7 of the Best Profitable Small Farm Income Ideas

Running a small farm is challenging at times, but it does put food on the table. In its own way, it is an incredibly rewarding business.

That said, what farmer would not like to have some extra money in their pocket? Learn seven of the best profitable small farm income ideas.

1. Dive Into the Tourism Market (Rent Out Rooms)

One of the best ways for farmers to make extra money is to tap into the tourism market. There are a few ways to do this. The farm can serve as a vacation destination of sorts for people who want to get away from the bustling city life.

The primary idea is not to target international travelers but people living in a busy city close by. Services such as Airbnb have made it easy to rent out some extra unused space. If there are no additional rooms or cabins on the farm, consider building one.

While this can require a more significant upfront investment than some of the other ideas on this list, it can prove itself as a lucrative opportunity. While renting out a space on the farm is already a fantastic way to make some extra money, there are ways to enhance the traveler’s experience.

For example, offering a bed and breakfast experience or providing tourists with the chance to learn more about farm life. When people go on vacation, many like to learn new skills and experience different things.

Vacationers can participate in activities such as feeding farm animals, picking fruit or exploring the area on horseback. Another idea is to offer tours to the guests. It could showcase what the day of a farmer looks like and even teach some skills.

Depending on the farmer’s abilities, they could offer their guests different teaching classes. Here are a few possible options:

• Providing cooking classes with the produce grown on the farm. Some travelers might even choose to buy many of the ingredients and take it home with them.
• Horse riding classes that include how to care for them.
• Permaculture farming classes.
• How to make fruit preserves lessons.

2. Hosting Out Farm Space For Events

Another one of the best small farm income ideas is to host out extra space for events. A great one to focus on is wedding venues. The truth is that wedding venues are becoming more expensive every day and many couples would like alternative options.

While getting married on a farm might not sound like the most romantic idea, many individuals would prefer the change of scenery from the city life. When starting such a venture, it is best to research and see what other things you could include in the offer.

3. Grow Products For Local Businesses

Many smaller farms struggle to compete with commercial corporations when selling to the market. That said, instead of directly competing with them, research to see what specific products businesses in the surrounding area are interested in.

If you see there is a demand for a specific product, you can grow it on the farm and sell it to this particular group. For example, if there are a few local breweries nearby, you could produce the hops they require to make their beer.

Many farmers have found that growing hops is often a great side hustle to get into. Generally speaking, hobs require less space than many other crops. In other words, you could easily grow it on a smaller-sized farm. Also, there is a variety of hops you can choose to grow, but try to select the ones that local breweries would be the most interested in.

4. Try Your Hand at Beekeeping

One great venture to get into is beekeeping. Bees play an incredibly important role in the environment and in many people’s lives. That said, in addition to all the environmental benefits, beekeeping can also serve as an excellent way to make some extra cash.

You can sell the honey they produce online or to local businesses. The same goes for beeswax, which some local businesses can use to create other products such as candles or soap. Consider looking into the surrounding shops and determine whether any of them would have an interest in honey or beeswax.

5. Utilize Farm Markets

Another excellent side hustle idea is to sell at your local farmer’s markets. One great thing about this is that you can keep more of the profits, which is usually not the case with selling wholesale.

You can sell most of your produce at a farmer’s market, including the honey you have made from beekeeping. That said, before you start, consider visiting a few markets to do research. Walk around and look at what other vendors have on offer.

This might even inspire other small farm income ideas. Pay attention to what others ask for their produce, this will allow you to price your goods accordingly. Getting started at a farmer’s market is generally not that difficult, but it might require you to get some permits and insurance.

6. Teach Others About Farming

If you have been doing farming for a while, consider teaching others the secrets of the trade. This is an excellent side business, especially if the farm is near schools and other learning institutes. You could turn the farm into an educational center of sorts and partner with universities to teach students about life as a farmer.

While this opportunity can provide a great source of extra income, it can also be rewarding to teach others what you know. On the farm, you could offer additional classes such as making preserves and caring for animals.

You could also provide tours to students to get them interested in the industry. If this venture is something you want to give a try, speak with learning institutes nearby and inform them about your services.

7. Rent Out Space For Storing Larger Vehicles

If your farm is located near a big city, consider renting out some of your extra space to store large vehicles. For example, many people living in bustling cities like to go camping with their caravan, but because of where they live, they can’t store it at their homes.

This is where your farm can help them. It can serve as an area for them to store their motor vehicles, caravans or even a boat if you are just a short distance from the coastline.

Utilizing Small Farm Income Ideas For Extra Money

There are several small farm income ideas farmers can use to generate extra income. One way to find possible ventures is to identify problems people experience in the community. Take the hops as an example.

Some local breweries might struggle to find the necessary ingredients for their craft beer. This is where your farm can help. Whichever route you decide to go, ensure that you conduct proper research to know whether it is really something worth your time.