How to Make Money Homesteading (20 Easy Ways & Tips)

You can learn how to make money homesteading from reading this article.

It has answers to several questions you might have as well as exactly how to make money homesteading.

 

Importance

Sometimes it seems that life gets a little bit too complicated.

The proverbial treadmill just keeps spinning and spinning and there doesn’t appear to be a good spot to get off.

In addition to physical spinning, the whirling of this dynamic affects other aspects of our being.

Eventually, we find ourselves spinning to the point of spiraling out of control and downwards.

Sometimes the cry of our heart and mind is to stop the world I want to get off.

One of the ways that we can detach from the hectic impact of the world and get back to basics is by literally moving.

We can move from city life, buy some land and not only live off the land but make a livelihood.

After all, the earth is known as Mother Nature and consequently the giver of life.

Let us, therefore, for a moment, step outside of the hamster wheel, and, at least in our minds, explore some opportunities on how we can get back to basics and live off the land.

 

20 Easy Ways & Tips for Making Money Homesteading

 

1. Dried Meat

Perhaps as part of your homesteading, you have chosen to raise livestock.

The reality is in raising livestock they are not only used for their byproducts (cow’s milk) but they are also utilized for meat.

The butchering of an animal can be done by the homesteader but can also be accomplished through the use of various meat packing houses.

If you choose to butcher your own livestock, there are a variety of products that you can derive from the animal.

Some of the potential products that can be gleaned include sausage and the making of beef jerky.

Bacon, derived from a pig, is also an item that can be easily smoked.

These items can be taken to market and can be advertised as preservative and additive-free.

 

2. Herbs 

People enjoy adding a variety of spices and herbs to the preparation of their meals.

Such herbs as rosemary, thyme, mint, dill, and more are favorites with individuals who enjoy the actual creating of a dish with a variety of blended herbs.

On your land, you can start a herb garden and then dry the herbs and package them for marketing to the community.

 

3. Chickens 

In addition to raising chickens for the production of eggs, you can also farm chickens for sale in your community.

The preparation of the chicken for sale can be done by yourself or can be contracted with a local butcher or other poultry manufacturing site.

Like free-range chickens, they will also bring a higher price because they are free from any hormones or other alterations to enhance their growth.

Also See: How to Live Off the Grid and Make Money.

 

4. Garden 

Homesteading lends itself perfectly to growing a garden.

If you have sufficient enough land, you will be able to provide for your own family as well as market-fresh vegetables to others in the community.

People are also looking for foods today that are organic or free from pesticides.

If this is the process that you use, you can market your vegetables as organic and demand a higher price for the labor and process involved.

 

5. Eggs 

Eggs are always a high-demand product from potential customers due to their high protein content and being a staple in family’s homes.

They are used not only in baking but as a meal item.

If your chickens are free-range, this also can add an increase in value to the product.

 

6. Preserves 

With your homestead property most likely a variety of fruits and vegetables has been grown.

In addition to utilizing these items yourself and marketing them to your community, you may have a surplus.

This will be the perfect opportunity to store these items for yourself or to sell them to others as preserves.

Nothing quite matches the flavor of strawberry preserves spread on a warm piece of toast early in the morning with the perfect cup of coffee.

 

7. Livestock Share 

The land that you have can also be utilized for livestock to graze upon.

You can do the milking on the cows yourself or hire someone else to do that chore.

The milk that is gathered can be utilized by your family as well as taken to market.

You would need to decide whether the milk will be sold process-free or whether it will be pasteurized.

As an added marketing dimension, perhaps the milk could be packaged in glass bottles as it once was in days gone by.

This added caveat may be appealing to individuals who would be willing to pay not only for the product but for the added nostalgic touch.

The other added dimension to allowing livestock to graze on your land is that you could make arrangements to rent your land if you have no livestock but a neighboring farmer would like to have their livestock graze on your field.

 

8. Grass-Fed Livestock 

If the acreage of your homestead is sufficient to support livestock, then an option is to raise a significant number of animals.

On all accounts, it is a labor-intensive activity but may be worth one’s while given the rising prices of meat and animal products.

• How to Get Paid & Make Money with Goats
• How to Get Paid & Make Money With Cattle

 

9. Dairy 

If you have livestock that produces milk (cows or goats) you can process that milk for more than just drinking and putting on cold cereal.

Some of those products that can be produced from the milk include yogurt, cottage cheese, butter, ice cream, and more.

You could develop your ability to make cheese and also add various flavors and ingredients to market a cheese that has its own uniqueness.

Cheese is always a popular item for not only eating by itself but when combined in cooking recipes.

 

10. Clothes 

Nothing quite matches the feel of seeing something wonderful come to life through your hard work and effort.

One of those efforts is the making of clothes.

Of course, the clothes that are handmade will most likely not be worn at a gala event but can be marketed as work clothes for working people made by working people.

 

11. Blog 

An opportunity that might present itself to you is to blog about your experiences through homesteading.

Your activities, hard work, and the challenges that you meet on a daily basis can be narrated to individuals who will eagerly follow along with you on your adventure.

The potential to gain subscribers and affiliate marketing may resonate with these financial backers due to the Americana spirit being displayed.

 

12. Book 

Homesteading is no small feat.

Perhaps capturing, in a book, is a possibility of where you started with this decision to homestead and where you are at currently.

The book just may prove to be an inspiration to others not necessarily about homesteading but about dreaming and achieving your dreams.

The possibility of a book being a “how-to” book could also be a potential direction as you would be sharing from your experience.

 

13. Mushrooms 

Edible mushrooms are another option that a homesteader could produce and market for sale.

Mushrooms are an excellent product to sell especially if your homestead has limited acreage.

The mushrooms could be sold as is or they could be dehydrated.

Potential types of mushrooms that may prove to be beneficial to the homesteader include the growing and cultivating of oyster mushrooms and then moving on to shiitake mushrooms.

 

14. Dehydrated Goods 

Another great process that can be utilized on a homestead is the dehydration of foods.

If you have a surplus of vegetables such as cucumbers or cherry tomatoes you can dehydrate these items and then market them for individuals in order to use them in soups and other types of menu products.

 

15. Handmade Soap 

Homesteading and the use of land are also conducive to making natural beauty and cosmetic products.

For example, you could make soap and could utilize a variety of products garnered from your land.

Examples could include a soap that is made from lavender or even utilize the ingredients from the beehive if you have one that is operational.

• How to Start a Soap Making Business
• How to Get Paid & Earn Money Selling Soap

 

16. Baked Goods 

The natural ingredients that are available on a homestead may be a great opportunity to sell items at a local retailer or display your wares at a weekly farmer’s market.

Those products that can be made from natural ingredients include the making of bread, muffins, biscuits, and more.

The natural ingredients that would be used can include eggs, milk, butter, etc. that have been harvested from the animals at your homestead.

• How to Get Paid and Make Money With Bake Sale Ideas
• How to Get Paid & Earn Money Selling Baked Goods From Home

 

17. Orchard

If you have sufficient enough land and live within a climate that is conducive to an orchard, there are a number of possibilities.

You could have an apple orchard; grow almonds, pecans, etc.

In particular, the nut market is extremely robust due to individuals looking for alternatives to use as a substitute for milk products.

 

18. Beekeeper 

A great side hustle on a homestead is the operation of a beehive.

Bees are an important part of the agricultural landscape and also produce that great natural sweet product of honey.

In addition to harvesting the honey and beeswax from the hive, you can also rent out your beehive to local agricultural farms for their pollination efforts.

The wax and honey can be processed and marketed at local retail outlets as well as craft shows or farmer’s markets.

Related: How to Make Money When You Become a Beekeeper.

 

19. Woolen Animals 

There is a great demand for clothing manufacturers of animal fiber.

The animal fiber collected and processed can be woven into a number of clothing products for individuals to wear.

Examples of animals that might be beneficial on a homestead to pursue this moneymaking option would include llamas, alpacas, goats, etc.

The processing of these fibers can be done by yourself or can be sold to a variety of online sites that are interested in buying the raw material.

One such site can be accessed by clicking here.

 

20. Firewood 

If your homestead acreage has trees, then a great way to earn additional income through homesteading is to sell firewood.

People are always looking for ways to reduce energy costs and often use a fireplace or an insert in the fireplace to warm their residence.

Also, there’s something romantic about a fireplace and the romance of homesteading can be part of that process.

 

Personal Story

In preparing for this writing, I came across a quiz posing the question, “Am I Homestead Material?”

Why not take the quiz and we’ll see?

Some of the questions talked about what was my ideal workout, how I drink my coffee (with a flavored creamer), what sort of shoes do I enjoy, the most unique food I’ve ever eaten, pets I would be interested in, and other related questions.

Suffice it to say, the quiz tells me in a delicate manner not to give up my daily activities and buy a homestead.

I am certainly not homestead material.

 

Earning Money Homesteading FAQs

 

How Many Acres Would I Need to Start a Good Homestead?

The answer is dependent upon what you want to start out doing.

Let us say for the sake of discussion, that you wanted a home, barn, and possibly another structure or two.

You wanted the climate to be moderate and you were thinking about some livestock consisting of perhaps six goats some sheep and some chickens and also you wanted to have a garden.

Throwing in a small orchard, for all of these activities and structures you would need a minimum of 3 acres.

 

What Are Some of the Top Geographical Locations to Look at in Starting a Homestead?

Most likely, you would like to look at the mid part of the country, especially the states of Iowa and Wyoming.

Another state that is in contention would be the state of Arkansas followed by Idaho, Oregon, and Indiana.

The reason why these states are on the priority list would be not only because of the richness of the land but the state itself as it relates to laws and regulations.

 

You Can Do It

Not all of us are cut out to be homesteaders.

Although it may appear that we can always learn, and if we have a basic interest, desire to learn, and are not afraid of hard work we can set our minds to do and be anything that we want.

 

Conclusion

Homesteading is not necessarily uncomplicated but certainly can contribute to less stress in one’s life.

Homesteading is a great opportunity for an individual and their family to get back to basics.

These basic lessons and experiences are not just about utilizing the land to manufacture items, feed yourself or others, or earn a living off of the land.

Getting back to the land or square one can be a great reset of ourselves as individuals and lessons to learn and relearn.