Money making ideas for our new homestead please!!!

[mrbstephens]

We moved into our place a year and a half ago and we're working our tail feathers off trying to get this place in order. We have 1 3/4 acre. We're in the woods, on a private road, across from blazed hiking trails, a short walk to a couple of fresh water ponds, 1/2 mile from the beach, 1/2 mile from a public park, and 1 mile from the village. Our house was built in the 80s and everything is original including appliances, but we're slowing updating, painting etc. So far in our yard, we have a dozen chickens who live in a very well coop/run, but also free range when I'm around to watch them. We have 7 ducks in a temporary pen with a pond liner that needs work (a better, more appealing set up), Bobwhite quail that we are hatching and releasing in an attempt to repopulate the area and control the tick population, a bunch of guinea hens that roam the yard, the neighbors yards, and the woods. We have an angora rabbit that I shear and spin yarn from, two bee hives that are new this year, and a vegetable garden that is also new this year. I'm working on registering as a business so that I can writing off our many expenses and hopefully make a little money too as I stay home and homeschool our two children.

Right now, I'm selling chicken and duck eggs on the weekends which helps to pay for their feed. I've also sold a few fertile bobwhite quail eggs and I'm hatching some day old quail for a couple of people. My husband works full time, but on the side he makes beautiful things out of wood from local trees. This year, we won't get an surplus from our beehives because they are new and just establishing their colonies. I've sold some heirloom, organically grown vegetable plants.

We'd like to eventually sell honey and beeswax products, yarn and knit items, and maybe charcoal that my husband makes. I'd like to also get a sheep and a goat for more fiber.

I'm impatient and want to make money now! I'm looking around for more ideas. Vermiculture may be one of them, but I'm also very interested in craft fairs, homesteading workshops, and day camps for kids.

I need more ideas! Thanks in advance and here's a link to our website: http://www.sweetwoodlandfarm.com/index.html
and please LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweetWoodlandFarm

 

[mrbstephens]

 

[moolie]

Sounds like you are very busy! Your website looks great and very professional, and I can tell you are champing at the bit to try to turn a profit from your new lifestyle, but marketing your efforts takes time. Try to get in at your local craft fairs and farmer's market--if you can get a good stall things should take off pretty quickly. But be patient, I know sometimes those take a while to break into

For the workshops and day camps, check with your local Chamber of Commerce--I bet you'll find good advice on how to proceed

 

[~gd]

Sounds like you are very busy! Your website looks great and very professional, and I can tell you are champing at the bit to try to turn a profit from your new lifestyle, but marketing your efforts takes time. Try to get in at your local craft fairs and farmer's market--if you can get a good stall things should take off pretty quickly. But be patient, I know sometimes those take a while to break into

For the workshops and day camps, check with your local Chamber of Commerce--I bet you'll find good advice on how to proceed

I am suprised that charcoal making is still allowed on Long Island I think you are slipping under the radar on that project and I would do nothing to bring it the attention of the 'proper authories" You didn't mention insurance, You should have a bunch of coverage for your day camp and workshops if held at your place. I bought a 'hobby farm' [6.5 acres] and had Homeowner's insurance. When I inquired about farm animals I was told that I would need framer's insurance to cover them and my rates jumbed 50% When I mentioned that I was going to let a friend keep her horse in my stable the rates jumbed another 70% With the one horse costing me more for insurance then the house, outbuildings, and land I ended up telling my friend to find another home for her horse. I went back to the agent and asked exactly what animals would be covered by homeowners insurance and was told that pets were allowed "livestock" was not. "fine I have a pet duck is that allowed?" Yep switch me back to homeowners insurance. Wandered A bit but my best money makers were 'pond ducks' When they hatch about 50% are drakes, very colorful and good to eat but otherwise useless. I would take a cage to the farmer's market and explain their good points. most of the farmss were required to have ponds close to the buildings ti provide water for firefighting. and ducks on the pond are often very funny to watch. With all drakes there were few fights no over population and no explaining to the kids why one duck was trying to drown another [that is what mating on water looks like] MY big score was 50 pond ducks to a PUD and he came back every year for 10-12 replacements.
The IRS only lets you write off farm loses for 4 years so it is wise to show a profit when you can, otherwise they consider it a hobby and you can't write off for a hobby.~gd

 

[cheepo]

ahh great website...I love your ducks and chickens...and your mound beds sounds very interesting...

my advice to you is research research research...
eg...maybe you could offer or grow unique herbs,, or plants...i
know one place in our area doing well selling aqua plants
at farmers markets..offer interguing and unusual vegetables...
one stall here did very well selling a variety bag of different kinds of garlic...
there are some plants...that are worth a lot of money in the long run..but can be an inverstment
eg wild ginsing...
I think you are already so on the right track...you have secured a great homestead and are now
expanding with a business mind tunned for success,
i don't know your area...but research supply needs and demands..
even something as creepy as vermaculture...it is crazy what people charge for worms here..
and they amazingly multiply...
and i think there may be money to be made in geese and turkeys...
good luck..hope it all goes well..for you...

 

[Britesea]

multiple streams of income are the way to go. That way, if one doesn't pan out or goes belly up, you still have some income coming in. The idea of unusual plants is good, but if someone asks you to grow things you've never heard of- check it out carefully. My friend has an herb business and she got an email asking her to grow a bunch of herbs she hadn't heard of. I researched them for her, and everyone of them were, shall we say, "mind changing". Not illegal, but she did feel uncomfortable about providing them for him and turned him down.

 

[mrbstephens]

Sounds like you are very busy! Your website looks great and very professional, and I can tell you are champing at the bit to try to turn a profit from your new lifestyle, but marketing your efforts takes time. Try to get in at your local craft fairs and farmer's market--if you can get a good stall things should take off pretty quickly. But be patient, I know sometimes those take a while to break into

For the workshops and day camps, check with your local Chamber of Commerce--I bet you'll find good advice on how to proceed

I am suprised that charcoal making is still allowed on Long Island I think you are slipping under the radar on that project and I would do nothing to bring it the attention of the 'proper authories" You didn't mention insurance, You should have a bunch of coverage for your day camp and workshops if held at your place. I bought a 'hobby farm' [6.5 acres] and had Homeowner's insurance. When I inquired about farm animals I was told that I would need framer's insurance to cover them and my rates jumbed 50% When I mentioned that I was going to let a friend keep her horse in my stable the rates jumbed another 70% With the one horse costing me more for insurance then the house, outbuildings, and land I ended up telling my friend to find another home for her horse. I went back to the agent and asked exactly what animals would be covered by homeowners insurance and was told that pets were allowed "livestock" was not. "fine I have a pet duck is that allowed?" Yep switch me back to homeowners insurance. Wandered A bit but my best money makers were 'pond ducks' When they hatch about 50% are drakes, very colorful and good to eat but otherwise useless. I would take a cage to the farmer's market and explain their good points. most of the farmss were required to have ponds close to the buildings ti provide water for firefighting. and ducks on the pond are often very funny to watch. With all drakes there were few fights no over population and no explaining to the kids why one duck was trying to drown another [that is what mating on water looks like] MY big score was 50 pond ducks to a PUD and he came back every year for 10-12 replacements.
The IRS only lets you write off farm loses for 4 years so it is wise to show a profit when you can, otherwise they consider it a hobby and you can't write off for a hobby.~gd

I am completely unaware of an issues against making charcoal here, however I have removed that from our For Sale section after reading about the possible cause of air pollution during fabrication. My husband has been making it to use with the barbeque and I thought it would be cool to sell it. He didn't really want to do it anyway.

I am still in the process of registering as a business and of right now only have our homeowner's insurance. I plan on calling my insurance agent to get some quotes, but I don't think I would qualify for "farmer's insurance."

I'm going to be teaching classes in home canning per many requests. Wish me luck!

 

[~gd]

I used to have a friend on the Island. The house was the model for a subdivison that had failed Very strange to see sidewalks running thru the woods... They had a catalytic converter to treat the exhaust from the fireplace and the woodstove, it seems that a trace of smoke would cause calls to local government and even to the EPA!

I am fairly sure that Homeowner's insurance does not cover business where your customers visit your home, maybe you can get away with a Tupperware party but canning is dangerous. Insurance cos hate animalls My policy even outlaws potbellied pigs sincethey were often sold as pets Since you don't [yet} have farm animals you won't need farmer insurance. Ask about an unbrella [can't spell} that can cover lots of liability for few bucks.
I bought $1 Million of coverage for $60 when I was forced out of my house. I knew the local kids had plans for the house Pot, booze and sex parties once I had moved out. I didn't own the house but they had to cross my land to get to it and posting the land gave me no protection. Heck someone even stold my board fence. The Cops told me that there were 4 serous accidents there that required a trip to the hospital but no one wanted to sue the state or my insurance company.

 

[moolie]

We added a "home business" rider to our home insurance, costs us an extra $75 per year. Covers business equipment, computer, inventory and "furniture" like shelving/desks etc. We were told it was a pretty standard rider, so I'm sure that most insurance companies can add something similar to what you already have.

However, anything dealing with food you will likely need other licensing from your municipality or county--the specifics vary widely in my area so I assume that is true everywhere else. No personal experience with the animal side of things, but again I'd check with your local authorities on the matter.

 

[mrbstephens]

We added a "home business" rider to our home insurance, costs us an extra $75 per year. Covers business equipment, computer, inventory and "furniture" like shelving/desks etc. We were told it was a pretty standard rider, so I'm sure that most insurance companies can add something similar to what you already have.

However, anything dealing with food you will likely need other licensing from your municipality or county--the specifics vary widely in my area so I assume that is true everywhere else. No personal experience with the animal side of things, but again I'd check with your local authorities on the matter.

I'm not sure that I'd need different licensing or inspection if I'm just teaching a class in canning. I'm not selling the food, just teaching how to prepare it.
If I were to sell canned items, then I'd need to register my business to do that and also have an inspection of my kitchen by the department of health.
I will be calling my insurance agent soon....