Bed and breakfast business growth is exploding across the country. With the average Airbnb host making nearly $1,000 a month, this is a small farm income idea worth looking into.
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Tag: 1-4 hours per day
Supply Meat to Raw Feeders
As pet food recall after recall is announced in the news, more concerned pet owners are turning to raw food to feed their animals. This is bad news for the pet food industry, but good news for meat producers.
Continue reading “Supply Meat to Raw Feeders”Become a Hired Scythe
There is something magical about the sound of a well honed scythe blade sliding across the grass. That scything is infinitely better for both the environment and the land itself is an added bonus. Many people are drawn to this, one of the skills of the “old ways,” but scything is a true skilled trade and not many people can do it themselves. This is where you can come in, by offering your services as a hired scythe.
Lands managed by scything tend to improve in health over time. Scything is also ideal for places where machinery can’t get, such as in wet areas or steep hills. Because of its nearly nonexistent environmental impact, scything is appealing to the environmentally conscious among us, so you’ll probably find more demand for a hired scythe near urban areas.
Niche markets without a lot of supply are perfect money makers if you find the right area and marketing. A hired scythe could draw demand from all around once word gets out. You aren’t likely to have a lot of competition, either.
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Start a Babysitting Business
Affordable, trustworthy childcare is getting harder to find. If you have the time and space, starting a babysitting business may be an excellent side business, freeing you up to pursue other farming ventures.
If you have children already, you probably have what you need to start a babysitting business in your home. If you don’t already have children, you may find it easier to go to other people’s homes to babysit. There is demand for both of these models.
The main consideration on whether or not this will work for you is state licensing requirements. Some states require no special licensing if you watch a limited number of children in your own home while others may require you to operate under a daycare license. It is critical to look into this before getting started to avoid potential legal issues. Insurance is another consideration – if you have to disclose your babysitting business to your insurance company, they may require you to add liability insurance. It’s a good idea to have this anyway, but that’s a topic for another day. Continue reading “Start a Babysitting Business”
Become a Sheep Shearer
Across America, a situation has been developing and it is becoming urgent: the lack of a sheep shearer. I hear from sheep raising friends fairly frequently about how difficult it is to find a shearer. Not even to find a “good shearer,” but any sheep shearer at all.
A quick look at this sheep shearer directory shows us that overall, the industry is being underserved. In California, for example, there are only 19 shearers listed. That’s a big state to be served by 19 people, especially since California is the top producer of wool in the United States.
If you are a sheep producer yourself, you are probably already aware of the shortage. Your skills as a shearer could be the ticket to an additional income stream to help you profit from your small farm. A small investment and weeklong class later, you can be on your way to a professional shearing operation. Continue reading “Become a Sheep Shearer”
Offer Pet Boarding Services
If you have a small farm, you likely have animals and understand how difficult it can be to get away overnight. One of the main reasons is the lack of reliable care for animals. If you have the space, especially with a kennel setup, consider offering pet boarding services to fill a very real need and bring in some extra cash. The main requirement? You’ve got to love animals to want to add other people’s to the mix.
First, Identify the Need
Is there actually a need for pet boarding in your area? You can start by doing a Google search or asking in local Facebook groups. In our area, the vet offers boarding and there are a couple of private boarding kennels; a pretty decent supply for our little town. If your local vet is the only option, you may have a potential for your area because many people are reluctant to board healthy animals in a place for the sick. Continue reading “Offer Pet Boarding Services”
Becoming a Freelance Writer
I love writing. From my earliest memories, I was reading and writing, spending summers in the library and developing what would be a lifelong love of words. Becoming a freelance writer was something I longed to do even as a child. We had one of those first Apple computers and I’d sit at the keys, idly tapping them without any idea what to do with them, just knowing I had a yearning that couldn’t be defined.
Here we are, just a couple 😉 years later, and I’ve made thousands of dollars off of various freelance writing projects. While not necessarily farm related, becoming a freelance writer is a solid way to make income from home and there are numerous opportunities out there for talented writers who have the ability to follow through. Continue reading “Becoming a Freelance Writer”