Would you pay for...

[Caitedid]

So, my full time job has become a part time job with a bad boss, and I'm looking for little side gigs to make some more money. I figure that other people on here have experience with the whole "just because I said school and the farm were my top priorities when you interviewed me doesn't mean anything" so I'm hoping that someone on here will have some good ideas. I already have my name out to boothsit at farmers' markets, and have been putting the word out to help out with garden labor for people in our growers co-op. I am looking to learn more about marketing to see if I could get people to pay me to help market their small farm products to local businesses. Thinking about putting up fliers advertising farm & garden sitting, cooking lessons, child care, help with food preservation (there's lots of older folks in our community), also looking to intern with our local shearer as he's trying to get out of the business. Are any of these ideas things you would pay for? Any other things that are working for you? Thanks in advance, Caite

[Danaus29]

Have paid and will pay again to have someone check on, feed, water, and put up for the night, my ducks. Usually I barter, the kid prefers cider to cash, but I have been known to pay cash.

[Caitedid]

Ooo, I might take cider over cash on occasion too... Did get my Mom to pay to deburr some jackets for her tonight - might make that my empire Please keep the suggestions coming.

[HilltopDaisy]

Just regular farm help. I advertised on craigslist for a "helper" and I must have had 25 responses. Put up an ad and offer your services. I met a wonderful woman who helped me with the barn, ignored the dopey LGD's, and was a joy to be around!

You could offer to care for horses/dogs/cats while folks vacation. Be specific; "I'll water your garden, pick the beans/tomatoes, collect the mail/eggs, be here for the farrier, milk the goat/bottle feed the kids, etc.

Or you could help an elderly person every morning. I found my PT job on craigslist. Monday though Friday, I am there at 8 AM. I get her out of bed, give her a shower, her meds, and breakfast. I do all the laundry and dishes, much of the shopping, really, anything that I can think of that makes life easier for them.

[Jenn]

Shearing is dying out as the shearers retire or die (my last shearer was 80+). I dunno if this is because the pay is too low or what but you'll always have a chance to work in shearing season if you learn that trade.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Can you come to Missouri and help out on our homestead?:banana02:

[Beeman]

I'm not familiar with where you live. If you do have suburbs or are close to an urban area housesitting pays well. Develop a good reputation and even possibly get bonded or insured. Cater to higher end home owners with plants and animals they love.

[mtnest]

If you are any good at transplanting/gardening there are people like myself that work so don't have time to get the started plants out into the garden in good time. I would happily pay someone who has experience to transplant my plants out to where they need to go as long as I knew they were going to handle the plants correctly so they wouldn't die.

[ronbre]

i used to walk down a mile to a neighbor who had had open heart surgery, and make her beds, do light housekeepnig and help her in her gardens....i would work for 2 or 3 hours and get paid by the hour..i charged $8 and walked there..

sometimes i would get things like divisions of plants as well..it was hard work but i enjoyed doing it.

[Caitedid]

Thinking about making some fliers and posting them around town, plus posting Craigslist and what-have you. Need to make them eye-catching and interesting so that people can see them... Thanks for all the advice. Alice, if you had a bunch of big projects for like a week early in the summer and could make me a decent price, I absolutely could. Caite

[Maura]

If you become a shearer you'll be working.

[firegirl969]

I would like to add, that if you want to sit with and/or help the elderly, get CPR and First Aid certified. American Heart Association heartsaver CPR and First Aid is not a hard class, and it would look good on your fliers to show you are "certified."

[Caitedid]

Oh, good idea Firegirl, think I'll do that anyway. Our local Red Cross runs classes for free several times a year. Thus far the whole unemployment thing is turning out to be rather lucrative. One of my professors offered to teach me to use a chainsaw and said he knew of all sorts of people who would happily pay me to come cut stuff up and out for them. Please keep the great ideas coming... Caite

[firegirl969]

My DD is going to be cleaning out a barn for an elderly woman for $7 a hour cash. She will do this in the evenings when she gets off from her main job.

[foxtrapper]

When you aim too low, you never get off the ground. Busting your hump for a jug of cider is not a good way to make a living.

Don't advertise or market yourself as a novice looking to be paid to learn. Not that many people are hiring advertising and marketing help anyhow.

You say you live in an area with lots of older folk. OK, think about that. Older folk can't get up and clear their gutters, they frequently can't mow and trim their yards and gardens as well as they like. Can't always keep up with the housework. Etc.

[ronbre]

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