Small farm hobby ideas for profit

[Kyanite]

What I'd really love is some goats that would work for both milk and fiber. Maybe some crosses? I've tried looking up information but couldn't find much. 

I've never heard of using goats for fiber, but it doesn't mean that it isn't done. Any goats I can think of don't have a long enough coat for sharing though... or a coat that would be the quality you'd be looking for. I've only heard about dual purpose meat-milk goats.

 

[Kyanite]

Scratch that on goat fiber... Can't believe I didn't remember about Angora goats. The source of mohair!

 

[Flock Leader]

Kyanite, that's what I meant. What if one crossed Angora goats with a milk breed, such as Saanen or Alpine?

 

[Kyanite]

It would certainly be a fun project. I might look for a breed of milk goats with longer hair for the cross.

 

[ldawntaylor]

You might try looking for the more "old fashioned" Toggenberg. Below is a picture of my buck - he is purebred. Actually, this buck is the sire/grand sire etc. of all the goats I have now. His son is my current herd sire.

 

[Kyanite]

His coat is beautiful! Have you ever used fiber from your goats? Or had anyone who wanted it?

 

[Flock Leader]

You might try looking for the more "old fashioned" Toggenberg. Below is a picture of my buck - he is purebred. Actually, this buck is the sire/grand sire etc. of all the goats I have now. His son is my current herd sire.

He is simply gorgeous! And looks so easy-going, too.

 

[ldawntaylor]

Thanks, he was a very gentle goat. Of course as a youngster I had to prove to him that I was in charge. After that first season in rut he behaved himself quite well. I still miss him.

As for using the hair for fiber. I've never tried, and around here the fiber type goats don't seem to be in high demand so I never had anyone ask about it either. I do know that was part of what the breeder I purchased him from was working towards. Her hobby outside of the dairy - I believe.

This breed of dairy goat is sometimes referred to as "Carl Sandburg's goats" although it was his wife who worked with them so much. Carl Sandburg was a poet and author in the Chicago area in the early to mid 1900's.

 

[waddles99]

I have a couple thoughts....

Vegetables, fruit, chicken, beef, etc. are way to mainstream. It will be hard to make enough money with all the large farms selling them for outrageously low prices. You need something that sets you apart.

Honey is a nice idea. The start up is a big expensive. It can cost around $150 for bees and $300+ for a hive. But after that, it is relatively free of cost. Nature feeds the bees, and the bees help nature grow in return.

Organic, free range eggs you should give a try. If you get a lot of nice breeds you can have a wide variety of color. Blues, greens, chocolate, and, of course, brown.

Goats milk soap is something people really like. I don't know where you are, but around here, people would go crazy for it. Especially if you inform the customers about it, how you make it, and how it is better for your skin than store bought soap.

Fish farming can be very profitable. If you set up some kind of aquaponics system, you could do well.

 

[Flock Leader]

Idawntaylor, I also notice your buck had no horns - a big plus. Around here for some reason people just don't do disbudding. So the only option for folks who don't want horns is to buy day old kids and do the deed themselves. No way I'd agree to have a horned buck on my hands.