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Entrepreneurship:  I need some ideas for working from home  |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3078 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3078 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2013 : 4:56:14 PM
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I am a dairy farmer looking for ideas to earn some extra money, but I need to work from home in the time I have available between milkings and other chores. I can make some crafty things, but I'm not sure I can make a business of it. A search on the internet gives me a bunch of junk. Do any of you farmgirls have any ideas?
Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2013 : 06:06:02 AM
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If you want to go the crafty route, a lot f my friends have had great success on etsy. If you are on Facebook, you can also make a separate "business" page. And there are always farmers markets.
Not sure about your state laws, but what about selling homemade butter, cheeses, etc from your cows? |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2013 : 10:09:37 AM
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Heather,
I wonder if you could host an open house of your farm? I would love to visit a dairy farm. Maybe have demonstrations on milking cows, sell homemade cheese or butter along with your crafts. I keep thinking of the farm fair that MaryJane has had. What kinds of crafts do you do?
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
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Cozynana
True Blue Farmgirl
1123 Posts
Kem
1123 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2013 : 10:32:02 AM
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| Could you set up a place for dog or cat sitting? Could you babysit nights and weekends? There are two high school sisters that detail vehicles in the summer and make great money. Small bales of alfalfa or hay are very high here. Could you do that? Look into growing herbs and selling them. If I could find local honey here, I would buy locally. Junk metal is high here, do you have a farm junk yard that needs cleaned up? A guy here tears apart old computers, appliances, etc for the copper and then sells it. We all donate broken items to him. Cut fire wood and sell it. Just ideas, do not know if any will work. |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2013 : 11:17:22 AM
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| i think Sharon is really on to something!!! There is a local goat farm that does field trips, along with soap and cheese making classes, that does really well!!! Our homeschool group LOVES to go there!!! |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2013 : 7:08:32 PM
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| Another vote here for Sharon's idea, especially if the county zoning people are cool with it. |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3078 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3078 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2013 : 07:20:09 AM
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Thanks for the great ideas. I wish we had hay to sell. That would solve all our problems. We lost our hay land and have to buy all our feed for our cows. Milk prices have not kept up with the high feed costs. We've been looking for a new farm for years now, but land prices keep going up to. We've sold all the junk metal we have and burn wood for ourselves. I would love to have a huge garden and sell stuff, but it's too late this year. I was hoping for some ideas for something to do now for some Christmas money. I do crafty things as time allows for gifts for people. I do a lot of scrapbooking and card making, I can sew, etc. I don't have an inventory of crafts and sometimes I don't have time - that's why I'm a little hesitant to sell stuff on etsy. I don't know about babysitting - I watch my niece a lot (she's 4) and it's tricky on the farm. I have to work and watch her and most of the time I don't get much done. She's a very independent girl that isn't afraid of anything though. Her brother is older and was nothing like her. I guess it would depend on the child. I like the idea of an open-house kind of thing. Maybe I'll give that some thought and look into it. Thanks again for all the ideas. You farmgirls are so creative and supportive and I'm so happy to have joined Mary Jane's Farm.
Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
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Cozynana
True Blue Farmgirl
1123 Posts
Kem
1123 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2013 : 7:47:44 PM
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| Could you legally use you milk and do a seminar on making butter with your milk? Charge parents and kids to come. Let every family have a certain amount of butter. Before they leave serve warm home made bread, butter, and jelly. I would come. Have a calf for the kids to pet. I hear people are paying for experiences. Hayrack rides, walk in the woods and identify wildlife or plants, pumpkin patch, gather eggs to take home, fishing, apple picking (I am driving 40 miles to go pick at an orchard next week), charge people to come use your farm to take photos of family, bed and breakfast, get creative and think outside of the box. |
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sherone_13
True Blue Farmgirl
2460 Posts
Sherone
Evanston
WY
USA
2460 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2013 : 09:10:58 AM
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How about selling Thirty-One products. Go to thirtyonegifts.com and if you are interested, give me an email. I can help getting you going on it.
Sherone
Farmgirl Sister #1682
Thirty-One Independent Consultant
www.mythirtyone.com/233237
My Blog
www.annapearlsattic.blogspot.com
My Etsy
www.etsy.com/shop/annapearlsattic
Women are angels. When someone breaks our wings, we just jump on our broomsticks and fly! We are flexible that way! |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3078 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3078 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2013 : 11:13:07 AM
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I'm not sure if I could use my butter for a seminar or not. I'd have to look into it. That's a great idea. Thanks!
Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2013 : 2:02:19 PM
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Heather, my neighbor went to the Pizza Hut website and looked for employment opportunities. She found that they will hire you to take orders from home (from all over the country) and enter them into their database. They send you for a couple of days training, and then you work from home using your own computer and telephone line. She said you set your hours with them in advance, they pay you every two weeks, etc. She loves it. She actually quit her full- and two part-time jobs to do this, and is making good money working from home. I am not sure about the details, but if you're interested in their Call Center Customer Service Representative position, I can ask her for you. You can also visit the Pizza Hut website for more information: http://jobs.pizzahut.com/go/call-center-customer-service-representative/343478/
'Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3078 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3078 Posts |
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coccocolorado
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
C.
Poway
CA
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2013 : 7:49:50 PM
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OMGOSH, Nini! That sounds so cool!
Heather-I think if you sent out a press release that your farm is open for tours, as well as a letter to local schools, the Boys and Girls Club, Girl/Boy Scouts, etc. you would have a great return! Also, check out the homeschool meetups on meetup.org. Charge per person/group and you can even have two groups come at a time. Have a place for them to have their brown-bag lunch and voila! If you have a shed or something that you can set up a display area for your crafts, milk and butter, it would be so worth it!
Please keep us posted!
C
Farmgirl Sister #5348
City Girl
Country Heart |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2013 : 8:02:43 PM
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You know, C - I didn't even think of that! What an AWESOME suggestion! My girlfriend's family owns a big farm, and one of the services they offer is an autumn tour for school kids. That is SUCH a great idea! She is actually part Native American, so part of the tour includes a little Native American history from our area. They kids get to feed the goats, paint a pumpkin, run through a corn stalk maze, climb through hay bale tunnels, and they get to enjoy a hay raid on the tractor's trailer through the pumpkin patch. The best part for them, though, is getting to see all the animals... It's such a great day for the kids! And the parents do shop at the farm store for fruits, veggies and baked goods. I think that would be such a fun thing for you to do, Heather - and pretty lucrative at any time of year, actually! SUCH an exciting idea!!! :)
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Aug 31 2013 8:03:24 PM |
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Cozynana
True Blue Farmgirl
1123 Posts
Kem
1123 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2013 : 06:52:20 AM
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| We have a business in our area that has a pumpkin patch. They have a hayrack ride out to the patch and the kids get to pick their own pumpkin. You could offer a place where they could sit and carve or paint their pumpkins. You could offer paper stencils and pumpkin cutting kits you buy on clearance after halloween this year to use next year. Could you set up a safe weiner and marshmallow roasting pit? My grandkids from the city love to roast hotdogs and have smores. What if you could buy apples wholesale from a local orchard and sell apples too. I can buy 40 cents a pound apples here at a pick it yourself apple farm locally. Maybe you could even vind someone to grow your pumpkins so you do not have to. Just suggestions, love the brainstorming process. |
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AnnieinIdaho
True Blue Farmgirl
437 Posts
Annie
ID
USA
437 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2013 : 10:26:46 AM
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Hi Heather,
I like the farm tour idea as long as you can secure your personal home area and be sure you check into being insured for the public to be on your property (because sure as ____, someone will step into it or a hole and trip on something, or bang their head, fall off a bench, trip over their own feet). I'm sorry for always being so practical and looking at the "danger" factors. It's just that being exposed to the food service industry and dining facilities we have seen our fair share of accidents and legal law suits over the silliest of things. When we visited Salina, KS we loved being able to go onto someone's pumpkin farm to choose a pumpkin and see their turkey and gardens. They had a bin with extra produce for sale filled with squash. I like the picnic area idea too. Be sure to get your name on the chamber brochures once your get set up and insured. It is worth the membership and they market your farm tours for the tourist. Christmas time could allow you to have a light display and perhaps a sleigh ride for money, in fall you could have a hayride tour. Best to you, Annie
"The turnings of life seldom show a sign-post; or rather, though the sign is always there, it is usually placed some distance back, like the notices that give warning of a bad hill or a level railway-crossing." Edith Wharton, 1913 from 'The Custom of the Country'. |
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2013 : 1:46:33 PM
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Hi Heather -
You said you can sew. A friend of mine has to stay home to care for her ailing mother and takes in sewing (alterations, repairs, etc.) She has more work than she can keep up with and only placed a small ad in the local newspaper and put up a few flyers in the local stores. Maybe that would be something you could think about doing?
Luanne
beekeepersgirl #691
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3078 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3078 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2013 : 07:11:33 AM
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I love all the ideas ladies! Unfortunately we have a very, very small farm here and we're hoping to find a new one and move by winter. I am writing down all these ideas in my "idea book" for our new farm. I love the idea of bringing kids to the farm. A pumpkin patch and butter work shops sound like a nice place to start. Thanks for the reminder Annie. It's easy to get caught up in all the fun ideas and forget the bad that is possible too. If you farmgirls have any more ideas of fun things you enjoy in your areas let me know.
I love to take pictures around my farm. If I had calendars and cards made do you think they would sell? I do not buy cards or calendars because I make them so I'm not sure how good they would sell.
Thanks again for all the input ladies!
Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3932 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3932 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2013 : 11:35:52 AM
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There are sites which will make your photos into calendars or put them on hats, t-shirts and mugs. One of them is Zazzle.com and there is another which I cannot remember. If the pictures are really high quality, I believe that they would sell well.
Try everything once. The fun things try twice. |
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Cozynana
True Blue Farmgirl
1123 Posts
Kem
1123 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2013 : 5:20:49 PM
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| You might look at Hendricks exotic petting zoo and bed and breakfast in Nickerson, Ks for ideas. They have the coolest place. Probably a bit to complicated for you, but you might pic, up some ideas. I pet a baby kangaroo and zebra there. They also take their animals to the state fair for a petting zoo. Also, do pig races for Oreo cookies. It might be good to google some farms and see what they do.. How about zip line, picinic area, fishing pond, chickens to throw feed to, baby calf to pet, etc. |
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EllaRow
True Blue Farmgirl
64 Posts
Chantelle
Nevis
MN
USA
64 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2013 : 8:02:44 PM
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Cafepress.com is similar to zazzle, you can put photos on products and sell them online and link your shop to a website for your farm. You can make free websites using weebly.com and other places. weebly was referred to me by other sisters on here :) So if you plan on doing tours or classes of some sort you can make a free website online that shows everything in one place and maybe some of the people who visit will want a t-shirt or something off your shop. You never know. :)
Soaking in wisdom as the showers fall
https://www.facebook.com/CavemanWoodworkingAndCrafts
https://www.facebook.com/RowlandComputersPlus |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3078 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3078 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2013 : 1:25:51 PM
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Thanks Ladies! I'll check it out. I do hope we find a farm soon. This stuff all sounds so fun to try.
Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Oct 07 2013 : 06:57:09 AM
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how about making soap? you have milk and folks love milk soap.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Entrepreneurship: I need some ideas for working from home |
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I need some ideas for working from home
