Are you looking to turn your homestead into a thriving source of income? Whether you’re a seasoned homesteader or just starting out, there are countless creative ways to make extra cash right from your own backyard. From selling plant starts and cuttings to offering farm tours and animal rentals, the opportunities are as abundant as your harvest. In this blog post, we’ll explore a variety of low-cost, low-work strategies that can help you maximize your homestead’s potential. Get ready to discover how your passion for self-sufficiency can also become a profitable venture!
Selling plant starts is a lucrative venture for homesteaders, offering a valuable service to gardeners eager to kickstart their spring planting. Many enthusiasts prefer the convenience of purchasing established plants rather than dealing with the complexities of seed starting. This presents a prime opportunity for homesteaders to capitalize on this demand. From tomatoes and flowers to cucumbers, squash, and various veggies, there’s a wide array of plants that can be sold as starts.
The beauty of this business is its low startup costs. All you need are seeds, soil, and containers to house the plants. Reusing containers like red Solo cups or old seed trays minimize expenses, making it a cost-effective endeavor. Despite the modest investment, the earning potential is significant. Customers are willing to pay a premium for plants that are already established, offering them a better chance of thriving in their gardens. By providing quality plant starts, homesteaders can cultivate a loyal customer base and enjoy a steady income stream come springtime.
Another profitable venture on your homestead is seed selling. By learning to save seeds from your existing plants, you can establish a sustainable seed business. The startup costs are minimal since the seeds are sourced from plants you already cultivate. All you need are the seeds themselves and small seed packets for packaging.
This low-cost business opportunity can yield high returns, as there’s always demand for quality seeds from trusted sources. However, it’s crucial to prevent cross-contamination between seed varieties to maintain purity and ensure customer satisfaction. With careful planning and attention to detail, seed selling can become a reliable source of income for your homestead.
Consider selling cuttings from your well-established plants. Plants such as blackberries, raspberries, fruit trees, elderberries, and more are easy to propogate. It’s a straightforward process: take a cutting from a healthy plant, apply rooting hormone, plant it in soil, and watch it develop roots of its own. This low-cost method can yield impressive returns.
With the constant desire to expand gardens and landscapes, there’s a consistent demand for new plant varieties. Take advantage of this by offering your cuttings for sale. Utilize platforms like Facebook Marketplace, local selling groups, or Craigslist to connect with potential buyers. By providing quality cuttings along with planting tips, you can not only earn extra income but also contribute to the gardening community.
Another easy way to make money on your homestead is by selling fertilized eggs. If you have a hen and a rooster, you’ll get fertilized eggs for practically free. These hatching eggs can be sold to people looking to raise chickens, and it can be especially profitable if you have rare or exotic breeds. Just be sure to keep each breed separate so buyers get the pure breed they want, not a mix. You can sell the eggs locally through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or neighborhood groups. If you decide to ship them, make sure to package them carefully to ensure they arrive intact.
Consider renting out a space on Airbnb or Vrbo. You could set up a glamping tent, tiny house, treehouse, or another unique living structure on your property and list it on these rental sites. While the startup cost for this option is higher than some of the others, it also has the potential for higher earnings. Once it’s set up, it should be relatively passive, with your main tasks being monitoring the rental site and cleaning up after guests leave.
People love paying for unique experiences, so highlight the farm-like charm of your property. Give guests a reason to stay with you, like petting goats or picking berries. Let them enjoy a taste of farm life.
Setting up a farm stand at the edge of your property or at the end of your driveway is a great way to sell a variety of items your homestead produces. You can offer freshly baked bread, cut flowers, extra veggies, seeds, eggs, plants, and other homemade goods. If you live in a high-traffic area, you’ll likely have more success due to the steady stream of potential customers passing by.
For those in more secluded locations, advertising your farm stand in local groups, community boards, and social media can help attract visitors. Consider adding a sign with your farm’s name and a list of what you’re selling to catch the attention of passersby. Providing a charming and inviting setup can also enhance the appeal, encouraging more people to stop by and support your homestead.
Another mostly passive way to earn extra income for your homestead is by selling building plans. If you’re handy or good at building things, you can create detailed plans for various projects and sell them on sites like Etsy. This option is great because the majority of the work is done upfront. Once you’ve developed your plans, you can upload them online and they can sell repeatedly with minimal effort.
Consider making plans for chicken coops, chicken tractors, raised beds, livestock shelters, and more. With quality designs, you’ll attract DIY enthusiasts looking for reliable guides, providing a steady stream of income.
You can also sell cut flowers, which can be a charming and profitable venture. I have a friend who sells cut flowers once a week, with customers coming to pick them up from her flower stand. She creatively uses recycled or upcycled jars, like old pickle jars, to arrange her bouquets and sells them for $5 each. Her costs are minimal because customers often bring their own jars, so her main expense is the flowers.
If you grow perennial flowers that return each year, your costs can be even lower, making this a highly affordable and sustainable way to earn extra income.
Additionally, offering a variety of flowers and arranging them in appealing ways can attract more customers. You can also promote your flower stand through local social media groups or community boards to increase visibility and sales. Creating a loyal customer base who look forward to your fresh bouquets each week can turn this beautiful venture into a steady source of income.
If you have a picturesque spot on your property, like an old barn or a field of wildflowers, you can rent it out to photographers who will pay to take pictures there. Setting this up might require some initial effort, especially if you’re planting a field of wildflowers, but once it’s established, it can be a consistent source of income. Building relationships with local photographers can turn this into the gift that keeps on giving.
Even if you just have an open field, reach out to local photographers, as many are always looking for unique locations for their shoots. If you have an old truck, consider decorating it for different holidays to make it an even more attractive spot for photos. This can become a charming and sought-after backdrop for photographers and their clients.
Another effortless way to generate income on your homestead, particularly if you have ample space, is to offer storage for RVs or boats. This opportunity requires minimal involvement on your part, making it a hassle-free option. All you need to do is provide a designated area on your property for individuals to store their RVs, boats, trailers, or other vehicles and equipment. It’s a simple arrangement that can yield steady passive income while making use of your available space.
Renting out your animals, such as goats for land clearing or pigs and cattle for breeding purposes, presents an effortless income opportunity on your homestead. If you already have these animals, leveraging them to help others who don’t can earn you extra money. Many individuals seek temporary solutions, like having goats clear their land or breeding their pigs and cattle, without the long-term commitment of ownership. However, it’s essential to ensure that those renting your animals treat them well. Maintaining a positive relationship with renters and establishing clear expectations can help ensure the well-being of your animals while generating additional income for your homestead.
When we first started homesteading, we didn’t go on a vacation for many many years because we couldn’t find anyone to care for our animals in our absence. Many other homesteaders face the same dilemma, longing for a getaway but held back by the responsibility of tending to their animals. However, this challenge presents an opportunity to turn your experience with animals or gardens into extra income.
By offering farm-sitting services, you can provide peace of mind to fellow homesteaders while earning some cash. If you’re already familiar with animal care and gardening, farm sitting shouldn’t be too difficult. Simply visit someone’s farm or homestead once or twice a day while they’re away, ensuring their animals are fed, watered, and their gardens tended to. It’s a win-win situation that allows you to help others while earning a little extra money.
Agritourism is rapidly gaining popularity as people seek unique experiences away from their daily routines. The allure of visiting a farm, interacting with animals, and immersing oneself in a different way of life is enticing to many. By opening up your farm or homestead to visitors, you can not only share your space but also generate income by charging a nominal fee for tours and experiences.
There are numerous directions you can take with agritourism. For instance, you could cater to aspiring homesteaders and farmers, offering guided tours, practical demonstrations, and valuable advice on sustainable living practices. Alternatively, you could target urban dwellers seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, providing them with an opportunity to relax in a rural setting, indulge in farm-fresh cuisine, and reconnect with nature.
Another approach is to focus on families and children by creating attractions like a petting zoo, playground, slides, and nature trails. Becoming a go-to destination for family outings can attract visitors looking to entertain their kids while enjoying the outdoors. I know of a nearby farm that offers such experiences for just $5 per person, and they’re consistently busy.
Whichever direction you decide to go, opening your space to visitors can not only be financially rewarding but also fulfilling as you share your passion for farming and homesteading with others.
Whether you’re sharing your space with visitors, selling cuttings from your favorite plants, or renting out spots for RV storage, there’s plenty of EASY money-making opportunity for homesteaders . With minimal startup costs, low amounts of work, and the potential for sweet returns, these 13 side hustles can help you bring in a little extra cash so you can fund more homesteading adventures.
We are real homesteaders on a real budget and we are all about helping you live this lifestyle without breaking the bank.
