Ok, so these 7 things are ways for anyone to make money but these are definitely something a young person can do for some extra cash. Children are the future, nothing profound about that statement but true nonetheless. Because they are the future, we want to raise them to be as prepared and skilled as they can be. A great way to do that is to enable them to start their own businesses on the homestead.
In this article, I will share 7 ways kids can make money by starting their very own business. All of these endeavors will help them to learn all aspects of running a business from bookkeeping to a little hard labor to customer service.
1. Selling Eggs
This is one of the most common ways to make a little money on the homestead. This can be a business of pennies by simply selling chicken eggs or can be built around eggs with a little more demand such as duck or quail eggs.
Even if you’re dealing with just chicken eggs you may be able to make the eggs have a higher demand by raising them free range and combining that fact with a little creative marketing.
Letting children tally up all the expenses of the business along with the profits will teach them a lot about basic business and really help them in future endeavors.
2. Selling Rabbits
One of my favorite homesteading animals to work with is rabbits but making money with them takes a bit of creativity. Selling meat may be difficult due to government regulation in your area so other avenues will probably be an easier and maybe more profitable way to sell rabbits.
Selling breeding does and bucks to others wanting to start their own rabbitry for meat production is one way to make money selling rabbits. There may be a higher demand for this than you think depending on the breeds you work with and the availability in your area.
Raising and selling breeds commonly known for being pets is probably the most profitable avenue to go down. Some breeds are rare or known for certain features or traits that make them highly desirable and worth a fair amount of money.
An enterprising young person could even take this to another level by building and selling hutches along with the rabbits making this an even more successful business with another income stream.
3. Raise and Sell Worms
Farming worms can also be a good business for a young person depending on the location. If a farm is located in an area known for fishing a roadside sign can bring in many customers hoping for that big catch.
Selling composting worms for folks using vermicomposting systems can be another road to go down in the worm selling business.
With the proper setup, they may even be able to harvest the worm castings to sell as the best garden fertilizer you can possibly have. Selling bags of this garden gold can be an added bonus to this business.
4. Vegetable Stand
This is another common homestead business that can be a great learning experience for a youngster as well as putting a good chunk of change in their pockets. I would suggest letting them experience the full span of this business from buying the seed, to giving them their own dedicated garden area to plant tend and harvest and then deal with the customers face to face.
Even a stand put up at the end of a driveway unmanned and selling on an honor system can prove very profitable from my experience. Display your vegetable, clearly mark prices on a sign, and provide a locked, secured money box for customers to drop their money in. I have been pleasantly surprised by people’s generosity and honesty with a setup like this.
Further Reading: Check Out These 8 Unconventional Ways Modern Homesteaders Can Make Money
5. Neighborhood CSA Delivery
Setting up and operating a neighborhood CSA or Consumer Supported Agriculture program can be another fantastic business to get into. Not only can a business like this be profitable for a young person but it can also be a great service to the folks in the community.
A little about what a CSA program is and how it operates. A CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, matches small farms directly with customers who want fresh, seasonal food. A small farm sells shares in its harvest to local customers. For a subscription fee that can vary depending on duration and quantity, a buyer can sign up to receive regular deliveries of fresh, seasonal produce.
The farmer can arrange a regular schedule where customers can pick up a package of newly harvested goods or deliver packages. How much food you get from a CSA can range from a family-sized box of veggies delivered weekly throughout the entire growing season, to smaller portions for one or two people, or shorter options that provide four weeks’ worth of fall greens.
6. Sell Plants
If you have ever purchased seedlings from a nursery you know planting a large garden can be pretty costly and yet these stores sell out of plants every spring. Seed starting is a valuable skill to have and starting with a small expense of seeds and cheap containers a young person can make a healthy profit.
Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and melons are among the most popular plants to sell but nothing is off the table if there is a market for it in your area.
7. Selling Manure
Not the most elegant of businesses but one in demand to be sure. Depending on what livestock you have on your homestead the manure may be really valuable for aspiring gardeners.
Chicken manure after composted makes fantastic rich manure. Rabbit manure is great because it doesn’t need to be composted first and can be added directly to the garden. Other manures such as horse and cow are valuable as well but usually purchased on larger scales like by a truckload rather than the more feasible “by the bag” method that is simpler for a young person.
There are unlimited ways a creative person can think of for young people to make money running a small business from the homestead. I hope that these few ideas have got the gears turning and the desire inspired to put a child down this path and making the future a little brighter for all of humanity.
