It Hit the fan! Homesteading for Real ideas wanted

[Beef11]

So I may be forced to sell my business due to my building being sold out from underneath me. It is a pretty crappy deal and i will get a pittance of what its worth but thats the way life is sometimes.

So on the Homestead i must rely. I have 13 acres mostly irrigated pasture, Several large deadish trees, a big red barn with a chicken coop attached, pigeon coop, I have a nice insulated shop, a small orchard, good sized garden (lots of raspberry's), a pigpen and a few small areas of waste ground slated to go into garden production. Animal wise i have 2 horses 4 pigs (until march) 9 laying hens and a bunch of leghorn roosters, and a few dogs. I think they will throw me out of this deal in January some time but i will make quite abit in December so cash shouldn't be much of an issue for 4-8 months unless i buy a lot of cows which wouldn't be out of character for me. I think i need to put together a lucrative bird project. I've been toying with the idea of nurse cows or milk goats for bottle calves. I think i could buy some traps and run a trap line jan- feb then move into shed hunting (good use for horses). I have an established market for barn pigeons so i can sell as many as i catch. I still need some more revenue that is fairly liquid. All ideas are welcome except "get a job" thats not how we play homesteader.

[Shrek]

What was your business? Can it be incorporated into your homeplace ventures as a income stream?

Is there a large hispanic population in your area? If so, meat goats could be a good income stream.

[Beef11]

The business is a dog boarding facility, It can be incorporated to a limited degree. I'm going to bring the dog food sales home with me. Not alot of hispanics close by but some for sure.

[mpillow]

A vegetable garden is the cheapest and easiest put food on your table idea. Pumpkins for Halloween, what doesnt sell is livestock or people feed.

Hunting deer (or elk in your area?) is a another boon for the freezer.

Personally IMO horses are hay burners, if you are looking to reduce costs selling them would be on my list.

Milk goats or cows...whichever suits.....I like goats but cows milk is easier to get cream and such products from. Calves are easy.

An easy meat thing that you might sell is broiler chickens.....8weeks start to finish. Their poo poo is great for growing those pumpkins.

Dog training?

Be diverse with a seasonal flare.....

[botebum]

Is there a problem with using part of the property to erect an indoor/outdoor dog kennel and continuing your business? Also the dog training sounds up your alley.

Doug

[Iddee]

Deposit all you make in dec. in the bank, in one account, then put an automatic draft from it into your living account. The draft should be 1/12 ot the total each month. Keep your expenses down to what is in your living account. That way, you will have a guaranteed income for the first 12 months. That is enough time to know if you can make it or will have to get a job after all.

The farm, board and train bird dogs.
Have two freezers for the game and domestic meats and the veggies you don't want to can or dry. Have a generator for the freezers during power outages.

One small tractor or one plow horse, no other horses. Pigs are the most meat for the least amount of time and feed, other than game. Bees are a good paying commodity that can be managed without a regular schedule. You can leave a week or two and they are fine. Honey and beeswax are used for many things, including selling. Increasing hives and selling the extras is also good money.
Then you can look at all the rest, chickens, goats, cows, ducks, guineas, as the opportunity comes along to pick them up cheap or free.

[Beef11]

Great idea's, I do use the horses for day work on ranches so they are money makers. I've toyed with the idea of boarding a couple outside horses (not on pasture) for a little extra income. I have several dogs of my own and will have 2 outside dogs boarded for 2-5 months at my home place so they will be a great moneymaker. I' thinking about raising some quail and homing pigeons for sale. I've just always been taught "you need 1000 acres to support a family" So it seems ridiculous that i would try it on 13. Go outside the box thinkers!

[leoaloha]

This guy has more than 25 CSA's on 2-3 acres

http://tinyfarmblog.com/

L

[Alice In TX/MO]

Hispanics are not the main market for goat. It's the Arab market. Also, they ship goats from all over the country to major metropolitan areas. Call the nearest big auction facility in your area and find out about the demand for goat.

Don't forget to get insurance if you run a business from home.

[Terri]

Have you been selling something? If so, perhaps it could be expanded?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Idaho Boer Goats:
http://www.tvsp.org/boer-goat/

[MomOf4]

I know this may sound silly, but if you get rid of your business, and want to start homesteading and making that your business, you could go get a job driving a school bus for a while - the hours are perfect, and it would give you extra income.

I did this after closing my business this year, and I love driving a school bus. I work just about 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, and the annual income is around $15K (I make $80/day, averaging $20/hour - no benefits) - everywhere is different though, and some offer less pay but with benefits. I was told some counties in IN offer $40K/yr but you have to provide your own bus.

I can still do other things in the middle of the day (like working toward more self-sufficiency, frugal projects or doing temp work for extra money), and I am free in the evenings. You have off every day that school is out, including all summer, when you really need the extra time to work around your homestead. Where I work, if you contract on a specific route, you even get paychecks during the summer months. And, as a contracted driver, you can make extra money doing field trips.

They trained me to get my CDL, and I will get reimbursed for all my license expenses after 90 days of employment.

You would be amazed at the histories of people who drive busses - either for the money or for something to do after retirement. We have a former radio DJ, the former assistant superintendent of LA County, an attorney who worked with a former US Vice President, local company owners, former postal workers - you name it!

Just my two cents...

[amwitched]

Originally Posted by botebum

Is there a problem with using part of the property to erect an indoor/outdoor dog kennel and continuing your business? Also the dog training sounds up your alley.

I was thinking that, too. Big Red Barn = Dog boarding facility.

Raspberries!!!!! Check with your local "fancy" restaurants to see if they would buy them when they start to ripen. Raspberries do not stay fresh for any length of time, so restaurants have a hard time buying them.

If you decide to set up a vegetable stand on your property, perhaps you can make and sell raspberry jam/preserves or raspberry syrup.

[dahliaqueen]

I second the suggestion to grow berries- in NH and MA, raspberries and blackberries sell for around $3.00 per half pint- that is $3.00 a CUP!!!! :baby04:

Once they are established, there is very little plant management needed- my dog 'helped' me harvest mine by eating all of the low hanging fruit.

Go for it.

[Beef11]

Great ideas, I've got a couple long term boarding contracts lined up already but am about at capacity for dogs. I like the school bus idea minus the school bus i guess what i mean is maybe i'll calve cows all spring (i'm good at that) maybe i can trade for calves? I just hate split shifts, i would rather work the whole day. I have a few decent revenue sources that are seasonal or once a year type of payouts In months that these come in there are no problems i just need to maintain a steady cashflow on the other months so that when the good months happen i can smear it over several months. I am setting my sights at 1200 a month minimum cash flow which yes is in the red but the good months will be able to pull up the average into the realm of livable.

[Mid Tn Mama]

How about invest in a powerwasher and a rug cleaner. Hire yourself out for this. While doing this, keep your eye out for stuff people are getting rid of (rentals usually just put it for the trash and you will be there getting the unit ready to rent or sell).

This way you can set your hours. IF folks like and trust you, you will be asked to do other handyman things. Take what works with your schedule and pass along the stuff that doesn't.

It's amazing what folks pay out to powerwash driveways or windows. You don't pay for the water and doing this is a free workout to boot!

While this doesn't make money on your homestead--it does put you in touch with lots of folks that might also want to buy your veggies/meat, store their boat or rv on your place or board their dog.

Everyone I know in a service like this ends up doing tons of other work their clients ask of them and are referred to other clients like crazy.

One husband and wife I know clean houses and do landscaping. Lots of jobs they do together but many come about because one spouse's clients need the other's services. They have bought cars very cheap that their upscale clients were getting rid of. Rebuilt stuff they were throwing out and sold it. Just lots and lots of stuff--clothes, books, bushes, trees, you name it.

[onthespot]

how about renting out your homing pigeons instead of selling them? White homers rent for big bucks for weddings and such. A couple hundred dollars around here for a wedding, sometimes for funerals. My understanding is you can't fly the ones you buy, but the babies will home in on your place and before you know it you are in the biz.

[deaconjim]

Don't forget to make use of the internet. Make something to sell on ebay or on your own website. A blog can be a moneymaker as well.

Can you write? Take a shot at some homesteading magazine articles.

If you know how to do odd jobs, you can make more money than you would believe just installing ceiling fans and building porches. It is amazing how many people have no idea how to do simple tasks. You can make lots of money from them.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

If you live in an area with plenty of trees take some of the money from the sale of the business and buy a sawmill. A friend did this to do something in his retirement. He now has 12 employees, manufactures flooring etc and works harder than when he was employed.