how to make a small living with 3.5 acres?(is it even possable)

[NurseNettie]

Quote:
I don't really have any answers about animals-- but it can be done. It won't happen immediately- you'll have to put a lot of sweat equity into it and probably spend some money to start before it starts to come back to you. It is our goal here as well, for one of us to stay home and "work the farm" ( my preference is for DH to the the one at home-- he has the strength, energy and creative talent to make things happen).
My suggestion is to read everything you can on all the possibilities, ask lots of questions, and plan on hard work!!
The first book I read on "self sufficiency" (call it what you like, but that term works for me) was this one http://www.amazon.com/Self-sufficie...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227632918&sr=8-1
-- see if you can borrow it from the library or get it used somewhere if you don't want to invest a lot in books-- it has some great ideas on how to be self sufficient on 5 acres, or 1. Great ideas on how to use your land, how to make animals and grown crops work together, etc. I've read a ton more since this one, but for me, it's the best. All the Storey's Guides are super too. Check them out here--- http://www.amazon.com/Storeys-Basic-Country-Skills-Self-Reliance/dp/1580172024/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227632918&sr=8-2

I'm new to all this myself, and looking at all my options. We got chickens first-- and grew a "test" garden this year. We knew chickens would grow and produce for us quickest. We barely got a garden in, after moving here in March, in the midst of a terrible winter. A lot of things didn't mature, since I didn't get the start I wanted to on the plants, but we learned what grows well here ( everything thanks to the hen manure) and I'm already planning next years garden. My biggest lesson so far-- plan well ahead and expect to change those plans. We've had lots of rain this year-- and after the rain stopped, the ground froze--- my garlic never got in... I've got to figure out what to do next-- I may have to plant in spring and hope for the best!!!

Anyhow-- I've rambled. Good luck and please update often!! I love to hear what others are doing!

 

[ninny]

Quote:
That is a neat idea! Our newf could supply plenty of hair. Im also looking at brokering craft supplies or buying wholesale and reselling it. I really what to do is work from home.
Im thinking that doing my own line of products plus selling wholesale items might be my best bet. Id be getting a use out of my land (if i don't i might as move back to town) and wouldn't have to have a million animals to do it. So the critters could be pets and pay for their food and then some.(hopefully)

 

[ninny]

Should i have post this here? I did because of the livestock questions. So if not sorry!

 

[geareduplyn]

I would stay completely with poultry. Pasture fed broilers and fryers. Pastured Turkeys. Pastured eggs. and so on. As I was growing up our week to week income was the eggs from our farm flock and the cream from milk for the week. My Aunt sent my cousins to college selling dressed fryers. Food, Fuel, and Shelter. Always a demand.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
So, wait, are you wanting *income* in a net sense from the animals, or simply to have them provide *something* back towards (but not necessarily fully covering) their expenses?

I'm only asking because the one thing puts you into a very different business-plan type of realm from the other; your plausible options for the first thing are MUCH MUCH MUCh more restricted than for the second.

If you actually want *income*, first they have to pay back their purchase cost and whatever cost of fitting up housing and pastures for 'em (remember that you may very well want fences not just to hold the animals *in* but keep predators somewhat *out*. It would be 'annoying' to have a five hundred dollar animal eaten by coyotes or loose dogs.) And then they have to pay their hay and vet expenses thereafter, and their eventual replacement costs if/when something happens to 'em. That's just to break even, not to make a profit

Rabbits, or fairly generic sheep (not miniature babydoll things or other boutique types), would seem much likelier to fit that bill than something that's expensive straight off the bat.

Of course if you just want them as pets, and it would be nice if you could make back a little of your expenses but you don't *need* to and it's totally optional how *much* you make back if any, then you can get any ole critters you like

Good luck,

Pat

 

[WGB]

ninny take a look at this article, then look over his web site.
I'm working on the samething.
http://www.permaculture.com/drupal/node/141

 

[sara]

Quote:
I have to agree. Three acres of "pasture" is basically nothing. A couple of animals on that will have it grazed to nothing in no time. It can be very costly to raise animals without enough pasture. Sheep/goats might be small, but they sure can eat.

Last I heard you practically give wool away now.

A veggie garden sound like a good idea too.

 

[freemotion]

Don't forget about bees and worms! Low cost for feed and space and if there is a market in your area.....

Remember the math, too, when you produce something for your own use instead of buying it....not even getting into the health benefits, just the money part.

If you spend $100 on groceries at the store, how much to you need to earn, before taxes, to get that $100 in your hand? $130? $150?

Factor in what it costs you to work....dry cleaning, car and gas, nicer clothes than needed on the home front, maybe some convenience foods when you are tired or work late, etc.

Sometimes going down to one income while one person stays home and saves money can be a very good thing, also can remove a lot of stress in the household. I work part-time now and garden, can, and cook. I have more time to stack wood, paint rooms, sew curtains, research my next projects....turkeys? Goats for milk? Bees for honey and wax?

But also keep in mind that you are not adding to the retirement fund, so plan that into the mix, too. I am quickly working towards working only from home so I will still have income towards retirement, etc. The beautiful thing is that I can have the pressure canner going for 90 minutes in the kitchen and then go into my office and make a few phone calls or do paperwork....all in my pj's if I want to! I only need a few nice clothes for meetings in person and networking opportunities. Love it. DH loves it, too. He just wishes I prioritized cleaning more!!!

Projects are messy!

 

[onthespot]

if you wanted to do dog hair yarn products, groomers sweep up trashcans of the stuff every day and toss it. You could talk to some groomers and show them the type of fiber that would be useful to you and ask them to save it and buy it from them. I bet it would be WAY cheaper and easier than raising the fibers yourself, and the color pallette is amazing with dog hair. Every color and texture imaginable. Plus the groomers would like to sell some of their garbage before it goes in the trash. As far as selling animals to make a dollar, far as I know, the only way to do that is with high-end, high marketable animals. What I mean is it cost as much to feed a society finch as a rarer one, same to feed a flock of parakeets as a little smaller flock of rare mutation lovebirds. A plain cockatiel eats the same as a white faced cinnamon pearl pied one. Takes some time to score all the cherry stuff, but you gotta get it when it becomes available, not when you have gobs of extra money. Small high end dogs usually sell well. People here don't want to hear me talk like that, but those same people will have a pet yorkie, and ooh and ahhh over a beautiful rare bird, and will bash someone that talks about breeding them. Do right by your animals. cull like you never culled before, buy the best you can and you will make money. Even in tough times. Good stuff ALWAYS sells, low grade stuff is always low grade. PM me or email me if you want more info and want to continue talking about this in private.

 

[patandchickens]

FWIW, the people who've approached my m-i-l about doghair yarn/sweaters have been people who wanted a, I dunno what to call it, souvenir or memorial or whatever, of a specific dog of theirs. You could probably charge a lot more for that than for generic doghair yarn (my m-i-l swears it no longer smells like wet dog when it gets damp, after it's been all processed and spun and so forth) and I'm not sure the market would really be any much smaller.

BTW honeybees is an interesting idea too, dunno what the cost/profit margin on them is these days but the feed bill is less anyhow <g>,

Pat