space requirements, type of worms to use, what to feed them and much, much, more are revealed in this informative book.Worm farming can be a fun way to generate some income from the worms or nutrient-rich soil that you sell. Our tips on running a successful worm farm and understanding the business aspects of it, will help as your startup roadmap.Get started today with this comprehensive guide to worm farming.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

37. Pastured Duck Meat

Considered the "red meat" of the poultry world, duck meat can be a healthy alternative to other meats. It is high in iron and can be a good source for selenium and zinc. You can also raise your ducks on pasture using the same types of systems Joel Salatin talks about in his book Pastured Poultry Profits. Because of this, duck meat can be an additional way to make money farming.

38. Free-Range Duck Eggs

Duck eggs can have greater nutritional value than chicken eggs. This is especially true if they are raised on pasture and have access to a more diverse diet. They are also larger and have a more creamy taste. Some people that have trouble eating chicken eggs can eat duck eggs without problems. You can consider selling duck eggs as an additional farm revenue source.

39. Goats

Goats are quickly becoming a very popular among small farmers and hobby farmers. Not only are they fun to raise, they are great a brush control. We use goats on our farm to help us open up new pastures and woodlots. And with 4H being popular in certain areas of the country, there is also a demand for good show goats. With so many farmers looking for goats for their farms, raising and selling goats can be another way to make money farming.

Recommended Reading:

Holistic Goat Care: A Comprehensive Guide to Raising Healthy Animals, Preventing Common Ailments, and Troubleshooting Problems

For more than a decade, Gianaclis Caldwell and her family have operated Pholia Farm Creamery, an off-grid, raw milk goat cheese dairy. In Holistic Goat Care, Caldwell offers readers a comprehensive guide to maintaining a healthy herd of goats, whether they are dairy goats, meat goats, fiber goats, or pet goats.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

40. Chevon

Goat meat, also known as chevon, has never been a staple of the American diet but that doesn't mean there aren't people who want to buy it. As goats are becoming more popular, so is goat meat. If you live near a metropolitan area, chances are you can find buyers for it.

Recommended Reading:

The Meat Goat Handbook: Raising Goats for Food, Profit, and Fun

Longtime goat rancher Yvonne Zweede-Tucker draws on twenty years of hands-on experience to help you raise your own meat goats. Illustrated throughout with color photography, this instructive handbook includes advice about breeds, feeding, housing, safety, health, kidding, butchering, and selling product. Included is a glossary and a resources appendix. Essential reading for every meat goat owner!

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

41. Sheep

Like goats, sheep are becoming more popular among small farmers and hobby farmers. Where goats are good at brush control, sheep are good at mowing the grass. In certain areas, lambs and sheep are also in demand for 4H. With more farmers looking to have their own flock of sheep, raising and selling sheep can be another way to make money farming.

Recommended Reading:

Storey's Guide To Raising Sheep

Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep is the best-selling, most trusted reference for farmers and backyard homesteaders with any size flock. The fifth edition is now updated with full-color illustrations and photographs throughout, including a gallery of the best breed choices for both meat and fiber. With their small size and gentle dispositions, sheep are one of the easier livestock species to raise and offer varied marketing opportunities, including meat, wool, and milk. Detailed instructions and graphics lead readers through every essential procedure, including shearing, building a lambing shed, breeding and lambing, butchering, and marketing.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

42. Lamb and Mutton

Lamb and mutton can be hard to find in America but there are still people who enjoy eating it, especially in larger cities and in specialty restaurants. Raising sheep for lamb and mutton can be another way to make money on your farm.

43. Wool

Surprisingly, there are many different types of wool that are used to produce many different types of fabric. If you are interested in selling wool, make sure you choose a breed of sheep that produce a type of wool that is in high demand. Sheering sheep is a tough job but with the rise of the crafting industry, wool may be another way to generate farm revenue.

Recommended Reading:

Raising Animals for Fiber: Producing Wool from Sheep, Goats, Alpacas, and Rabbits in Your Backyard

Fiber Animals for the Backyard and Hobby Farm Raising backyard fiber animals is rising in popularity, as more and more people seek traditional textiles for yarn-focused crafts like knitting, crocheting, and weaving, as well as spinning, embroidery, needlepoint, needle felting, wet felting, and fiber dying. This book offers an essential reference for anyone who is considering their own production of animal fibers. Author and fiber farmer Chris McLaughlin provides a comprehensive introduction to raising livestock for wool. With practical information for the aspiring beginner, Chris helps you to decide which species will best serve your own lifestyle criteria and needs.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

44. Bunnies

Arguably the cutest of all farm animals, children (and adults) love bunnies. And because of that, there are lots of people who want to buy them as pets. Like all other farm animals, there are several different breeds of rabbits. If you are considering selling them as pets, make sure you choose a breed that suits that purpose. Bunnies can be a good way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

The Rabbit-Raising Problem Solver: Your Questions Answered about Housing, Feeding, Behavior, Health Care, Breeding, and Kindling

While rabbits are well-known for being cute and fuzzy creatures, they can also be very difficult to care for. Whether you're an experienced rabbit farmer or building your first hutch for a pet bunny, The Rabbit-Raising Problem Solver has answers to all of your most pressing questions. In a handy question-and-answer format Karen Patry expertly addresses every aspect of rabbit care, including housing, feeding, breeding, kindling, health, and behavior. This informative, easy-to-use guide has reliable, humane solutions that will keep your animals healthy and happy.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

45. Rabbit Meat

Rabbit meat is considered one of the most sustainable meats you can eat. This is because rabbits reproduce very rapidly and gain mass simply from foraging. Rabbit meat is also lean and high in protein. Not nearly as popular as other meats in the U.S., that doesn't mean you can't sell it as another way to generate revenue on your farm.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

46. Honey Bees

Raising honey bees for honey is great but did you know that you can also sell bees to other people wanting to get into the honey bee business? The most common way to do this is to sell a small colony created from a larger one that consists of a queen and some worker bees. This is called a nucleus colony but is commonly referred to as a nuc. Selling honey bee nucs can be another way to make money on small acreage.

47. Animal Boarding

Lots of people need a place to keep their animals while they go on trips, have to move, or just don't have the space for them. If you have the space and proper facilities, you could consider using it to board animals for other people.

48. Timber

Do you have timber on your property that is harvestable? Or, do you have the space to plant trees that can be sold later? In my area, black walnut, white oak, red oak, and hickory are the most profitable trees for timber. Timber is a long term investment (like a retirement fund) but can have a big payoff later. And if you do most of the work yourself, like cutting the timber and pulling them out of the woods with equipment, you can hire a trucking company to haul them to the mill for you. Just call local mills and find out what types of trees and measurements are they looking for.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

49. Nuts

Do you have nut producing trees on your property? If so, collecting and selling nuts can be an additional way to make money farming. If the nuts have hulls, you'll need a dehuller. And then you'll need to decide if you want to sell them as whole nuts in the shell or without the shell.

Recommended Reading:

How to Grow Your Own Nuts: Choosing, Cultivating and Harvesting Nuts in Your Garden

This comprehensive book covers all aspects of growing, harvesting, processing and using nuts, based on forest gardening principles. Filled with gorgeous images of trees and nuts on the branch, as well as samples of nuts from different varieties, this book is essential reading for any nut-loving gardener. Nuts covered include old favorites such as chestnuts, hazelnuts and walnuts, as well as less common varieties such as pine nuts, hickories, butternuts and monkey puzzle nuts. Whether you are planning to grow nuts in your own yard, or even to grow commercially, this book is essential reading.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

50. Berries

Locally grown berries seem to always be in demand. And depending on where you are located, organically grown berries go for a premium. My personal favorites are blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and elderberries. Raising and selling berries can be a good way to make money on small acreage.

Recommended Reading:

Homegrown Berries: Successfully Grow Your Own Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and More

What says summer more than a bowl full of fresh berries? How about a yard full of them? Homegrown Berries covers the information you need to know about the process from planting to picking. You'll learn the best varieties of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, and elderberries for you, how to fit them into your landscape (including in borders and containers), and how to maintain them for peak harvest. Summer just got sweeter!

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

51. Guineafowls

Guinea fowl like the guinea hen are excellent at pest control. They are especially good at helping get rid of ticks. And they make good alarms when predators are near. They will even gang up on and eat snakes. It's for these reasons that people love keeping guinea hens around their farm. And because of this, breeding and selling guineafowl can be another way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

Gardening with Guineas: A Step-By-Step Guide to Raising Guinea Fowl on a Small Scale

Gardening with Guineas is a delightful and informative guide to raising guinea fowl. It covers the life of a guinea from egg throughout adult, including incubation, feeding, housing, training and common problems. In Gardening with Guineas you will learn: Reasons for raising guinea fowl, what you need to know before you buy, working with newborns and young keets, handling typical problems, and much, much more. This book is easy to follow and will surely benefit anyone who desires to raise guinea fowl.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

52. Stud Services

Do you have a bull, boar, billy, or ram that you can rent out for stud services? If you do, this can be another way to make money farming. This works best when you have purebred studs and have papers to prove it.

53. Foraging

If you have a fairly large property or have access to someone else's property, foraging can be a great way to generate some additional income for your farm. Morel mushrooms are some of the most sought after mushrooms in the U.S. and they can't be grown like others. They have to be foraged. Also, there are tons of edible plants, nuts, berries, and fruit that can be foraged. Foraging can also be a great activity to do with the family.

Recommended Reading:

The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants

A guide to 32 of the best and most common edible wild plants in North America, with detailed information on how to identify them, where they are found, how and when they are harvested, which parts are used, how they are prepared, as well as their culinary use, ecology, conservation, and cultural history.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-kitchen Guide

With amateur mushroom hunters especially in mind, David Fischer and Alan Bessette have prepared Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America. This field guide presents more than 100 species of the most delicious mushrooms, along with detailed information on how to find, gather, store, and prepare them for the table. More than 70 savory recipes, ranging from soups and salads to casseroles, canapes, quiches, and even a dessert, are included.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Make Money With Value-Added Farm Products

In agriculture, a value-added product is a product that has had a change in its physical state or form. The laws for producing and selling value-added products vary state by state. Be sure to learn more about what your state requires when making and selling these products.

54. Bread

If you like to bake then bread could be a good value-added product to sell and make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

55. Jams and Jellies

If you grow lots of fruits and berries then you can consider making jams and jellies out of them.

Recommended Reading:

Foolproof Preserving: A Guide to Small Batch Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Condiments & More

The art of preserving produce by canning and preserving has come full circle from grandmothers kitchen to a whole new generation now eager to learn it. This detailed guide to home preserving is perfect for novice canners and experts alike and offers more than 100 foolproof recipes across a wide range of categories, from sweet jams and jellies to savory jams, vegetables, condiments, pickles, whole fruits, and more. Let the experts at Americas Test Kitchen show you how to do it right with detailed tutorials, troubleshooting tips, equipment information, and insight into the science behind canning.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

56. All Natural Lotions, Lip Balm, Shampoo, Deodorant

Lotions, lip balm, shampoo, and even deodorant can be produced with items grown or raised on your farm. Farm raised items include butter, beeswax, honey, herbs, and more. Even if your farm doesn't produce these items, you could source some of them from off-farm.

Recommended Reading:

Beehive Alchemy: Projects and recipes using honey, beeswax, propolis, and pollen to make soap, candles, creams, salves, and more

Beehive Alchemy is a continuation of Petra Ahnerts best-selling Beeswax Alchemy. With this new book, beekeepers (and bee lovers) will learn about the benefits and attributes of beeswax, honey, propolis, and more alongside a full range of projects and techniques to process and harness the amazing gifts of bees. Inside, youll find instructions to make Ahnerts award-winning hand-dipped birthday candles, the classic French dessert canele bordelais, and much more.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

57. All Natural Soaps

Similar to the items above, it is possible to make your own soap using farm produced items like goat milk.

Recommended Reading:

Milk Soapmaking: The Smart Guide to Making Milk Soap From Cow Milk, Goat Milk, Buttermilk, Cream, Coconut Milk, or Any Other Animal or Plant Milk (Smart Soap Making)

Do you love the feel of milk soaps but shy away from the cost? Are you looking for a special kind of gift you can make yourself? Or do you already make soap and want to try something new? Anne L. Watsons Smart Soapmaking was the first book based on modern techniques that eliminate the drudgery and guesswork from home soapmaking. Now, by popular demand, she continues her soapmaking revolution with the first practical, comprehensive book on making milk soap from scratch. Experience the rich, soothing, luxurious feel of milk soap youve made yourself. Your skin will thank you for it.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

58. Candles

If you raise bees, you will have a plethora of beeswax. You can consider making beeswax candles and selling them as an as a way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

Soy & Beeswax Candle Making Handbook: How to Start a Homebased Profitable Candle Making Business

Could you use a little bit (or maybe a LOT) of extra cash each month? And wouldn't it be great to be able to earn that extra cash without having to get another job. Wouldn't it be great if you could earn this extra cash on YOUR terms. In this book, I will show you how you can do just that. If I was able to peak your interest, then let me say this, it is very doable, and NO it does not take any extra or special skill set. Once you know the basics, you can then start getting creative and add your own touch, scent, and color and make something so unique that just by looking at it, everyone will know it is your creation.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

59. Essential Oils

If you grow herbs on your farm, it's possible to turn them into essential oils that you can then sell. You can also use these essential oils to make your all natural soaps and skin products.

Recommended Reading:

The Essential Oil Maker's Handbook

Producing your own essential oils and hydrosols in small quantities is easier than you might think, especially with the guidance of Austrian master distillers Helge Schmickl and Bettina Malle. Translated from its original German, The Essential Oil Makers Handbook has been revised and updated to include information on hydrosols, the aromatic water once considered a mere by-product but now recognized as a valuable substance in itself. Learn how to make your own shower gels and creams using essential oils that you created yourself out of materials from your garden and pantry, without chemical additives.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

60. Pet Products

Just like making human treats, pet treats can be made out of farm products you produce. You can consider making pet toys as well.

Recommended Reading:

Doggy Desserts: 125 Homemade Treats for Happy, Healthy Dogs

The marriage of two of the world's favorite topics―dogs and desserts―Doggy Desserts offers dog owners over 125 recipes to spoil (and nourish) their pampered pooches. This beautifully photographed and designed book presents easy-to-do, fun recipes divided into six categories: cookies, bars, drop cookies, cakes, muffins, and frozen treats. For dog owners who are concerned about controlling what's in their dogs' food or who are looking to find low-cal, low-fat options for their slightly plump pups, Doggy Desserts provides many tasty options. From carob peanut butter crunch balls, sweet potato biscuits and liver oatmeal bones to granola bars, apple sauce spice cake, and watermelon dog sherbet, owners will be tempted to try each of these delectable delights before serving to their dogs. The author, Cheryl Gianfrancesco is an avid cook and dog lover, and cooking for her dogs is her favorite passion!

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

61. Pickled and Fermented Foods

Pickled and fermented foods can be very healthy for you. They can be full of probiotics and contain good amounts of antioxidants depending on the plant. Selling pickled and fermented foods can be another way to generate revenue on your farm.

Recommended Reading:

Fermented Vegetables: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 64 Vegetables & Herbs in Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes

Even beginners can make their own fermented foods! This easy-to-follow comprehensive guide presents more than 120 recipes for fermenting 64 different vegetables and herbs. Learn the basics of making kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles, and then refine your technique as you expand your repertoire to include curried golden beets, pickled green coriander, and carrot kraut. With a variety of creative and healthy recipes, many of which can be made in batches as small as one pint, you'll enjoy this fun and delicious way to preserve and eat your vegetables.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

62. Canned Foods

Many people don't want to spend time canning their own vegetables but would love to have organically grown vegetables from a local farm throughout the year. You can consider canning the vegetables you grow on your farm to sell as another way to add value to your farm products.

Recommended Reading:

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Ball Home Canning Products are the gold standard in home preserving supplies, the trademark jars on display in stores every summer from coast to coast. Now the experts at Ball have written a book destined to become the bible of home preserving.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

63. Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables

Dehydrated fruits and vegetables make great snacks and last a very long time. You could consider dehydrating the fruits and vegetables you grow on your farm and selling them for this purpose.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

64. Jerky

Jerky can also make a great snack and can be loaded with protein. If you raise animals you could consider turning some of the cuts into jerky. Ask your meat processor if they offer this service.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

65. Pastries

Selling freshly baked pastries, especially created from products you grow on your farm, can be another way to generate some additional farm revenue. These could also be a quick sell if you have a farm stand at your local farmers market.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

66. Candy

Who doesn't like candy? There are lots of different types of candy that can be made from your farm products and could be another item that may sell well at your local farmers market.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

67. Spice Mixes

Making spice mixes from herbs and spices grown on your farm could be fun. You can use existing recipes or create your own mix and name it after your farm.

Recommended Reading:

Homemade Mixes: Make It Yourself and Save (Hillbilly Housewife Homemade Book 1)

Making your own mix from scratch rather than buying it in the store not only saves you money but also saves you from all the additives and preservatives that are put in the foods we buy. A couple more great things about making your own mixes is they are simple to make, and usually economical. Scale to make a batch as large or small as you like. I love creating great recipes from scratch that nourishes my family's bodies and making my own mixes fits right into my plan. If you really want to create good, healthy food for your family as well, make foods with real ingredients.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

68. Pre-made Meal Kits

What if you sold an entire precooked meal kit from products raised on your farm that only required the buyer to put it in the oven when they were ready to eat it? This could be another way to add value to your existing farm products. You could even include canned items, dehydrated foods, jerky, homemade candy, and pastries as sides. You can consider selling dry-canned and ready mix meals as well.

Recommended Reading:

Do It Yourself Prep N Store: Recipes & Prepping Ideas Made Easy

In this book, Ill not only teach you the dry-canning technique for extended shelf life, but Ive also included recipes for ready-mixed meals, side dishes, treats, and beverages. Youll also find helpful tips for customizing the recipes to suit your familys needs and your long-term food storage plan. Food storage and meal packaging has always been smart. Now let me show you how it can be simple, affordable, and fun!

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Agrotourism Ideas

69. Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patches can be a lot of fun and there are tons of activities you can offer your guests including hay rides, fresh cider, a petting zoo, pony rides, a corn maze, and more. You could actually break up each of these individual items and charge separately for them. Setting up a pumpkin patch can be a lot of work but could generate a lot of revenue, especially if you are near a decent size city.

Recommended Reading:

The New Agritourism: Hosting Community and Tourists on Your Farm

Agritourism—the practice of attracting travelers or visitors to an area used primarily for agricultural purposes—may be the most dependable cash crop available to modern-day farmers. For those interested in developing their own agritourism project, this book offers an overview of the origins of agritourism and provides useful information on developing an original plan. With profiles of farmers and their microfarms from around the world, this book shows innovative ways to develop and structure a plan that is safe, legal, promotes the enterprise, and is sure to progress and prosper in coming years. From lavender microfarms to large corn acreages, farmers are finding that by opening their farms to nonfarming citizens, even for just a few weekends a year, they can receive a serious boost in revenue. Such an enterprise can additionally motivate the general public to reconnect with the depth of farming, encouraging them to offer and demand support for fair treatment of their local farms.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

70. Petting Zoo and Pony Rides

A lot of cities have festivals and fairs throughout the year. You could consider raising livestock that would work well for a petting zoo as well as ponies that would work well for pony rides. You could set up at these festivals and charge for people to participate.

71. Cabin Rentals, VRBO, and AirBNB

This would obviously be more of a long term investment but, if you have the space, you could build small cabins or an additional house and rent it out using services like AirBNB and VRBO. You could even set your property up in a way where these people could have some interaction with the animals you raise or the gardens you grow.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

72. Bed and Breakfast

Does your farm have a large house with extra rooms? You could consider turning it into a bed and breakfast. You could even serve your guests with the items you produce on your farm.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

73. Wedding Rentals

Is your property picturesque and does it have room for a venue space and parking? If so, you could consider renting it out for weddings. You would probably have to build some type of shelter for the wedding ceremony and reception along with bathrooms facilities Or, if you have a beautiful old barn, that may be even better.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

74. Birthday Parties

Similar to the ideas above, you could rent out your farm for birthday parties. You could even incorporate your petting zoo and pony rides.

75. Other Events and Parties

There are also lots of other events that you could rent out your farm for including business meetings, retreats, anniversaries, and holidays. Again, you'll have to have the proper facilities and parking to pull it off.

76. Concerts

Open air concerts on a beautiful farm could be an awesome way to produce additional income for your farm. Building a small stage should be fairly simple and who doesn't want to a live concert in a beautiful setting?

77. Farm Tours

If you have a unique farm or are raising your farm products using sustainable and permaculture methods, you could host farm tours once a year on your farm. And while your guests are there, you could have a store where they can purchase your farm goods.

78. U-Pick, You-Pick, Pick-Your-Own

One of my favorite things about the u-pick model is that you don't have to pick the items yourself. Your guests do all the work. We have a u-pick farm near us that raises just blueberries for their u-pick operation and you wouldn't believe how many people make the trip out there to pick their own.

79. Lease to Hunters

Hunting is big business in the U.S. and lots of other places. This is especially true if you have a good deer, turkey, or elk population on your farm. Most hunting leases don't interfere with farming activities so they can be another great way to make money from your farm.

80. Camp Sites

Camping is big business in the U.S. If you have the space, you could consider renting out camp sites. Each site could be equipped with a fire pit and grill. You could even build central bathroom facilities along with running water if you didn't want it to be too primitive. Either way, renting out camp sites could be another way to generate some extra income for your farm.

81. Outdoor Fitness Classes

If you are into fitness, you could consider hosting outdoor fitness classes on the farm. How awesome would it be to host a workout class in the middle of a beautiful farm setting. Some people have even taken this a step further and host Goat Yoga classes where baby goats are allowed to roam freely during the yoga classes. You can't make this stuff up.

Teach Others How to Farm

82. Farm Workshops (online and offline)

With the rise of sustainable agriculture and permaculture, there are tons of people wanting to learn how to farm using these methods. You could host workshops on your farm and charge a fee for people to come out so you can teach them how to farm using the methods you use. You can even record these sessions and sell them online or stream them to an audience live. This is another way to make money from farming.

83. Homesteading Workshops (online and offline)

With the rise of homesteading, prepping, and crafting, there is plenty of opportunity to teach people homesteading skills such as cutting wood, raising livestock, off-gridding, canning, cooking, making furniture, and more. The list goes on and on. If you have a homesteading skill you wish to share, the chances are high there is someone out there who wants to learn it. And again, you can also record these lessons or stream them over the internet (if you aren't completely off-the-grid).

84. Homeschool Classes

Homeschoolers love field trips. I should know because all of my children are homeschooled. One idea is to offer homeschool classes on your farm. Since I believe in helping the next generation learn more about farming, one idea is to ask for donations instead of charging. Either way, it's up to you.

85. Write Books & eBooks

With Amazon making it easier than ever to self-publish, consider writing books (whether they are physical or digital) and teach someone how to farm. You could also just write about your experiences on a farm or fictional farm stories. Whatever it is, writing a book can be a great way to spend your free time.

Recommended Reading:

How to Publish a Book on Amazon: Real Advice from Someone Who?s Doing it Well (Work from Home)

This book is the ONLY book you'll need to start a career publishing Kindle books.If you've been dreaming of publishing a book, but don't know where to start—or if you've already published but can't find success—this may be the book you've been waiting for.Why not take the first step toward your publishing career and download it right now? I promise you won't find any fluff or useless information in it. Just an actionable guide that answers the questions no one else will.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

86. Start a Blog

You can make money from blogging. It's not a get rich quick endeavor but if you enjoy writing, you should consider sharing your skills, farming methods, and stories on a blog. Eventually, once you have enough traffic, you can monetize it with ads.

87. Start a YouTube Channel

Everyone has a camera on their phone now. Because of this, it's very simple to start recording when you would like to share what you are doing on your farm. With YouTube, once you have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time within the last 12 months, you can monetize it with YouTube ads. The key is to keep posting interesting stuff. You can check out the Farmhacker YouTube channel here.

Recommended Video:

Homesteading Ideas to Make Money

88. Clothing

Do you know how to sew, knit, or crochet? If so, you could consider making clothing items such as hats, scarves, gloves, blankets, and more. You could then use a site like Etsy to promote and sell your items. If you raise your own fibers to make yarn and fabrics, this can be a nice additional touch.

Recommended Reading:

Vogue® Knitting The Ultimate Knitting Book: Completely Revised & Updated

First published in 1989, Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Knitting Book instantly became a beloved resource for knitters. The second edition, released in 2002, further cemented its place as the most trusted knitting resource. The past 15 years have seen many exciting advances in knitting, and this update encompasses them all. It features an expanded library of cast-ons, increases, decreases, and bind-offs; in-depth sections on newly favorite techniques such as brioche, entrelac, double knitting, and mosaic knitting; and design and construction chapters that go beyond just sweaters to encompass dozens of options for hats, mittens, socks, gloves, and more than 25 shawl shapes. Comprehensive chapters cover lace and cabling, and provide even more Information than before on knitters tools, correcting errors, finishing, embellishing, and garment care to give you a masterly understanding of every stage of knitting.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

89. Quilts

Quilting is quickly becoming a lost art. But that doesn't mean that people don't want quilts. It's just that the younger generations are not continuing on these traditions. A nice quilt can go for a lot of money.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

90. Wreaths

Making wreaths from trees and plants on your farm can be a great way to make money on a small farm. And if you raise Christmas trees on your farm then you can also make wreaths out of the ones that you can't sell.

Recommended Reading:

Branches & Blooms: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Magical Centerpieces, Wreaths, Garlands, and Other Unexpected Arrangements

Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo, authors of The Flower Recipe Book and founders of Studio Choo, provide more than 100 step-by-step projects to make with flowering and leafy branches. In the spring, readers can create a cherry blossom bough or a centerpiece of lilacs and olive branches. In the summer, a garland features sage with pomegranates and citrus-colored strawflowers. In autumn, wreaths are made out of magnolias and rosemary. Winter highlights cedar, pine, and juniper, yielding unexpected table settings and new wreath shapes. Also included are hundreds of step-by-step photos, as well as tutorials covering basic techniques, sourcing, and care information.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

91. Primitive Wood Decor Items & Signs

Do you enjoy working with wood? You could consider making decorations out of wood like signs, wall decor, checkerboards, cubbies, and various other decorations. You can even consider making these out of wood pallets which are very easy to come by.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

92. Walking Sticks

Custom made walking sticks can be very beautiful. Some of the most interesting ones I've seen have been made out of trees and branches that were wrapped in vines. And remember, a walking stick can be used for more than just getting around when you're old. They can also be used for hiking.

Recommended Reading:

Hand Carving Your Own Walking Stick: An Art Form (Fox Chapel Publishing) Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Artisan-Quality Sticks, Canes, & Staffs (Staves), Including Realistic Snakes & Finishing

Award-winning woodcarver David Stehly walks you through the entire process of making artisan-quality sticks, staffs, and canes that are as functional as they are beautiful. Step-by-step projects and ready-to-use patterns make it easy to get started in this relaxing and rewarding hobby. An inspirational color photo gallery illustrates many of the authors spectacular projects, including sticks adorned with lifelike lizards, magnificent bighorn sheep, leaping trout, and many more. A special focus is on carving realistic snakes that wrap around the sticks, all carved from a single piece of wood.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

93. Milled Lumber

If you have nice timber on your property or have access to timber somewhere else, you could consider milling it into lumber or flooring. You would need to purchase some equipment for this such as a saw mill. But nice lumber can be sold for a good price.

Recommended Reading:

Harvest Your Own Lumber: How to Fell, Saw, Dry and Mill Wood

A concise guide for the small shop or enthusiastic hobbyist, Harvest Your Own Lumber covers all of the important steps in the conversion of wood. John English takes the reader through selecting the raw material to the final drying of the harvested timber. All of the steps in between are explained in clear text accompanied with photographs and charts that make the process of milling your own lumber a guaranteed success.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

94. Dog Houses

If you are handy and can build things quickly, you could consider building dog houses in your free time. A nice looking custom built dog house can be sold for a good price.

95. Backyard Chicken Coops

Backyard chickens are becoming very popular. Typically, people that raise chickens in their backyards don't need a large coop. You could consider building and selling small coops for people that want a backyard flock. Another idea is to sell a complete kit that includes a coop, a few chickens, a feeder, a waterer, and a bag of feed. How awesome would it be to come home and have a complete chicken setup ready and waiting for you.

Recommended Reading:

Building Chicken Coops For Dummies

This practical guide gives you easy-to-follow and customizable plans for building the backyard chicken coop that works best for you. You'll get the basic construction know-how and key information you need to design and build a coop tailored to your flock, whether you live in a small city loft, a suburban backyard, or a small rural farm.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

96. Bird House, Bird Feeders, and Bat Houses

Bird houses, bird feeders, and bat houses are another item that can be built relativity quickly. And you could build some very beautiful ones that are hard to find at the store. Think about what a birdhouse mansion would look like.

Recommended Reading:

Handmade Birdhouses and Feeders: 35 projects to attract birds into your garden

Handmade Birdhouses and Feeders will teach you everything you need to know to create a safe haven for your feathery friends, with 35 different designs to choose from, and useful tips on how to make your handiwork as bird-friendly as possible. Michele McKee-Orsini will take you through basic woodworking skills and show you how to decorate your birdhouses using a range of techniques and materials. Split into five chapters entitled: "Rustic Birdhouses", "Modern Birdhouses", "Upcycled Birdhouses", "Novelty Birdhouses" and "Bird Feeders", Handmade Birdhouses and Feeders has something stylish and practical to suit any backyard or outside space. Complete with easy to follow step-by-step instructions, clear artworks, and stunning photography, Handmade Birdhouses and Feeders will have you woodworking and crafting in no time!

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

97. Rabbit Houses

If you are interested in selling rabbits, you could also sell rabbit houses to go along with them. You could also sell movable rabbit tractors so people can let their rabbits mow their grass for them.

Recommended Reading:

Rabbit Housing: Planning, Building, and Equipping Facilities for Humanely Raising Healthy Rabbits

Create a safe, sanitary, and efficient home for your rabbits. In this informative guide, Bob Bennett provides clear step-by-step instructions for building attractive all-wire hutches of all sizes, with additional tips for adding the necessary accessories like feeders, watering systems, nest boxes, and fencing. From the direction a hutch door should swing to proper ventilation and protection from predators, Bennett covers everything you need to know to create a housing structure that will help promote a healthy and productive rabbit-raising operation.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

98. Beehives

Beehives can be hard to find locally. If you know how to build them you could consider selling them as an additional way to make money. This could work really well if you are also selling honey bees with them.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

99. Furniture

Do you know how to build furniture like chairs and tables? There is a huge market right now for farmhouse tables and they aren't cheap. If you mill your own lumber, you could even use it to build some of these to sell.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

100. Pottery

Do you know how to make pottery? And do you have a wheel and a kiln? If so, you could sell some of your pottery as an additional way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook

In Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook―a book-and-DVD package―he presents clear tutorials and loads of original instruction on all of the core techniques, from studio setup to basic throwing, to applying appendages, trimming, glazing, and firing. For each technique, detailed step-by-step photography captures the subtle, intricate movements that typically fly by too fast to be learned when watching a video lesson; callouts then lead readers to the relevant video on the DVD so they can see the technique demonstrated in real time―an ideal combination that makes learning from the master easy.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

101. Paintings

Do you know how to paint? You could make paintings of beautiful farm scenes (maybe even from your own farm) and sell them as another income stream.

Recommended Reading:

How to Paint: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Watercolors, Acrylics, and Oils

Start Painting Today! Covering the three most popular types of painting: watercolors, acrylics and oils, this comprehensive step-by-step guide provides basic information on materials and techniques as well as an exciting series of demonstrations aimed at complete beginners. The unique approach of this book is so simple that the reader can start immediately on original and exciting projects. Each section has practical information on materials and equipment and includes a gallery of work by various artists to inspire the beginner. The projects cover all types of subjects, including landscapes, still life, people, flowers, animals and buildings. Within each section the demonstrations provide instruction in a whole range of different techniques from the basic brushstrokes to using resist and painting with a knife. Filled with stunning artworks and inspiring projects, this book will help beginners to achieve immediate and impressive results with a minimum of practice.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

102. Jewelry

Are you interested in making jewelry? Some of the neatest jewelry I've ever seen was created using recycled material. This kind of stuff seems to do well on Etsy.

Recommended Reading:

Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making and Beading

Youve probably coveted jewelry youve seen in artsy boutiques and fashion magazines or envied friends who have the perfect bling to accent everything. With this book, youll learn to craft designs that are chic but inexpensive. With hundreds of detailed photos, this book covers tools and supplies, bead stringing and weaving, wire wrapping, and more. Terrific projects will get you started and inspire you to create your own jewelry and beadwork designs.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

103. Photography

Do you have any skills as a photographer? If so, you could offer your services for weddings, senior photos, family photos, or even photos. You can also consider taking photos and selling them as stock photos. There are several sites you can list your photos on for sale.

Recommended Reading:

How to Create Stunning Digital Photography

This book gives you five innovations no other book offers: -Free video training. Watch over 20 hours of fast-paced, hands-on video tutorials integrated into the book to support and reinforce the lessons. View the videos using any web browser or by scanning QR codes with your smartphone. -Hands-on practices. Complete the practices at the end of every chapter to get the real-world experience you need. -Practice quizzes. At the end of most chapters you have the option of taking an online quiz to apply what you learned in the chapter and make sure you didnt miss anything important. -Classroom support. Join an author led private community of supportive, helpful people who also want to improve their photography. -Free ebook with lifetime updates. When you buy the book and join the private Stunning Digital Photography readers community, you can download the ebook and copy it to your smartphone or ereader for easy reference.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

104. Hauling

If you have a farm, chances are you have a truck and trailer. If so, you could consider hauling items for people. You could advertise your services on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

105. Tree Removal

If you know how to fell trees, you could offer a tree removal service. Instead of chipping the wood, you could haul it off and sell it as firewood as an additional way to make money on a small farm.

Recommended Reading:

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

106. Turn Your Trade Into a Side-Hustle

Do you know a professional trade such as HVAC repair, plumbing, car repair, computer repair, or carpentry? If so, you could use your trade as a side-hustle and make extra income whenever you need it.

Recommended Reading:

Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days

Chris Gullibeau is no stranger to this world, having launched more than a dozen side hustles over his career. Here he offers a step-by-step guide that takes you from idea to income in just 27 days. Designed for the busy and impatient, this detailed road map will show you how to select, launch, refine, and make money from your side hustle in under a month.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

How to Make Money Farming 5 Acres

A common question I hear is how do you make money farming 5 acres? This is probably because 5 acres seems like the perfect farm size or homestead size in most peoples' minds. The truth is almost every idea in this article can be applied in some way or another to make money on 5 acres.

However, the more acreage you have the easier it is to scale these small farm income ideas up to make even more money from farming. At a certain point you would have to hire help though. A 5 acre farm is definitely a good start though.

How to Make Money on 10 Acres

The second most common question I see in regards to acreage is how do you make money on 10 acres? The great thing about a 10 acre property is that, in some states and counties, 10 acres and above is officially classified as a farm which means it falls under a much lower property tax bracket. This is true in the state I live in.

Also, lots of home mortgage brokers will typically still give you a home loan for a house sitting on 10 acres. If you want to buy a house with more acreage than that, you may have to look into a land loan or a farm loan.

With that being said, again, the small farm income ideas listed above may work even better on a 10 acre farm than a 5 acre farm. More acreage will allow you to do more with the land and scale up your operations as necessary.

What are some ways to make money farming that I have left out of my list? Please share them in the comments below.

How To Earn Money On A Hobby Farm

Source: https://farmhacker.com/make-money-farming-small-farm/

Posted by: kennardengstiong.blogspot.com