Make Money on A Small Homestead
Inside: You most definitely can make money on a small homestead if you want to, and you put in the work to do so. Just find what you love doing!
I am not going to promise you that you are going to make so much money from your small homestead. I am going to say that you most definitely can make money on a small homestead if you want to, and you put in the work to do so.
This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.
Make Money on A Small Homestead
Let's start with the easiest ideas first, things that you probably are already dealing with but maybe haven't thought about selling.
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Eggs
Yes, you can definitely sell your chicken, quail, or duck eggs as farm-fresh eggs. Are you going to make a lot of money doing it? Probably not, but depending on the cost of feed and eggs in your area, you can break even on feed while your birds are laying continuously.
You can make more money selling hatching eggs though. This is going to be more lucrative if you have pure birds, not just barnyard mixes. And mainly in the spring and early summer.
Chicks
This is my biggest spring and summer income stream that comes directly from our homestead. I start our incubators in February and until the beginning of August. We sell chicks from $5-$10 each, unsexed.
There has never been a time that I hatched and didn't sell the chicks if that is what I wanted. I think the longest I have had brooder chicks that were for sale was 2-3 weeks. The quicker you can sell them after hatching the higher your profit will be.
You could also cut out the incubators and brooders if you have a chicken that goes broody and will sit on eggs.
Bringing in extra money from the farm market is an excellent way to bump up your bottom line, but it requires putting your creativity to work. If you can open your mind wide to the possibilities that might exist in your backyard or even within your skillset, you’ll be amazed at the enjoyable and unexpected ways you can make money.
Backyard Plant Nursery
House plants are popular with everyone, not just homesteaders. If you have a spider plant, sell those babies! My plant is always giving off spider plant babies. They are very easy to root in water. Try growing more tropical plants too for added profits.
While it may seem like magic to propagate your own plants, it’s actually remarkably easy.
Are you starting your own vegetables and fruit plants this year? Plant some extras of everything that you are starting for yourself.
Perennial plants, like bee balm, grow easily from seed and then can be divided each year. A few strategically established perennial garden beds can keep your home looking beautiful and provide income from divisions.
More Ways to Make Money on A Small Homestead
These ideas are going to take a little more time and effort from you, as well as some expenses that you will have to take into account.
Start a Blog
You don’t have to sell your soul or push products, you just have to write content that readers find useful. More often than not, these are things that I have learned from our own journey and want to share with others as they start their own homestead.
Make Soap
Local shops sell handmade soaps for $6 per bar, and prices on Etsy are pretty similar. Once you have a bit of practice, it’s easy enough to churn out enough handmade soap to bring in a tidy sum. Have goats? Make goat's milk soap!
The Homesteader’s Guide to Making Money is an essential guide for anyone interested in starting a homesteading business. This comprehensive guide covers everything from finding the right land and securing financing to marketing your products and services. You’ll learn how to start and run a successful homesteading business while avoiding the common pitfalls that can lead to failure.
Sell Baked Goods – Home or Farmers Market
The key to doing well with baked goods lies in the planning process. You need to know your production costs, how long it will take to produce a product, and what you want to sell it for.
Some things are going to net you more profit than others. Some ideas to get you started:
- Caramel and Brownies
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Homemade Caramel
- Homemade Candy
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Caramel Apples
- Candy Apples
- Cake Pops
- Cupcakes
- Brownies
- Muffins
- Cookies
- Fudge
Whatever you decide to do to earn yourself a little something from your homestead, remember to think about what brings you joy. Maybe you love baking or making soap. I love to write (hence the blog addiction I have) but I also LOVE to hatch eggs with my kids in the spring and summer.
When you love what you are doing it doesn't feel like work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make money from a homestead? By selling your produce and farm products, offering agritourism and education experiences, creating value-added products and services, renting out your land and buildings, and joining local markets.
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