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Homesteader Income Streams?

Started by Jason_AliceMae Farms, February 18, 2014, 03:09:36 PM

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Jason_AliceMae Farms

So my goal eventually is to be in a position to be at my property full time to be able to homestead and enjoy it all the time.  I often think about different income streams for either a full or part time homesteader.  I am just throwing this out there to see what others may be doing currently on your homestead or other ideas you guys have had.  I think in another life I was a farmer/rancher or something along those lines because my day dreams always come back to the slower paced, hard work, old school way of life.

Income streams for the homestead I have thought about:
Small flock of sheep and other animals (chickens, dairy/meet cows, rabbits, etc.)
Garden, fruit/nut trees
Firewood
Sawmill services and some lumber
Land Clearing/excavation, haying, small scale logging (already be taking place on the homestead)
Small scale "agri-tourism"
welding services
incorporating other hobbies somehow (woodworking, hunting, fishing, etc.)
and the list goes on but the brain is failing me now...

What else do you guys do or would you like to get into?


Watching over 90 acres of the earth with 50 acres being forest.

Someday I would like to be able to say that I left thes 90 acres healthier than when I started watching over them.

Leigh Family Farm

I don't have a homestead yet, an emphasis on yet, so here are my thoughts on it.

Too many things may bog up your chance to make money. I would focus on the things that work in a nice synergy together, and have a core four or five money makers with several outlyers that produce money but aren't as steady. Here's how I would do it:

Chickens (eggs and broilers)
Rabbits (meat)
Pigs (meat)
Vegetables (small enough that I can handle it. Think CSA)
Fruits (U-pick berries, small apple & peach orchards)

These five would be my main focus. You can grow feed for your animals, eat the animals, and reduce labor costs with U-pick style fruits. From the reading I have done, these enterprises as a whole would take up about 6 hours a day (don't quote me on this, its just what I read). Obviously some days would be more focused on one aspect than others.

The outlyers for me would be:
Sawmill
Woodworking
Firewood
Beekeeping
Pumpkin patch
Beeswax candles

I picked these because they are enjoyable to me and can be done during slow times. I can cut firewood during winter when the vegetables aren't growing. Do woodworking at the same time. Make candles from the wax I harvested during the summer. Bees take an hour a week for small scale hives. Pumpkin patch is simple, low labor costs, and brings people to the homestead. Sawmilling would fill in the gaps.

Again this is all my opinions and should be taken with a grain of salt on the rim a margarita glass...
There are no problems; only solutions we haven't found yet.

Babylon519

When my wife and I were first starting out, we came across an encyclopaedia-size book put out by Reader's Digest about self-sufficiency, homesteading etc. Even though we were both raised in middle-class homes (the lap of luxury to some), the bug hit us. Years later, we finally got our 25-acre hobby farm, and we've been enjoying it for over 10 years. First, we got the obligatory old horse for free; a buddy said "you paid too much" and he was right! (first weekend: $300 for hay, $300 for wood for a stall, and $300 for a saddle). Ultimately, we decided to start raising calves for red veal - something our friends and family would buy (the "Hundred-Mile Diet" has been our friend!). Wife thought it would make sense to start them out on milk, so we got a few dairy goats. Then we had too much milk, so we added a few spring lambs each year to fatten them up for the freezer. We also do about 150 broiler chickens each year (9 weeks in-and-out = $3000). We've done all this for about 8 cycles now. In addition to heating with our own wood, and renting out the 18 workable acres we have, the whole enterprise pays the mortgage, insurance and taxes and then some. Whether you look at it as another income in the household, or being paid to practise all your favourite hobbies, it adds up to a good lifestyle. The goats now number about 30, and their milk feeds our bull calves and sheep each year; we drink the milk also, and my wife makes a farm cheese that is welcome everywhere we go. We're the envy of all who visit us - even our city friends love that everything we do is so natural, laid-back, and yet our agricultural activities are surprisingly integrated, profitable, and fun. We had thought about raising Christmas trees, mushrooms, an orchard, or a CSA but, for some reason or other, never got around to those. Maybe we're too laid back!! :D
Now, my newest interest is the sawmill. I don't really care if I sell any wood, but something tells me our city friends will think one of my logs would make a nice headboard or patio table, and I'll see money coming my way. Another odd thing: it just keeps getting better each year!
Jason
1960 IH B-275 - same vintage as me!
1960 Circle Sawmill 42"
Stihl MS440 & a half-dozen other saws...

thecfarm

No idea how close you are to a city,but them city people will spend the money. We tried a few things here in the country. It's hard. Most don't have the money and most want the one stop shopping,like Walmart. But there was a few that was kinda steady customers. But takes more than 10 to make a go of it. There are alot of "talkers" too. They ask for certain things,like turkey at Thanksgiving or meat birds. I ask for a deposit on such and they stop talking.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

36 coupe

You could do this 40 years ago but not now.My re tax bill is 10 times what is was in 1967.My fuel oil costs 10 times what it was back then.Get your self a good job with benefits.

21incher

It really depends where you live and the use the property is zoned for. Some areas can really limit what you are able to do. Also anymore you may want to look into the insurance, licensing and department of labor requirements for each type of venture you would like to engage in. Also I see you live in NY so if you are located near a college you may qualify for the new 10 year tax free zone incentives they have created. My wife and I have found that by growing our own food, canning, and heating with wood we can live comfortably on very little. The only things we can't control are the property tax bill  and health insurance costs which rise drastically every year.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Jason_AliceMae Farms

Property tax definitely is a killer in NY but I don't want to end up in the woodshed getting into that one.

I am definitely not going into it with goals of becoming monetarily rich, for me it is the lifestyle and fulfillment that means more.  I would expect that I would be working another job even if it were just part time to offset income.  I am looking at it as more of a lifestyle/hobby that helps pay for itself and can be rewarding.

There are a few books I am reading now but next up are some of Joel Salatan's books.  He is a farmer in Virginia that is bit on sustainable farming and having your crops and animals work together for you to make a better product and take care of the land better.  I am going to try and take a trip this summer to his farm.
Watching over 90 acres of the earth with 50 acres being forest.

Someday I would like to be able to say that I left thes 90 acres healthier than when I started watching over them.

r.man

Outgoing is very important as well. My grandfather was the last family member to make a living on a farm and he had no hydro, heating, phone, tv or internet bill. He would have had taxes, foods that he didn't grow and many small things he didn't make as well as tools, lamp oil etc. I know bartering was common as well as substitution, maple syrup for sugar as an example. As for incoming niche crops and animals to me are the way to go. You cannot compete with the big operations on many things so don't try. Organic everything and cutting out as many middle men as possible so you are both competitive and profitable.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

m wood

hi Jason.  Sorry I never PMd you back on job outlooks around here(got buisy).  I think you got a good overall starting point.  I like your story Babylon519, way to go!  I rent out about 40 tillable acres and it only pays 1/3 my propert taxes here in NY.  When I build and move onto the property those taxes will skyrocket :'(.  I would be into many of those afforementioned hobby farm ventures except for animal raising.  animal husbandry isn't our thing and we think they would tie us down too much.  We like the idea of organic vegetables and a stand, A large pumpkin patch in the fall, selling topsoil, lumber, an outdoor wedding venue and photo area has even crossed our minds.  if we could break even with the land we would be in heaven, and were getting close.  I refuse to go into debt and I'm willing to go cash on every venture we undertake, but thats limiting.  We both still have fulltime jobs and that doesn't diminish the fullfillment the land provides at this time.  However, I do want to make a full time job out of the land ventures and my wife is totally on board with that ;) that help tremendously..
mark
I am Mark
80 acre woodlot lots of hard and soft
modified nissan 4x4/welding rig
4x4 dodge plow truck
cat 931b track loader
Norwood mark IV
4' peavy
6' peavy
stihl 034
"her" wildthing limber saw
ALL the rustic furniture  woodworking stuff
check out FB

SwampDonkey

Where I live only the Mennonites are able to do it because they network and the rest of us tend to be cut throat. I live in a rural part of the continent, cities here are just large towns when compared to the US. Anyway, if you can grow 3 acres of carrots and 1 acre brocolli in fields, and lettuce, tomatoes and beat greens in the summer in greenhouses, have 5 sheep, 4 cows and ten chickens, burn 30 cords of firewood for yourself in an OWB to heat a house (most is green off the stump, some bought) and truck your carrots and other produce every week with a pickup truck for $90 in fuel costs to the nearest city. If you can do all that, pay for the farm, and have money to live your a lot smarter than I am. I know 3 of these independent summer road side stands that sold corn, squash and pumpkin and they lasted 1-3 years after they went broke. Most of us would need one family member in a good job and the farm is just a hobby where money is just a trickle and a lot of work.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Cedarman

First, I would move to a more business friendly state. 
We have no zoning in our county.  Makes it much easier to live.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Sawyer697

Think about adding Beekeeping into your mix, If you talk to the Mennonites, they will work with you as a rule. Pure Honey sells at a fair price. But the cost of equipment is expensive, till you get started. Raise your food and Can it.
Taxes and Health Insurance are the killer. Hope you love to work, Because it takes a lot of labor.
1997 LTHD40G24 WM Mill. 640 Bobcat. 555 ford Backhoe, Husky 365XP
40 Acres Foresty
Custom Sawing in Geauga and Lake County
Build my own solar kiln
Build Furniture, Out Buildings
Bee Keeper, Love My Lord

OlJarhead

What I have done is take a job in my field in the area our property is in and I commute to the job (45 miles to my main office).

Not ideal but lets me live on the homestead and pays the bills -- and I can telecommute when the weather is bad.
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Jason_AliceMae Farms

Mark - not a problem at all, busy is good but with all the snow I know that I had at my place up there I am sure that you are tired of clearing snow by now.  I have to start another thread later on showing the shave horse that I put together to use built from scrap I found headed to the dumpster at work.

I agree with many of the posts here that financially with times today it is very difficult to have a hobby farm and expect to be profitable.  Competing with large commercial farms is not something I would even consider attempting especially starting basically from scratch.  NY is also not a great place for any money making business no matter how much they spend on commercials telling you otherwise.

I have a local farmer that hays about 20 acres for me and we got to talking one day since his family had a good size dairy farm up until about 10 years ago.  His father sold all their cows except some to keep for family use.  His father was tired of having to basically pay to milk his cows. 

From what I know small scale farming and small scale logging are similar in this way.....If you want to make $1Million dollars doing them then you should start off by having $2Million in the bank  :D

Watching over 90 acres of the earth with 50 acres being forest.

Someday I would like to be able to say that I left thes 90 acres healthier than when I started watching over them.

chevytaHOE5674

A lot depends on your area and what will sell and what people are willing to pay for. Meat chickens, hogs, market gardens, etc are relatively easy and lowish cost, but you won't be able to compete with Walmart prices so you have to find the niche market that is willing to pay.

Things like land clearing, excavation, and haying require a lot of equipment and maintenance which makes it hard turn a profit, especially if you aren't doing large acreages and doing it close to fulltime.

Planman1954

My 2 cents worth (which actually have been mentioned in round-about ways) are to first strive to be debt free. That is a worthy goal which can be met within a few years while still having a job working for others, and a definite plan of action (including selling things you may not need.) The second thing is to barter when putting together your homestead, whatever it might be. My career allowed me over the years to trade labor for services that I needed done around my place, and now I have no mortgage. Of course there are still utilities, insurance, food, and gas. When you become debt free, you become able to help others. Check out the grumpy old men thread!
One thing about Louisiana is that we have homestead exemption, which allows for low property tax for your home property. If your income is low, your state income tax is low also. This makes for an ideal situation to live in the scenario you spoke about.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 / Solar Dry Kiln /1943 Ford 9n tractor

ely

debt free is the way to be... I would advise against any U-pick fruit and veggies idea... for the simple fact that folks that do not know how to grow their own food certainly do not know how to pick that same food properly.
one unlearned individual in a garden can undo a lot of hard work in a short amount of time. just my opinion.

thecfarm

I know of a couple veggies stands within about 20 minutes of ours.One has it's fields,many miles away and buys alot in. They make some money. We have seen thier prices and had people come here comment on them. We have sold stuff to them.As we stand they waiting for a check,people are there just about all the time They have been in business for years. A steady stream of customers.
Than the other one has a garden right next to the stand. They have told me people will come right into the garden and pick stuff and do damage. he had to put a fence up to keep people out.They are on a busy state road and are not that busy. We have been there for a ½ hour and no one came.
The first one I mentioned could probably almost support a family. They do a wicked business. The second one,no way. Just like with ours,it helps,but does not pay all the bills.
You say you both work. Who will run the stand while you are working? My wife use to run it when I was working. She would have some mighty busy days a few years back. I built her a nice building to sell stuff in and last year was the worst year we ever had. Our best days would be like our worst days last year. We was stuck here for the whole summer. We close The C Farm for good. We are getting our summers back. I would work in the garden,just about steady. Between picking,mulching,to cut down on weeding,picking bugs off the plants,waiting on customers,some days was busy, I did not get much done for me.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Corley5

Open a winery.  Grow grapes and other fruits on the farm to make the wine.  If you build a winery they will come  ;) ;D
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Babylon519

Corley, the county I live in has been investigating becoming a wine-making region. Soil and climate tests have shown that a segment of Huron County has many of the same conditions as the best wine-making regions of France. We have a two-acre plot where the horse grazed, but after he died last fall, we've been thinking about a small grape plantation. We have two Concord vines that we started a few years back, and this past season was their best ever. If anybody has experience with that, I'd love to hear about it. - Jason
Jason
1960 IH B-275 - same vintage as me!
1960 Circle Sawmill 42"
Stihl MS440 & a half-dozen other saws...

m wood

What do you think about that Jason_AliceMae Farms???  Your in a wine region aren't ya?  Probably some major capital involved though.  I can just see the busses and tour limmos in your driveway now 8)
I am Mark
80 acre woodlot lots of hard and soft
modified nissan 4x4/welding rig
4x4 dodge plow truck
cat 931b track loader
Norwood mark IV
4' peavy
6' peavy
stihl 034
"her" wildthing limber saw
ALL the rustic furniture  woodworking stuff
check out FB

Jason_AliceMae Farms

Ha-ha.....the wine thing is a funny thing that you bring up.  I am smack dab in the middle of wine country there are A TON of wineries and vineyards a stones throw from my property.  Right down the hill from me was 10+ acres for sale that was all vineyard that I would have considered buying it if I had deep pockets.  The really sad part is that whoever bought the property ripped out all the grapes and now it is just grass  >:(  I was so sad and upset to see all that hard work gone just pulled out and plowed over.  I do have a couple of vines growing that have probably been in the ground for close to 10 years I think that just finally produced some good table grapes last year but table grapes are much different than wine grapes.

The niche thing with all of the wineries in my area is something that I have been thinking about for awhile now and trying to do some work for/with them.  I would rather they have all the busses and limos and I support them or set up some stands in their shops.  I am not too far from Watkins Glen Race Track or Keuka Lake either so I see more of an upside in the tourist market than the local crowd, (thinking bundled firewood now).

useless fact:  Paul Newman had a house on the lake and would stay there during races at the Glen and on vacation

There are many cottages on the lake that those from downstate rent and/or own and that is one of the ways I plan on walking in your shoes some Mark.....market some Adirondack chairs, swings, etc. once I make a few good log furniture pieces.

Thanks for all the input and suggestions so far!
Jason
Watching over 90 acres of the earth with 50 acres being forest.

Someday I would like to be able to say that I left thes 90 acres healthier than when I started watching over them.

Corley5

Grow grapes for the wineries.  They seldom have enough of their own and the price per ton can be quite impressive  8)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

Or pick'm for $$/ton and let someone else tend them.  ;D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

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