52 Ways Make Money Homesteading

Many homesteaders wonder how to make money homesteading. After all, isn’t that a major goal for most of us? To leave the traditional 9-5 world behind and become more self-reliant? I know it is for me.

Fortunately, most homesteaders are a creative bunch who don’t shy away from hard work and getting their hands dirty. Most homesteaders are also skilled at picking themselves back up after a failure and trying again. If you want to make money homesteading, you’re going to need all of these skills and then some.

Make Money with Livestock

There are many ways to earn money with livestock, and how much you earn depends on what you’re raising. Below, I’ll cover how to make money with chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, and bees. However, there are plenty of other animals you can raise for profit: cattle, pigs, llamas, herding dogs, worms, fish…you’re limited only by your imagination here.

8 Ways to Make Money with Chickens

Chickens are often called the “gateway drug” for homesteading because they’re so easy to care for so that they often lead to other livestock purchase. They also provide their owners with several income opportunities.

1. Sell Fresh Eggs

We’ll start with the most obvious way to earn money with chickens: selling eggs.

You can sell farm fresh eggs to local health food markets, small grocery stores, at farmer’s markets, or right out of your home. Use social media like your city’s Facebook page or Instagram to connect with locals who are looking for fresh eggs. If you let your hens free range then you can charge more per dozen.

You can also charge more for colored eggs from breeds like Ameraucana or Olive Eggers.

2. Sell Fertilized Eggs

If you have a rooster you can sell fertilized eggs. You can sell these eggs to schools who want to hatch baby chicks in the classroom, other homesteaders, or to clubs like 4-H.

3. Sell Day-Old Chicks

Another option to make money homesteading is to sell day-old baby chicks using a broody hen or an incubator. This can be especially lucrative if you sell rarer breeds like Lavender Orpingtons, Blue Favaucana, Blue Easter Egger, Blue Cuckoo Marans, and Black Copper Marans.

If you decide to sell day-old chicks, focus on selling quality, healthy stock. You’ll increase your profits if you get a dedicated breed rooster, called a pullet breeder, and specialize in chicks that meet the standards for their breed.

4. Sell Pullets

Pullets are hens that are almost ready to start laying eggs. Chicks are called pullets once they’re 12 to 15 weeks old.

Pullets are desirable for many people, especially those who are just getting started with chickens. With a pullet, new chicken keepers don’t have to fuss with setting up a brooder or caring for day-old chicks. They get a hen that’s mature, old enough to free-range, and almost ready to lay eggs.

Pullet prices vary depending on your location and the breed. If you breed and sell rare breeds you can charge significantly more. However, plan on selling your pullets for at least $10 to $15 per bird, and more (up to $40 or $50) for unique breeds. You can create a free listing to sell birds at Poultry Show Central.

5. Raise and Sell Meat Birds

People increasingly want to know where their food comes from. And, they want the healthiest options available. You can meet this need by raising and selling organic, free range meat birds.

For example, Cornish Cross chickens have been bred exclusively for meat. This is the chicken that’s most often bred in commercial meat hatcheries because they grow extremely fast. The downside to Cornish Cross is that they often have a number of health problems from their accelerated growth rate. Some chicken keepers prefer to raise dual-purpose breeds like Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, or Jersey Giants.

You can sell meat birds at farmer’s markets, to local specialty markets, or out of your home. However, make sure you check your state’s regulations to ensure you abide by local health codes.

6. Raise and Sell Guinea Fowl

Guineas fowl are an interesting bird and provide their owners with a lot of benefits.

• They’re excellent foragers, and many people want them on their homestead to keep ticks, fleas, and other insects at bay.
• They’re an almost free source of pest control in the garden, as they eat many of the bugs that destroy crops.
• Guineas are extremely territorial and will sound the alarm if someone pulls into your driveway.
• If you have a snake or rodent problem on your property, guineas will take care of that too.

The downside to guineas is that they’re loud. Really loud. They also free range far and wide, and unless they’re trained to come back to a coop at night they’ll eventually wander off.

So, guineas can be an excellent addition to a farm or homestead. If you educate people about the benefits of raising guineas and are up front about the downsides, you could earn a decent side income selling guinea fowl. You might also get some repeat customers year after year if their guineas wander off.

7. Sell Feathers

Another option to make money homesteading is to sell chicken feathers.

One target market is fly fisherman, who use the colorful feathers from a chicken’s hackle to create flies that closely mimic the look of an insect on the water. If you have roosters and hens with showy plumage, this could be an option. See this article at The Growler to learn more about what fly fisherman are looking for.

You can also sell feathers to crafters on sites like eBay, Etsy, or Craigslist.

8. Sell Manure

Chicken manure is high in nitrogen, and once it has aged for several months it makes excellent fertilizer for the garden. You could age and bag up this manure and sell it to local gardeners or at the farmer’s market. Although you certainly won’t get rich selling manure, this can be a small side income stream that helps offset your feed costs.

On the other hand, you might also decide to use your chicken manure to barter with a neighbor or gardeners, trading the manure for some of their produce that you can’t or don’t want to grow yourself.

2 Ways to Make Money Homesteading with Ducks

Ducks couldn’t get any cuter. I’m guilty of bringing home ducklings just because they gave me “the eye” at Tractor Supply and I couldn’t resist. Despite the extra work (and, ducks are a lot more work than chickens), I still enjoy having them around.

If you have the same problem, here are a few ways that ducks can help you earn money on your homestead.

1. Sell Duck Eggs

Duck eggs don’t get a lot of attention in the United States. However, they’re a creamy and delicious treat that, in the right markets, can earn you a nice income. You can cook them just like you can a chicken egg, and they’re widely used in Chinese cuisine.

They’re also great for baking because they’re high in fat, moisture, and protein. According to Modern Farmer, you can sell duck eggs for $6 to $12 a dozen.

2. Sell Duck Meat

Two words: roast duck. My mouth watered just writing that.

You can sell fresh, free range duck meat for a premium in some markets. High end or farm-to-table restaurants would be good places to start.

4 Ways to Make Money Homesteading with Rabbits

Rabbits are similar to chickens in that they’re easy and inexpensive to care for, and provide several opportunities to make money on your homestead.

1. Sell Rabbits for Meat

Rabbit meat is said to taste similar to chicken, but with a touch of gaminess. It’s slightly healthier than chicken meat because it’s lower in calories and higher in protein. However, it is higher in cholesterol and is best avoided if you have cardiovascular disease or problems with your cholesterol.

The benefit to raising rabbits for meat is that it’s relatively scarce around the country. After all, when was the last time you saw rabbit meat at the grocery store or prepared in a local restaurant? Probably never.

High quality rabbit meat is a rare commodity. If you live within driving distance of a larger city with some high-end restaurants or specialty markets you could probably find plenty of buyers. You can expect to get at least $6 to $7 per pound for fresh rabbit meat, and more in some markets.

That said, you’ll likely want to learn how to process rabbits yourself. Paying to have your rabbits processed will cut into your profits, if you can even find a slaughterhouse willing to take in small batches.

2. Sell Rabbit Fiber

Angora rabbits grow and shed deliciously soft fur. And, this fur is highly prized in the crafting world.

There are a few options with selling angora wool. You can sell the fiber in its raw form and let others process it on their own. You can take it a step further and turn that angora wool into yarn by spinning it yourself and then dying it. Of course, you can charge more for hand dyed angora yarn than you can for the loose fiber. If you’re crafty, you could use the yarn to knit scarves, hats, or even sweaters and charge even more.

3. Sell Rabbits As Pets

Rabbits make wonderful family pets, and you can raise rabbits for this purpose.

You’ll earn the most money per rabbit if you sell them directly to others. Pet stores are often willing to sell local rabbits, but they generally won’t pay more than $10 per rabbit to keep their own profit margins healthy.

You can list your rabbits on sites like Craigslist, or at Raising Rabbits.

4. Sell Rabbit Manure

Rabbit manure is highly prized by gardeners because unlike other forms of manure, it doesn’t have to age. You can gather the manure up and put in the garden the same day.

4 Ways to Make Money with Goats

Goats require more care and land than chickens or rabbits. But these little animals can be workhorses if you get creative.

1. Make and Sell Goat’s Milk Soap

Goat’s milk soap is highly prized because it’s so gentle and nourishing. The lactic acid in the goat’s milk dissolves and removes dead skin cells, which results in fresh, healthy, glowing skin.

You can sell goat’s milk soap on Etsy or eBay. You can also sell it at your local farmer’s market, health food store, or high-end boutique. This recipe from Hearts Content Farmhouse gives you a good idea of the equipment and ingredients you’ll need to make goat’s milk soap.

2. Sell Goat Cheese

Oh, goat cheese…how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I know I’m not the only one obsessed with this particular food. Goat cheese is creamy, delicious, easy to make, and requires minimal equipment. If you have goats on your homestead then you can use their milk to make a lot of people very happy. Like me.

You could sell your goat cheese out of your home, at farmers markets, or at a specialty market or health food store. Check out this article from Ethnic Spoon to see how to make goat cheese.

3. Outsource Brush Control

Goats will eat just about anything, even poison ivy, small trees, or thorny bushes like blackberries. Their organic brush control is invaluable for homeowners looking to clear parts of their property or sections of acreage that are difficult or impossible to mow. Goats are also excellent at removing invasive species like kudzu, or creating fire breaks to reduce wildfire risk.

Enter the new(ish) industry of goat rental. Goat rental is exactly how it sounds: you rent out your flock of goats to homeowners, property developers, conservation agencies, or other clients to control and manage brush.

You can learn more about goat rental with this Modern Farmer article. You can also check out pricing at Hire Goats.

4. Raise Goats for Meat

According to Hobby Farms, 63% to 65% of the red meat consumed globally is goat meat. Goat meat is lean, high in protein, and has a very unique flavor prized by many ethnicities.

The United States is becoming increasingly diverse, which means the demand for high quality goat meat is growing each year. However, most of the goat meat sold in this country is imported simply because there aren’t enough producers. You can fill this gap by raising and selling meat goats breeds like Boers, Tennessee Meat Goats, and Kiko.

Goats graze primary on woody brush that other animals, like cows and horses, won’t touch. So, they won’t compete with other animals for food. Although goats can provide several different sources of income, keep in mind that they are serious escape artists. You’ll have to invest money up front in quality fencing to ensure that they don’t get out.

5 Ways to Make Money with Bees

If you’re wondering how to make money homesteading and you want ideas that don’t involve a ton of work, consider beekeeping.

Beekeeping is an excellent money maker because once your hives are set up, the bees require very little time or effort on your part. Most beekeepers spend around an hour per week inspecting their hives, and perhaps a day or two harvesting honey in the spring.

The downside to beekeeping is that it’s expensive to get into. For example, we spent around $1,000 to get our first three hives started, and we’ve spent more since then buying additional supers to expand our hives. It’s not cheap, but if you turn beekeeping into a business you can write off these expenses.

So, how can you earn money with beekeeping?

1. Sell Honey

Local honey is a hot commodity no matter where you live. You can sell honey out of your home, at the farmers market, online through Etsy or eBay, or through local businesses

Most hives will produce 30 to 60 pounds of honey each year, while strong hives will produce up to 100 pounds. That’s a lot of honey. It could also be a lot of money.

According to the USDA’s March 2021 Honey Report, the average retail cost per pound in the United States is $10. Specialty infused honey, like vanilla bean honey or lavender honey, will net you even more. You do the math.

2. Sell Beeswax

The same clients who purchase your honey might also want extra beeswax. People use beeswax to make candles, salves, soap, lip balm, and much more.

3. Sell Bee Products

You could make all those products I just listed and sell them. People love handmade beeswax candles, handcrafted soaps and lipbalm, and herbal salves. Set up an Etsy shop or make the rounds at some local boutiques to find avenues for your products.

You can also collect propolis, the sticky sap that bees make to reinforce their hive. There are many medicinal uses for propolis, especially once it’s tinctured in alcohol, so this is another product you can pitch to health food stores or sell online.

4. Rent Bees

Yes, you read that right. You can rent out your bees to local farmers to pollinate their fields. Pollinator services are in high demand in agricultural states like California, which imports thousands of hives each year to pollinate certain crops, like almonds.

5. Sell Bees or Queens

Once you gain experience you might want to sell starter hives or replacement bees to those just getting into beekeeping. Most starter hives sell for $130 to $200 or more. In addition, you could raise and sell replacement queens.

26 Ways to Make Money Homesteading with a Garden

A thriving garden can provide you with so many ways to make extra money on your homestead. Ready?

1. Sell fresh fruits and vegetables at a farmer’s market or roadside stand.
2. Sell heirloom seeds.
3. Grow and sell medicinal herb starts.
4. Use your medicinal herbs to make tinctures, salves, balms, or capsules.
5. Take photographs of your garden and sell them to stock photography sites.
6. Grow and sell fresh or dried herbs.
7. If your garden is beautiful, rent it out for garden parties or weddings.
8. Use homegrown herbs to create specialty tea blends or herbal salts.
9. Start a CSA.
10. Sell fresh cut flowers.
11. Use homegrown produce to make jelly, jam, pickles, and relish.
12. Start a gardening blog.
13. If you’re an experienced or master gardener, offer garden consulting or design services.
14. Rent out your garden or pastureland to professional photographers to take wedding, senior, or family photos.
15. Host classes in your garden. Focus on specific topics like “how to start seeds,” “how to save seeds,” or “how to preserve your harvest.”
16. . Sell cuttings from grape vines, elderberry bushes, or fruit trees.
17. Grow a u-pick garden and charge people a flat fee for produce.
18. Rent out your garden for yoga or other fitness classes. Yes, this is a thing.
19. If you know how to build a raised bed or other garden necessities, offer a class and show other people how to do it.
20. Create and sell custom seed kits. You’ve probably seen these at big box retailers, titled, “Herbal Tea Kit,” “Butterfly Garden Kit,” “Italian Cuisine Kit,” “Salsa Garden,” and more. Basically, it’s all the seeds and supplies you need to start growing plants that center around a specific theme.
21. Start a u-pick flower farm.
22. Plant apple trees and sell u-pick apples, apple cider or hard cider, or make and sell apple butter.
23. Grow and sell mushrooms.
24. Sell specialty greens or microgreens.
25. Learn how to forage for wild edibles like chickweed or shepherd’s purse, and sell your harvest.
26. . Plant a pumpkin patch and invite people to come pick their own in the fall.

3 Ways to Make Money With Your Land

In addition to all these ideas, you can put your land to work for you using these strategies.

1. Host Weddings

Rustic and farmhouse weddings are incredibly popular right now. If you have a rustic barn that’s in decent shape, you could fix it up and rent it out for weddings. You will get more clients if you can offer breathtaking views or scenic landscapes perfect for pictures.

This could be a highly profitable way to earn extra income once you get the word out. Check out the barn wedding venues at Wedding Wire to see the services people are offering and how much they’re charging.

2. Host Vacationers

Another option is to rent out your land to campers looking to step away from city life for awhile. Inviting campers to stay on your land is almost like passive income, and you can collect great reviews if you put some time into creating a beautiful space for people to camp. They might also be thrilled (and pay more) to help you out with farm chores like feeding horses and collecting eggs. You can advertise your land to campers or RVers on sites like Hipcamp.

You can charge significantly more per night if you have a cabin or RV on your property. If you’re going to be away from home for a week or more, you could choose to rent it out for the duration on sites like Airbnb or VRBO.

3. Allow Hunting

Hunters will pay top dollar to hunt on your land if you can promise them desirable game like deer, turkey, quail, waterfowl, or pheasant. How much you can earn depends on how much land you have, and what type of game you can promise your clients.

You can lease access to your land for the day, a week, a month, or even all season. This article by White Tail Properties provides a good rundown on the various types of lease agreements.

Last Word

If you want to make money homesteading you have to get creative and put in some hard work to get it off the ground. And, some of the most profitable ideas are long-term. That is, they might require a year or more to implement.

On our homestead, we have several of these strategies in the works. For instance, I’m growing several types of medicinal herbs like motherwort, stinging nettle, borage, yarrow, marshmallow, rosemary, and more. Once these plants are established I’m going to sell homemade tinctures or salves, or sell herbal starts. We’ve also expanded our chicken flock, and added two roosters, so that we will be able to sell fresh eggs and pullets, and maybe fertilized eggs or day-old chicks if I decide to get an incubator. Our flock of ducks will be another income source next spring when they start laying.

The point here is that earning extra money from your homestead won’t happen overnight. But with persistence and some creativity, you could earn enough to quit your day job and homestead full time.