Making Dough Part 2: Farm Fresh Goods

In part 2 of this series, we are going to look at one of the more obvious off-grid income generators: selling what you produce. Most of us homesteaders grow our own food. This can be eggs, fresh produce, or even fresh meat. In many cases we will produce more than we can consume or preserve. This presents us with a fun way to make extra income with very little extra effort.

What To Sell:

What you sell depends on what you produce obviously. But it also depends on local laws (more on this later). Things like farm-fresh produce, eggs, meat, baked goods, and canned goods are extremely popular and can make you a good deal of money.

Where To Sell:

You can post on social media or craigslist, sell at farmers' markets, and in some cases, even get local retailers to sell your goods. This is not one we have personally started doing, though we plan to soon. We do have a friend that recently struck a deal with a local market to begin selling farm fresh eggs. She will pay the market $0.50/dozen and collect $1.50/dozen. Starting this winter, this same market is also going to begin carrying her homemade jams and jellies.

Things To Know:

After seeing this, I started to do some research and found another site called HipCamp:

For most, there is little ro know extra startup cost. If you are already producing, you already have your inventory. You may need to invest in packaging and labeling, but you likely already have the equipment. Remember, we are not talking about large scale production here, just enough to earn a little extra income.

You also need to consider the laws in your area. In some places, selling your fresh eggs and produce is easy and does not require in special licensing or permits. In other places, you must have a permit and possibly even regular inspection of your production facilities. This requirement is often determined by the scale of your production. If you are selling just a little at local family markets or in a local retailer, you likely will be fine. As always, just know the laws and regulations in your area.

Conclusion

I know this second part was a bit short, but that just acts as a testament to how easy this money making venture can be to start. Share the bounty you produce and make a little cash off of it. Win-Win!