# Homesteading for $$



## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

I'm not sure which forum this belongs in but on my way to getting prepped, I am seeing on some websites that folks are "homesteading" (which to me, is a new word for "living simply" within your means). 
Anyway, it makes sense to make money at/while "homesteading" to pay for that prepping we want or need to do.

Do any of you have experience at this? Are you "homesteading" and is it paying for itself or you prepps?


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

My Hubby and I always grow large gardens and sell what we don't put up. It's not a lot of money, but, does help out.
The last time we raised watermelons, was 5 yrs ago. We lost about $200. It got too hard to fight all the critters eating them.
That was a good cash crop if your succesful.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

Ripley said:


> I wanted to do the homesteading thing, but it was hard to do it on my own. At one time I had bees, goats, and chickens. We used the eggs and honey ourselves. If I get the hives going again, selling honey would be an option. My yard has a wide variety of fruit and nut trees that will be producing excess someday....I hope. Farmer's Market, here I come!


I am curious about the bee keeping... and I've thought about rabbits... more home work to do on that.
I just started my garden late this summer. Gave some cucumbers away and still waiting on tomatoes to eat. I hops to get two season out of more plants next year.

Ripley, if you don't mind my asking what could I expect for startup expenses for bee keeping?


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

Rabbits are next on my list. I'd love to do bees someday as well. I have a friend who raises goats and offered to give me one for free but due to reasons I won't mention I couldn't take her up on it. Someday....


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Ripley said:


> I wanted to do the homesteading thing, but it was hard to do it on my own. At one time I had bees, goats, and chickens. We used the eggs and honey ourselves. If I get the hives going again, selling honey would be an option. My yard has a wide variety of fruit and nut trees that will be producing excess someday....I hope. Farmer's Market, here I come!


Bees will be important. What with 35% of all honey bees dead, anything you can do will be a plus.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

This has different meanings Boss. I homesteaded my home legally to prevent inmates from suing me and losing my home. So depends on what you mean.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Thinking the homesteading thing would be too much manuel labor for old fat guys who sweat a lot.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

Jeep said:


> This has different meanings Boss. I homesteaded my home legally to prevent inmates from suing me and losing my home. So depends on what you mean.


Yea, homesteading in FL means the govt can't take your home away... But your taxes are higher if you don't exempt yourself.

Jeep, seems like it is another way of living as self reliant as possible. Off the grid. Although, off the grid often has a secluded image in mind for us preppers.

I'm fixin to retire in about 5-6 years. "Homesteading" to support myself and sell the leftovers is an interesting option.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

It takes time to get everything set up. You have to have pens, shelters then get the animals. There are food expenses, and medical expenses occasionally. It takes a year to get babies to sell or trade. We have lots of chicken eggs and are building a regular customer base for them. Our freezers are full of meat we have raised. You have to build a reputation with people. I know some of the people that buy our eggs will buy veggies from us next year. We use/store all our honey so we are thinking of expanding and getting another hive. If you think you can start a garden, get some animals and start making money you are mistaken. Like everything else it takes planning and time.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

Homesteading traditionally is Federal or State owned land in which you stake out a parcel and improve over the course of several years...5 or more at which time you gain ownership of that parcel of land. They had it in years gone by and even recently in Australia..I considered doing that myself and they have it today if you look for it.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Old SF Guy said:


> Homesteading traditionally is Federal or State owned land in which you stake out a parcel and improve over the course of several years...5 or more at which time you gain ownership of that parcel of land. They had it in years gone by and even recently in Australia..I considered doing that myself and they have it today if you look for it.


Unfortunately, when you look for it, you'd better be looking a long way. There is no longer any legal homesteading in the US. The last program shut down in Alaska in 1986.

The exception is certain programs usually run by larger cities. These programs aren't unlimited nor are they always there. Usually a big city will 'homestead' you a house IF you pay the back taxes and get the place back to code. Finding such programs is a serious job, since cities don't advertise them.

That said, there is still a decent market for hand-made crafts. My wife will probably do that when she retires. I'll help out, but I really don't have enough patience.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

Auntie said:


> It takes time to get everything set up. You have to have pens, shelters then get the animals. There are food expenses, and medical expenses occasionally. It takes a year to get babies to sell or trade. We have lots of chicken eggs and are building a regular customer base for them. Our freezers are full of meat we have raised. You have to build a reputation with people. I know some of the people that buy our eggs will buy veggies from us next year. We use/store all our honey so we are thinking of expanding and getting another hive. If you think you can start a garden, get some animals and start making money you are mistaken. Like everything else it takes planning and time.


Excellent coaching, Auntie.
We've been in our new 'hood for about 3 months now and only met neighbors in two houses. 
There's a flea market (swap meet) a few miles away which I've yet to visit. It might be a place sell homegrown goods.
Building a customer base is important.

We won't be having chickens because the zoning restrictions .

In another thread discussing spouse support in prepping I wonder if mine would be more supportive if I made some revenue along the way.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I have a house in town, so the I think I'm best to twist and distort the traditional definitions for a homestead. 
Although, I am planning to develop my backyard for gardening and rabbits, I have a single car garage, handyman skills including industry experience in electronics.

Just like producing extra food for sale or barter, there will be medical and security based needs for electronics in a TEOTWAWKI situation. I am currently brainstorming for ideas on how to utilize the skills I already have (while learning the traditional skills I should already know.)

It's is tricky to come up with something that makes money now, and still be a fundamental need in the future. Most vital needs are currently monopolized by huge corps that can drive the market into a position where it is impossible to compete. 

So, I've considered keeping my ideas at a labor of love level, keep things scaled down so profit and loss are not an issue. But then I realize that I've reached a catch 22 situation where I'm no longer making money. 

Round and round it goes.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

tinkerhell said:


> I have a house in town, so the I think I'm best to twist and distort the traditional definitions for a homestead.
> Although, I am planning to develop my backyard for gardening and rabbits, I have a single car garage, handyman skills including industry experience in electronics.
> 
> Just like producing extra food for sale or barter, there will be medical and security based needs for electronics in a TEOTWAWKI situation. I am currently brainstorming for ideas on how to utilize the skills I already have (while learning the traditional skills I should already know.)
> ...


This is just off the top of my head. Not sure if it would be profitable (some times profit comes after the customer base grows)

I've seen some hacks that "repurpose" solar landscape lighting into solar battery or cell phone chargers. But I've not seen anyone take solar landscape lights that work as interior lighting when the power goes off.

I don't even know if that is in your acquired skill set.

Just a thought.

Still toying with the beekeeping idea, Ripley pointed out.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Thanks. I think you are right on point. Sometimes prepper items are very trendy for environmental appeal. You certainly didn't waste any time pointing out an idea that can be repurposed in several different ways.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Grow, raise, or make what you can to free up cash for other things. Things you can grow you don't have to pay cash for at the grocery store. Freezing or canning items for future use.

More & more places are allowing chickens but no rooster.

Fruit & nut trees produce year after years & are low maintenance.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

HuntingHawk said:


> Grow, raise, or make what you can to free up cash for other things. Things you can grow you don't have to pay cash for at the grocery store. Freezing or canning items for future use.
> 
> More & more places are allowing chickens but no rooster.
> 
> Fruit & nut trees produce year after years & are low maintenance.


Jacksonville City Council recently voted making it legal to have chickens in residential areas... HOAs followed quickly with covenant restrictions on having chickens... Im thinking there's too much governing going on. ;-)

You just just revived something I heard from a guy at church. "Would you rather farm corn or apples?" 
He explained, "You have to plant corn every year, but if things go well you have great abundance."
"If you plant trees, you will not eat or enjoy abundance for the first few years, then with little or no effort, abundance comes from the apples year after year for up to 15 years."


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## OC40 (Sep 16, 2014)

The wife & I are moving to MO once I retire just for this reason, we both grew up around and on farms and such so for us it's just getting back to what we know. As for making a profit beef or anything you can call organic will normally make you a few dollars. Won't get rich but it will get you by from time to time.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

I have the land but I am am working on the knowledge and infra structure so I could start if necessary. I put in to many hours to do it in addition to my work. The wife and I have discussed where we would put what and types of critters. I have two orchards started. Fruits and nuts. Makes me nostalgic for the big city.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> I have a house in town, so the I think I'm best to twist and distort the traditional definitions for a homestead.
> Although, I am planning to develop my backyard for gardening and rabbits, I have a single car garage, handyman skills including industry experience in electronics.
> 
> Just like producing extra food for sale or barter, there will be medical and security based needs for electronics in a TEOTWAWKI situation. I am currently brainstorming for ideas on how to utilize the skills I already have (while learning the traditional skills I should already know.)
> ...


What you can do is hand-crafted stuff. Especially wood working crafts. Then take em to local craft fairs to sell em. If you judge your price points right you can make a couple hundred and more pure profit. A good idea these days is one of those Square card readers so you can accept plastic.


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

I would roughly define homesteading as, "becoming self-sufficient." Traditional homesteading takes a lot of work and can be expensive to get started. There are 2 other avenues you might want to consider...

1... Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, you sell shares in your garden's production and the shareholders get a percentage of your crops every week. This is a nice way to do it because you get paid up front, so don't have to shell out a lot of money for seeds, plants, and so on.

2... Permaculture. This creates a natural "food forest" that requires very little effort once established. You are mimicking a natural ecosystem, but with plants that provide benefits to you instead of non-productive ornamental varieties. Just as an example, there is a food forest in Morocco that has been feeding about 800 people for the last 2,000 years. These systems are self-fertile, low energy input, require no pesticides or chemicals of any kind, and can provide an easy, sustainable source of food virtually forever.

Of course, food is just one aspect of being self-sufficient. You would also need the tools and skills to do metal working, woodworking, mechanical and electrical repairs, and a long list of other things, but without food, you won't live long enough to do anything else.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I guess it is safe to say that in the case of an economics collapse, a local economy would start to develop immediately. I have to keep reminding myself that the stockpile is a short term plan, ie the SHTF version of unemployment insurance.( please don't correct me on this, I know it is much more than this) A longer term plan must include self sufficiency and or a means to sustain myself through trade/barter/employment. The risk with employment is it probably won't pay very much, not with a rebooting economy.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

Prepadoodle said:


> I would roughly define homesteading as, "becoming self-sufficient." Traditional homesteading takes a lot of work and can be expensive to get started. There are 2 other avenues you might want to consider...
> 
> 1... Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, you sell shares in your garden's production and the shareholders get a percentage of your crops every week. This is a nice way to do it because you get paid up front, so don't have to shell out a lot of money for seeds, plants, and so on.
> 
> ...


Well said and probably better defines my long term vision than I stated earlier.

Inside the city limits, permaculture is more attractive to me. I'm developing a companion planting plan and acquiring seeds. Baby steps to permaculture. Some folks here are placing edible plants as landscaping in their front yards.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Answer;


Camel923 said:


> Fruits and nuts.


Question; Can you describe my dipshit brother-in-laws family?


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

Here's a food forest on 2 acres in Vietnam that has been providing a family with almost all of their food and medicinal herbs for the last 28 generations...


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