10 Lucrative Side Hustle Ideas for Farmers
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10 Lucrative Side Hustle Ideas for Farmers
Small family farms make up about 88% of the farms in the U.S.; however, over the past few years, smaller agricultural businesses have seen a decline as a result of factors like higher input costs, fluctuating farm product prices, and the emergence of corporate, large-scale, industrial farming.
With this decline, what can farmers do to broaden their revenue streams, diversify their business, and generate more money?
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Well, if you’re a farmer, you want to read through this article to know some of the most lucrative side hustle ideas that you can venture into.
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Key Highlights
🎯 Small family farms make up about 88% of the farms in the U.S. It is important to have one or more side hustles to increase your source of livelihood.
🎯 You can use your expertise and experience s a farmer to provide services that are in demand. People are willing to pay you handsomely for some of the extra services
🎯 Natural or heirloom seeds are more in demand as people become more concerned about genetically engineered seeds.
SEE ALSO: 5 Best Snow-friendly Side Hustles In Canada & The U.S.
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SEE ALSO: How to Leverage Your Work Experience For A New Side Hustle
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Lucrative Side Hustle Ideas for Farmers
1. Seed Sales
Since you’re already into the farming system, it’s only natural that you know about plants, seeds, and herbs more than non-farmers. It could be lucrative to sell the seeds of less common, distinctive flowers, fruits, or vegetables.
Natural or heirloom seeds are more in demand as people become more concerned about genetically engineered seeds.
Serious gardeners are constantly looking for novel and intriguing species, so advertising your seeds could boost sales.
2. Hire Out Your Farm Equipment
If you have equipment for specialized jobs that are seasonal or required all year round, an effective way to make good use of it is to rent the instruments to other small farmers.
A honey extractor or fruit press, for example, might be rented out to generate extra money. Moreso, some farmers might not have the money to own equipment like a tractor or mower, so they would rather rent them for a fee to get jobs done.
3. Sell Eggs, Chickens, and Other Produce
A simple way to make money on a small farm is to raise chickens and ducks for eggs. Selling eggs makes sense if you have more than you can consume.
Additionally, people still want handcrafted, high-quality dairy products. Don’t restrict your sales to rural areas. Your cheese-making skills have a market, whether it be at a country market or in the city.
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4. Making Customized Furniture
Being a farmer opens you up to a wholesome list of different crafts and one of such is woodwork. If you have some carpentry talent and can make and sell beautifully designed furniture, then this side hustle is for you.
To succeed you must produce high-quality goods and successfully market them. With more practice, you’ll become more accurate in the estimation of costs, manufacturing times, and fair selling prices for your customized handmade furniture.
5. Pet-Sitting/Dog Walking
If you love animals, you could think about working as a dog walker and get paid for it. Simply pick up dogs, walk them, and then give them back to their owners and it is a time-effective job to walk several dogs at once.
Pet sitters are in high demand since pet owners frequently ask for assistance while they are away. Start by reaching out to other pet owners in your network or promote your business locally.
6. Selling Microgreens
Microgreens known as “superfoods” are recognized for their high vitamin and mineral content. They draw customers who are concerned about their health and restaurants looking for high-end garnishes and products.
Microgreens are one of the most lucrative crops to farm. They may be cultivated in a tiny space and could bring over $50 per pound, making them perfect for small farms and urban gardeners.
Microgreens are in high demand, and as a local producer, you could charge even higher prices for them because of their rarity and freshness. High-end restaurants and supermarket stores are eager to pay top cash for them.
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7. Having an Animal Petting Zoo
Running petting zoos and other events is another cool way to make money as a farmer. If you have ponies, sheep, or goats and are close to popular tourist destinations, they could be useful for kid’s birthday parties, or significant events such as festivals.
Make a list of the animals you hire out and the costs, and then advertise both offline and online.
8. Focus on Blogging
In this age of technology, having excellent writing skills is even more crucial because writing still adds a lot of value despite the popularity of audio and video content.
You could use your knowledge of farming to write instructional guides to instruct others on themes related to homesteading and other farm-related topics. You can earn money from affiliate sales, information items, and display adverts as your site gets bigger.
9. Plan Events
It can be challenging yet successful to run events at your farm as a side business. Simply beautify your farm to include gorgeous gardens surrounded by trees and charming outbuildings. Your farm’s size, involvement level, and interests will all influence the kind of event you host.
10. Clearing Snow
Consider clearing snow because snow plow firms make sizable profits during the winter months, showing that snow plowing services are a successful business venture.
Although there are many snow removal companies, there aren’t enough suppliers of snow plows, which presents a chance for new enterprises to enter this industry.
You can either become one of the snow plowers or begin to rent out trucks for snow plowing services. Snow plow truck rentals have long been a popular alternative, particularly in rural areas where there is a strong need for these types of vehicles.
If you can afford a truck for snow removal services, you can start renting out. Renting out a truck in the winter for both commercial and domestic snow plowing services can be a successful business venture for truck owners.
Final Thoughts
Farms are hard workers and sometimes need all the side hustles they can get to earn extra income especially when the price of things is going up and the market is not favorable. Having one or more side hustles is a great idea.
