Need helpful ideas on moneymaking/saving

Ken Scharabok · #21 07/24/07, 02:12 PM

The DIL of a neighbor is an RN. Don't know what particular jobs is, but she visits a number of doctors' offices each day. She also sells Avon on the side. Now typically in a doctor's office, there is, at most, one or two males there, giving her an almost captive audience.

#22 07/24/07, 02:55 PM

Since you're already in the fowl business, have you thought about raising turkeys, pheasants, or quail. There's a fellar not too far south of me who raises organic turkeys and ships them out all across the nation. He started up a website advertising his organic turkeys, chickens, and ducks, and now has a big demand for them. I don't know what his website is, I was reading about him in the newspaper. His organic fowl is quit expensive if you ask me but there are people out there who will spend the money if they think they are eating healthier.

If I remember right he ships his fowls to a usda approved processing plant somewhere in Missouri and he gets them back frozen. He then packs them in ice and sends them out to his customers 1 day air-fare.

lmnde · #23 07/25/07, 01:13 PM

Greenhouse!

Start scrounging, collecting and buying cheap windows and glass panes [think freecycle] and build yourself a greenhouse. First fresh salads out of season in spring, tomates, cukes, herbs - cut flowers - are sure to sell! Up north where you don't start gardening until March or later - this has got to be a hit and workable...

bill not in oh · #24 07/25/07, 01:17 PM

They wish march!! LOL

HomesteadBaker · #25 07/25/07, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Scharabok

"Ken Scharabok's e-book on ideas for making money in the country is wonderful. Ken is an HT member. I'm sure you can locate his contact info by searching old posts. The book is professional quality, and chock full of great ideas. The book was, at least at one time, being offered free to fellow HT members."

I use to give this e-book away for free, but now have it listed for a nominal amount on eBay. Folks kept telling me it is good enough to sell and giving it away somewhat goes against the title of "How to Earn Extra Money in the Country". Do a search on earn extra money and then it is in the store listings.

When folks ask to have it sent free from old references I let them know it is on eBay. Perhaps 10% are willing to part with a couple of bucks for the information so must not have wanted it very badly.

On bartering, technically you can have to declare what you are given as taxable income (fair market value I believe) and what you gave them at the your cost. Give-a-ways would only count as a charity deduction if the federal government recognizes it as a formal charity or church. I suspect most people who barter don't report either on their taxes. To be sure check with a professional tax preparer.

A link would be appreciated!

Kitty

Cash · #26 07/25/07, 02:54 PM

Elliott Coleman's book may be just what you're looking for. He sells greens from his greenhouse all winter long, takes his break in the summer! And hte greenhouses are very simple and inexpensive. He uses Remay to cover crops inside them now, but he used to use plain old cold frames. (I toured his operation in Cape Rosier back in the late 1980s.)

saramark · #27 07/25/07, 04:40 PM

Planting before May could be dangerous some years. Maine is NOT a place to grow long harvest foods. The greenhouse idea is a good one. No need for lots of acreage and I do have access to quite a bit of free building materials, as I am a carpenter by trade(farmer by desire) We would also have a bit more of our own food here and something to occupy our time instead of shoveling snow and watching the plows go by.

mark

amelia · #28 07/25/07, 05:27 PM

Oh, man, if you're a carpenter, the greenhouse idea sounds like just the ticket. I'll bet you can snag a used copy of Elliott Coleman's book on Half.com for a pittance. It would give you a good idea of what you can reasonably expect to do throughout the winter in Maine. I recall having seen some very good "greenhouse plans" threads in the past on this forum. I also recall a previous reference to a book entitled something like "Starting a Backyard Nursery." That one might be worth a search on Amazon.com.

**Terri** · #29 07/25/07, 05:47 PM

Is there a meat locker that might buy your birds?

Ken Scharabok · #30 07/25/07, 06:42 PM

I have friends in South-central, TN. They have two greenhouses, one attached to their solar house and the other free-standing. They grow 25K tomato seedlings of eight varieties and sell all of them at one flea/farmers' market. Normally each year they will add a new variety (only after having tested it in their own garden one or two seasons before) and drop one.

Essentially she staggers plants, timing the first to be the right size for transplanting at the start of the gardening season locally.

Quality and disease-free are their two standards. They purchase new potting soil each year. Sickly looking plants go into their compost pile - they never reuse potting soil.

They modified a trailer to have pull out trays to hold the plants for transport and then one side of the trailer lifts up to show them.

Over the years she has developed a very loyal customer base.

I heard this year they had a grand total of three seedlings unsold.