Fifty ideas to make money from your homestead, whether you want to generate a full-time income or a little cash on the side!
UPD: The article has been updated with 4 new ideas (at the end) related to the internet and beyond!
A lot of homesteaders, whether they live on a backyard farm or a full-sized homestead, want to find a way to make money from their homestead. We work very hard on our homesteads and it would be great to be able to see some sort of a monetary return on our investments, right? We also produce some amazing products and skills and we want to be able to share those passions with others! Well, here’s the good news: There are many ways that you can make money from your homestead!
Whether your goal is to create a full-time income or just some extra side cash, it can be quite challenging when you first start out. However, it absolutely can be done! Prepare yourself for a lot of challenges and a lot of trial and error as you work to find a good process to produce profitable products. When you first start out, it can be helpful to try out different products and different marketing avenues until you find the one that works best for you.
These ideas are designed to jumpstart your brainstorming list of possible products and services that you can use to make money from your homestead. Always check with your local and state laws as you develop your products and services.
Money making ideas from animals & animal products
- Sell chicken eggs
- Sell duck eggs
- Sell quail eggs
- Sell chicks (consider specialty breeds like silkies)
- Sell fertilized eggs
- Sell meat chickens
- Sell ducklings
- Sell raw milk (if legal in your state)
- Make and sell cheese
- Make and sell yogurt
- Raise, breed and sell goat
- Raise, breed and sell small breed (or full-sized!) dairy cows
- Raise, breed and sell rabbits
- Raise, breed and sell lambs
- Raise, breed and sell fish (such as tilapia)
- Grow and sell composting worms (such as red worms) and worm farm starter kits
- Sell manure and aged compost
- Sell honey
- Sell herb-infused honeys
- Sell starter swarms
- Make and sell beehives
- Create custom organic grain and mineral mixes for livestock
Money making ideas from your garden and property
- Sell extra produce at a farmer’s market or roadside stand (for more ideas of products you can sell, check out our post: Eighty-Five Things You Can Sell at a Farmer’s Market that aren’t Produce!)
- Grow a specialty crop and sell to local restaurants
- You-pick orchards
- You-pick berry patches
- You-pick pumpkin patches
- Sell berry starts
- Sell fruit tree starts
- Propagate and sell succulents
- Propagate and sell herbs such as rosemary and lavender
- Sell vegetable starts
- Start a CSA with friends, family and coworkers
- Grow and sell mushrooms
- Set up a small seasonal organic nursery
- Partner with local photographers and allow them to use your farm for photoshoots
- Allow organizations and individuals to host events (such as weddings) on your farm
- Harvest and sell firewood if you have wooded land
- Explore agritourism options, such as petting zoos, corn mazes and bed & breakfasts
Money making ideas from services
- Hoof trimming services
- Garden planning services
- Garden and yard maintenance services
- Pet sitting/farm sitting services
- Offer educational classes (canning, gardening, aquaponics, knitting, etc.)
Money making ideas for those who are handy with tools
- Make and sell chicken coops
- Make and sell chicken tractors
- Make and sell rabbit hutches
- Make and sell milking stanchions for goats
- Make and sell hay mangers for goats
- Make and sell raised garden boxes
Money making ideas from handmade products
- Sell spun or raw wool
- Make and sell goat milk soaps and lotions
- Can and sell salsas and marinaras
- Can and sell jellies and jams
- Ferment and sell ciders, beers and wines
- Create and sell herbal tea blends
- Create and sell handmade craft items and hand-sewn items (wreaths, pallet signs, etc.)
4 more money making ideas in 2024–fresh opportunities
- Virtual homesteading workshops. Host online classes on various homesteading skills such as canning, animal husbandry, or permaculture.
- Custom seedling subscriptions. Offer a seasonal subscription service for local gardeners, providing custom-grown seedlings delivered at the perfect time for planting.
- Homestead-focused content creation. Start a blog, YouTube channel, or podcast dedicated to homesteading tips and tricks, monetized through ads, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing.
- Eco-friendly packaging production. Create and sell sustainable, reusable packaging solutions for other homesteaders and small businesses focusing on eco-friendly practices.
For even more ideas, check out our post: Eighty-Five Things You Can Sell at a Farmer’s Market that aren’t Produce! We would love to hear your ideas for making money from your homestead – share in the comments below!
If you like it then you better put a pin on it!
Just found your blog. I love it ?! We are just getting started on our homesteading journey, I will definitely be putting that homesteading management binder to good use, Thank you! I can’t wait for bedtime to read some more!
Hi Shelby! That’s fantastic! I hope you enjoy every step of the journey! It will be an adventure for sure! Keep us updated from time to time – I love to hear about everyone’s homesteading experiences.
Cheers!
Kaylee
Absolutely wonderful!!! You have so many great ideas that are down to earth and doable. Thanks soo much.
Hi Kaylee! I wish I was as organized as you are! I am interested in selling herb tea mixes. What is the best way to package them? I’d rather not go to the expense of packing the mix into tea bags – I thought I’d sell them loose. Should they be put into plastic baggies? Any input will be appreciated. I grow my own culinary and medicinal herbs.
Hi Sheryl,
Loose herbs and teas are very popular! One of my favorite ways to package them is in mason jars so that the container is reusable and completely waste free. You can also vacuum seal mason jars easily using the attachment from Food Saver. Tins can be another great option for zero-waste packaging and they look really professional. Another great option (and a very good option if you are shipping your products) is to use brown bags/pouches which you can buy in bulk – some even have ziplock or twist-tie closures on them. Amazon is a great place to check for options. I also use specialtybottle.com, bulk apothecary.com and mountainroseherbs.com
Great ideas! I have alot of small (1/2 pint) ball jars, and I just realized that the customer can come back and get tea refills! Thanks for all your inspiration!
I grow my own herbs as well and have started making teas to sell at the farmers market. I have found that mason jars are getting quite expensive, so I like the idea of tins.
I have started putting loose tea in paper bags with our farms label on it, and also putting loose tea in those empty teabags and then putting our logo on those as well. I am attempting to think of various ways to package them to draw customer attention. I don’t feel I have hit on the proper way, quite yet….
Packaging is always such a struggle! It’s really hard to find packaging that is sustainable and low waste that is also functional and efficient. I do like the idea of tins – I know I’m more willing to buy something if it’s in a container that I can reuse. The paper bags work well too as long as you are moving products out the door quickly since they don’t keep things fresh as long. Keep us posted if you find something that works really well! I’m always grateful to hear from other people as they “work out the kinks” with their farm products. Best wishes to you and your farm business!