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Would you like to make some extra money from your small homestead?  I’m pretty sure all of you would answer YES to this question. I’m a strong believer in having multiple streams of income.  Even if you are working full time outside of your home (as I do), having another source of income is always a good thing – and if you can make some extra money doing something you love, it’s even better.  There are many options for extra income, even on a very small property or even if you live in an apartment or in the middle of a city.  Here are my 10 favorite ideas.

Selling eggs or produce – This is probably the most obvious choice for making extra money on an urban homestead.  I can tell you from experience that fresh organic eggs are a hot commodity in my area.  I only have 5 hens and 4 egg customers and every week my eggs are spoken for BEFORE my hens even lay them.  At any given time I only have 3 or 4 eggs in my fridge for my personal use.  I responded to a local resale post (once) last fall to someone looking for fresh eggs and the post blew up with people wanting eggs.  I tried to redirect them to other people in my area that sell eggs.   I usually give away the extra vegetables that I grow, but the roadside stands near me appear to be busy all summer and fall.  You could also save and sell seeds.

Breed/sell animals for pets or 4-H – Maybe you love a specific breed of chicken or rabbit or goat.  You can breed them and sell the babies.  You can sell chicks hatched in an incubator or raise chickens to laying age and sell to people that want their own laying hens but don’t want to raise them from chicks. 

Selling Flowers – Do you love growing flowers? You can earn extra money selling flowers either in bouquet form or contact a local florist and see if they are interested in buying large quantities.  If you have large cutting gardens you can allow people to cut and assemble their own bouquets.  In my early 20’s, I was a recently divorced single mom and full-time student, living in an apartment with my son.  I had no extra money but every week in the summer I would buy a bunch of gladiolas from an elderly woman that had them for sale at the end of her driveway for $4.  It was such an extravagance for me at the time – but it made me happy.  Sell flowers – make someone happy. 

Sell Seedlings or Perennials –  If you have space to start seeds early, you can sell the seedlings in the spring.  If you have perennial flowers that you will be dividing in the spring, have a plant sale.  If you have an area to plant tree seedlings (check with your local extension office regarding purchasing bulk tree seedlings) you can grow them for a few years to a desirable size, and then offer them for sale.

Making Homemade Products – People are always looking for unique items for themselves or for gifts. Hand-made products just seem a little more special. Gift baskets, knitted or crocheted items, bread, jams, birthday cakes/cupcakes, crafts, and beauty products.  There are many possibilities in this category. Make sure your prices reflect the time you spent on these products.

Pet or Farm Sitting – Finding someone trustworthy and knowledgeable to care for your furred and feathered friends can be difficult.  The peace of mind, knowing that your animals are being well taken care of while you are away, is priceless.  This can be a very lucrative and rewarding business. 

Furniture Flipping – If you have ever watched Flea Market Flip you know there is money to be made from flipping furniture.  Many times you can find “project” pieces offered for free online.  Garage or estate sales are other great places to source furniture or other pieces to makeover.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I have found some great pieces to makeover from my neighbor’s trash.  One man’s trash is another man’s (or woman’s) treasure.

Teach a class or host a workshop – Do you have a special skill or information to offer? Share it with others by teaching a class.  Check with your community education program or host a workshop or class in your home.

Raise Worms – A worm farm can be easily and inexpensively started with limited space. Castings can be sold to local gardeners for fertilizer or the worms themselves can be sold.  Raise different types of worms for different purposes. Nightcrawlers can be raised for fishing bait or mealworms for chickens.

Write a book, blog, ebook or start a YouTube channel – I personally get so much information (about everything) from watching YouTube.  (My favorite is The Honeystead – so much good information about herbs, herbalism, gardening, and beekeeping). Being on camera is not my “thing”, but vlogging is very popular. If you love to write a book or blog may be for you.

 Always remember to do your research and check with local ordinances before starting any business venture on your property.  I hope at least one of these suggestions sparked your interest and got you thinking about how you can make money on your homestead, no matter where you are. I would love to hear any ideas that you have or if you are currently doing any of these things to earn extra money.