I purchased a shipping and storage container and built studded walls inside, insulated, plumbed and wired it and opened a butcher shop. I built a cooler on the back third, installed a rail with outside hoist and later added on to the side for a freezer room. Most of my equipment was bought second hand or purchased on sale. The most expensive piece, the bandsaw, I got for trading some ranch work, helping insulate a barn. I've been busy for about two years now,
A talk on making money on a homestead, from a gent who has tried a lot of things.
Danny and Wanda from "Deep South Homestead" have tried many different ways to make a living from their 10 paid-for acres. Here they give a run-down on how successful each method was.
Before he became disabled Danny had a successful contracting business, but because he was the business owner he did not qualify for disability. When he came down with multiple chemical sensitivities (Yes it is a thing) he could no longer work in town, but he was raised on a farm and he has a few acres of land around his house to work with. And so he got busy with what he could still do.
I was interested to note that Danny had the same results from selling edibles as I did: it was not hard to earn money that way, but he did not earn anywhere close to a living, and neither did I. In any given week I might bring home anywhere from $10-$30, (after paying the seller charge of $7 per week), but that is not a living wage. And, because we live in Kansas, the harvesting and selling period was from Mid-summer to Fall, leaving 9 months of the year when there was no business to be done. I DID make some jams and jellies from bought produce, but there were few customers during the first half of summer, because there were few sellers the first half of summer. People like a throng of people and bright colors when they shop!
Before he became disabled Danny had a successful contracting business, but because he was the business owner he did not qualify for disability. When he came down with multiple chemical sensitivities (Yes it is a thing) he could no longer work in town, but he was raised on a farm and he has a few acres of land around his house to work with. And so he got busy with what he could still do.
I was interested to note that Danny had the same results from selling edibles as I did: it was not hard to earn money that way, but he did not earn anywhere close to a living, and neither did I. In any given week I might bring home anywhere from $10-$30, (after paying the seller charge of $7 per week), but that is not a living wage. And, because we live in Kansas, the harvesting and selling period was from Mid-summer to Fall, leaving 9 months of the year when there was no business to be done. I DID make some jams and jellies from bought produce, but there were few customers during the first half of summer, because there were few sellers the first half of summer. People like a throng of people and bright colors when they shop!
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I'm currently wading through the internet wasteland of "opportunities". And lots of my friends are offering MLM things. Because they are all my friends and are already doing it... ugh. Looking at affiliate programs the last few days. Sales and I REALLY don't get along. But it's less painful online than in person. I do NOT like spamming. So I work really hard not to. So far, 2 days and I have a bunch of clicks, but clicks don't pay. So I'm still looking and trying to weed out the b.s.
Watching the entire video, all I took away from it was that you can sustain yourself, and just a bit more, but not enough to beat taxes or own any city technology like cars or toys. Property tax in PA is $5,000 for a nice home on 4.5 acres. I cannot keep up with these taxes while homesteading, because of the time homesteading commands. The only solution nowadays is to move to a place with no taxes, is it not?
I wonder, i your state can you claim the high property tax as a business deduction? In Kansas the taxes are FAR less. However, the prices that you can sell at are also lower. That being said, the gent in the video owns 2 big greenhouses, a tractor, a pickup, and a couple of vehicles that are kind of like golf carts. However it took many years before he could afford those: first he had to work longer than a 40 hour week in order to become successful
I chose this video because it illustrates a problem that is common to everyone with a small piece of land, and I shared the gent's solution: he had MANY streams of income until he was successful with one of them. Different areas might have different solutions: for example the land here is suited to sheep and goats, but nobody would buy the meat or offspring because very few people out here eat lamb or goats.
A gent named Elliot Coleman found a different profitable outlet IN HIS AREA, when he sold vegetables out of his greenhouse IN MAINE. That did work for him, and he also wrote how-to books for people who wanted to do the same. He also has a website (or at least he did) that you can look him up, if you wish it. Here is a link to one of his books: it is not his best book but at least I remember the name of it: "Four season harvest" by Elliot Coleman
Lynn Byczinski found a market on raising and selling flowers, and she also wrote a book about it called "The flower farmer". Basically, she has a good eye for flower arranging. She found IN HER AREA that she could raise and sell flowers for a high profit.
And, Joel Salatin makes a good profit from selling organic meat off of his farm for prices that are FAR higher than store prices.. Basically, he sends out forms to his regular customers and they order how many chickens (or other meat) they want him to raise, slaughter, and package up for them. That way he supplies what the market demands, with no surplus. One of his books is "you can farm". However, he makes a big point of telling people to pay off their land first, as hi considers it to be too difficult to support yourself AND pay off land. I am pretty sure that having tax payments of $400 - odd dollars a month would also make things difficult. AND THE LAWS IN HIS STATE WILL BE DIFFERENT from the laws in your state. Especially with selling meat: the different laws will matter and will be enforced
I chose this video because it illustrates a problem that is common to everyone with a small piece of land, and I shared the gent's solution: he had MANY streams of income until he was successful with one of them. Different areas might have different solutions: for example the land here is suited to sheep and goats, but nobody would buy the meat or offspring because very few people out here eat lamb or goats.
A gent named Elliot Coleman found a different profitable outlet IN HIS AREA, when he sold vegetables out of his greenhouse IN MAINE. That did work for him, and he also wrote how-to books for people who wanted to do the same. He also has a website (or at least he did) that you can look him up, if you wish it. Here is a link to one of his books: it is not his best book but at least I remember the name of it: "Four season harvest" by Elliot Coleman
Lynn Byczinski found a market on raising and selling flowers, and she also wrote a book about it called "The flower farmer". Basically, she has a good eye for flower arranging. She found IN HER AREA that she could raise and sell flowers for a high profit.
And, Joel Salatin makes a good profit from selling organic meat off of his farm for prices that are FAR higher than store prices.. Basically, he sends out forms to his regular customers and they order how many chickens (or other meat) they want him to raise, slaughter, and package up for them. That way he supplies what the market demands, with no surplus. One of his books is "you can farm". However, he makes a big point of telling people to pay off their land first, as hi considers it to be too difficult to support yourself AND pay off land. I am pretty sure that having tax payments of $400 - odd dollars a month would also make things difficult. AND THE LAWS IN HIS STATE WILL BE DIFFERENT from the laws in your state. Especially with selling meat: the different laws will matter and will be enforced
I have met Danny several times. He is a very down to earth, simple and plainspoken homesteader.Danny and Wanda from "Deep South Homestead" have tried many different ways to make a living from their 10 paid-for acres. Here they give a run-down on how successful each method was.
I have told many visitors to our neck of the woods that the overwhelming majority of the time, one half of a couple will have to work offsite. The ones making a monthly income off of youtube are the outliers. I know numerous homesteaders that survive by creating multiple streams of income. Internet businesses are continuing to rise.
If they are single, the good news may be that they only need half of what they needed before.
Just to point out (and not putting him down for it), Joel Salatin makes a lot more money from his books and speaking engagements than from his farm sales. He commands those high prices for his farm products because of his celebrity, not just because they are high quality. This is something that is hard for someone else to duplicate.I wonder, i your state can you claim the high property tax as a business deduction? In Kansas the taxes are FAR less. However, the prices that you can sell at are also lower. That being said, the gent in the video owns 2 big greenhouses, a tractor, a pickup, and a couple of vehicles that are kind of like golf carts. However it took many years before he could afford those: first he had to work longer than a 40 hour week in order to become successful
I chose this video because it illustrates a problem that is common to everyone with a small piece of land, and I shared the gent's solution: he had MANY streams of income until he was successful with one of them. Different areas might have different solutions: for example the land here is suited to sheep and goats, but nobody would buy the meat or offspring because very few people out here eat lamb or goats.
A gent named Elliot Coleman found a different profitable outlet IN HIS AREA, when he sold vegetables out of his greenhouse IN MAINE. That did work for him, and he also wrote how-to books for people who wanted to do the same. He also has a website (or at least he did) that you can look him up, if you wish it. Here is a link to one of his books: it is not his best book but at least I remember the name of it: "Four season harvest" by Elliot Coleman
Lynn Byczinski found a market on raising and selling flowers, and she also wrote a book about it called "The flower farmer". Basically, she has a good eye for flower arranging. She found IN HER AREA that she could raise and sell flowers for a high profit.
And, Joel Salatin makes a good profit from selling organic meat off of his farm for prices that are FAR higher than store prices.. Basically, he sends out forms to his regular customers and they order how many chickens (or other meat) they want him to raise, slaughter, and package up for them. That way he supplies what the market demands, with no surplus. One of his books is "you can farm". However, he makes a big point of telling people to pay off their land first, as hi considers it to be too difficult to support yourself AND pay off land. I am pretty sure that having tax payments of $400 - odd dollars a month would also make things difficult. AND THE LAWS IN HIS STATE WILL BE DIFFERENT from the laws in your state. Especially with selling meat: the different laws will matter and will be enforced
I agree! However before he wrote books he was running a successful agri-businessJust to point out (and not putting him down for it), Joel Salatin makes a lot more money from his books and speaking engagements than from his farm sales. He commands those high prices for his farm products because of his celebrity, not just because they are high quality. This is something that is hard for someone else to duplicate.
Those are the fruits of a long term plan. A lot of folks make their money later in life, and if it comes from the wisdom of years of experience, including failure, then it benefits everyone.
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