What do you do for income?

MaineFarmMom · #21 03/06/07, 10:08 AM

I was careful to use gross so that nobody thought I meant net. Wouldn't it be nice if we could net that much money on 1.5 acres.

rafter · #22 03/06/07, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaineFarmMom

I was careful to use gross so that nobody thought I meant net. Wouldn't it be nice if we could net that much money on 1.5 acres.

I can't imagine that the expenditures could be that great on 1.5 acres. Even if it were a third, its good money.

rafter · #23 03/06/07, 10:35 AM

http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/index.html

Here is his website.

Mike in Pa · #24 03/06/07, 10:36 AM

Exactly ... how the heck much loss could there be there considering 100k income on a veggie garden??!

The term NET can similiarly be twisted ... depending on who you are talking to ... IRS, friends, etc.

danoon · #25 03/06/07, 11:05 AM

I do some wood carving, walking sticks, canes, door headers, busts, faces, you name it.
Though you can get carvings from the middle east for a couple bucks now so its not a good money maker anymore. The wifes girl friend started making bracelets and necklaces with beads and stones she buys by the box. At the last craft show she sold $200 worth of cheap bead jewlery and I didn't sell anything.. *sigh*

I'm looking for something else now and only carve for fun.

agmantoo · #26 03/06/07, 11:30 AM

My land is paid for and I have a commercial feeder calf operation and I do rotational grazing. The outgo of monies is minimal. I market enough calves and the prices have been good enough to have a decent income. I had a nice increase in income when I went away from conventional methods of feeder calf production. I have always farmed, but only fulltime for the last 17 years, after paying off the land.

NWoods_Hippie · #27 03/06/07, 11:44 AM

I live in a VERY tourist rich area, in the Summer I am a full-time house painter. But in the winter I clean homes, do other caretaking kind of jobs, and wait tables at an up-scale restaurant two to three nights a week.

Gets me though the winter and that is all I need.
Margie

donsgal · #28 03/06/07, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canfossi

I was wondering if you don't have a job outside the homestead/farm what do you do to bring in income? Thanks Chris

We both work outside the home as insurance inspectors and dh is also a professional entertainer.

We are not on the homestead full time yet. When we get there, I'm sure we will be making money off of it and hopefully reduce our dependancy on outside income.

donsgal

MaineFarmMom · #29 03/06/07, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rafter

I can't imagine that the expenditures could be that great on 1.5 acres. Even if it were a third, its good money.

Labor is the most expensive. He pays interns well, almost 50% more than Maine's minimum wage. Sustainable farms pay sustainable wages. The idea behind the people he employs is that they'll do a good job and learn enough to be able to start their own sustainable farms. He'd like to see one set up like his for every 25 mile radius so that we can all get away from factory farming.

T Rice · #30 03/06/07, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaineFarmMom

Here's something for everyone to think about when they get doubtful. Eliot Coleman started Four Season Farm in a gravel pit. His garden is 1.5 acres. In 2005 he grossed six figures on the garden - that's not something I heard through the grapevine. He told a workshop full of people this. We discussed it further when I visited his farm. If he hadn't pointed out the far end of the gravel pit and told me, I wouldn't have ever known that's what I was standing in. Six figures, 1.5 acres. He's a smart businessman along with being a smart farmer.

Or does the six figures include book proceeds television/speaking appearances etc? Eliot isn't exactly your run of the mill homesteader.

PinkBat · #31 03/06/07, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike in Pa

I stand naked in the street and people pay me out of pity.

But that's only a seasonal job. The OP might be looking for something that can be done year-round.

Hip_Shot_Hanna · #32 03/06/07, 02:55 PM

I work from my home office doing independent contractor work for a large corporation by telecommuting.

No transportation or wardrobe costs, no office politics, I get a check every two weeks, and when the work is slow I clean house, do laundry, and talk to my husband when he's not busy.

The reason I'm doing this is to purchase medical insurance.

sisterpine · #33 03/06/07, 03:03 PM

I work full time outside of the stead and make stone stuff on the stead to sell off the stead LOL. dh will soon retire to help me and I hope to make enough to quit off stead job in about 5 years. sis

e.alleg · #34 03/06/07, 04:01 PM

Not to be negative but to make 6 figures growing on 1.5 acres is either dreamland fantasy or he's growing illegal plants. I can put a who-e-house in my barn and make 300k a year too.

MaineFarmMom · #35 03/06/07, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Rice

Or does the six figures include book proceeds television/speaking appearances etc? Eliot isn't exactly your run of the mill homesteader.

I specifically said from his garden. He's a farmer, not a homesteader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by e.alleg

Not to be negative but to make 6 figures growing on 1.5 acres is either dreamland fantasy or he's growing illegal plants. I can put a who-e-house in my barn and make 300k a year too.

He's not growing anything illegal. His greens break dormancy within a few days of Ground Hog day and continue to grow into late December. He's growing what his customers want, rotating crops, using greenhouses (all but one are unheated), and very good at what he does.

DW · #36 03/06/07, 04:57 PM

The naked one is TOO funny!!!!!! I have been a SPED teacher for 28 yrs ...in two yrs I will be full time homesteader with a good pension...I'm really thinking the winter job will be quilts...made six last yr & worked. I think I could make some money. My hubby stays home and does the heavy stuff...when he gets older he'll have a little pension but together with mine, we'll be pretty set.

ET1 SS · #37 03/06/07, 05:20 PM

I am retired on pension,

DW works in a grocery store.

We have been selling eggs to the local VFW.

and we have applied to the local organic farmer's market to have a booth with them this summer.

We also have income from an apartment building.

And fostering children.

Ole Man Legrand · #38 03/06/07, 05:52 PM

I am retired on a SMALL PENSION and I board horses for people that don't have their own facility.

sleeps723 · #39 03/06/07, 06:25 PM

i do burn barrells, mechanic some. sell eggs n chickens. this year i'll be selling some of my garden stuff.

TedH71 · #40 03/06/07, 06:32 PM

I work part time at the local library and part time teaching American Sign Language at the local community college and looking for another job after my contract expires in May.