Practical Strategies for Turning Your Homesteading Into a Business

If you live off the land in some capacity, you’re a homesteader. You also understand how much work it takes to run your hobby farm, especially if it’s not a full-time gig. But you also know how much money it can save you on your monthly bills. 

With that said, living is expensive, even if you’re growing your own greens, butchering your own meat, or bottling your own honey. One way to cut costs even more and supplement your income is to monetize your farm. Below, IMGA  Florida shares some simple ways to convert your homesteading into a business. 

Understand Your Customer       

As it’s getting harder to find goods and store shelves remain empty, more people are looking to shop and support local farmers. If you discover what your community needs, you’ll have a wonderful local base from which to launch your homesteading business. 

For instance, if the cost of eggs is rising and your chickens are producing at unprecedented levels, you’ll be meeting the needs of your community at little cost and sacrifice to you. If your goats produce more milk than you can consume, perhaps turning the milk into bars of soap will use up the excess supply and make you some money to cover your homesteading costs. Look to understand the needs of your potential customers and determine if you can meet the need at minimal cost to you.

Establish Your Name and Logo    

As long as you have a wonderful product and a memorable name, you have the makings for a successful business. After you’ve zeroed in on what you want to sell, it’s time to create memorable branding. Come up with some names and test them out on potential customers, friends, and family members. Use all this input to narrow your name options down to the perfect one. 

Once you have the perfect name in place, don your creative cap and focus on creating an eye-catching logo. If you’re on a tight budget, instead of hiring a professional to design your logo, check into an online logo maker to design a stylish logo. You can try out different fonts and colors until you come up with the ideal combination that encompasses the message and mission of your offering. All you have to do is choose a style and icon, add any text you want, and you’ll be able to view an array of templates that you can adjust to your liking.

Promote Your Business

In order to get the word out about your new business, build a user-friendly website. Your site should provide quick and secure payment options, clearly describe your offering, and allow your customers to easily communicate with you. 

Take your marketing one step further by connecting to potential customers via social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc.). For customers that are not tech-savvy, make sure to connect with them the old fashion way through flyers, newspaper ads, and bulletin boards. A large portion of your initial financial resources should be allocated toward marketing and getting the word out about your homestead business. 

Make It Official     

After you come up with a business name, act quickly to make sure it doesn’t get taken by anyone else. File articles of organization or incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State, which will form a business entity and help you avoid personal liability associated with the business activity you’ll be engaging with. To dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s, consult with an accountant to ensure you accurately document profits, losses, and sales.  

You’re already making the most of your property by living as much as you can off your land, why not take it a step further and bring in some income as well? If you have extra resources or an idea that can serve your community, turn the idea into a business. Next thing you know, you’ll be supplementing your income from the comfort of your own home!

Would you like to read more helpful content or learn about our microgreens? Visit IMGA Florida today!