Does anyone make any money off their property

[woodlandfarms]

I got into a long conversation with a good "city" friend. We were discussing farming, its virtues and the chances of making any coin off a small piece of land.

So for a bit of personal edification, does anyone try to make money off their land, and what are the general results. I am especially interested in results for people who do not have farmland specifically (100 acres flat field).

Thanks in advance for humoring me in this conversation

Carl

 

[300UGUY]

Not here. And not anyone I know. We have chickens and goats, sell some eggs, but the income doesn't cover costs. This is a lifestyle thing, not a job.

 

[jeffinsgf]

While I personally am not a practitioner (yet), it is possible to make a living off a small plot of land, but it is far from what we have come to think of as "farming".

Organic vegetable truck farming doesn't require a great deal of acreage. Nor does a vineyard. Grapes have a very heavy initial investment, and take a long time to start producing reliably, but a few acres in the right place can make a nice income.

You can do it, but to over-use an over-used phrase, you have to think outside the box.

 

[miramadar]

I have about 12 acres. I'd like to set aside maybe 4-6 acres to try to make some money on the side, but I haven't yet figured out what to do. I had thought about growing ginseng since some of it is wooded. I had also though about blueberries.

So, my answer is, "would like to, but haven't yet."

 

[alakodiak]

I have a couple of acres of pecan trees - we make a couple of bucks some years and then loose our rear in others. Do it more because I like being on the tractor than to make money.

 

[horsebroke]

I have 6 1/2 acres under hay (alfalfa and grass mix). I yield appx 1,000 bales each year - and consume appx 200-250 for our horses, and sell the rest. Like the previous poster said - can't make a living, but helps cover the costs of tractor and implements.

 

[brin]

When I had cattle I always made some money selling the calves every year...but you would have to have quite a herd and a good bit of land and equipment to make a living at it and then you are at the mercy of the market and the weather for your hay fields.

 

[wedge40]

I have about 12 acres. I'd like to set aside maybe 4-6 acres to try to make some money on the side, but I haven't yet figured out what to do. I had thought about growing ginseng since some of it is wooded. I had also though about blueberries.

So, my answer is, "would like to, but haven't yet."

Not sure if you have access to local farmers market. But there is a guy here who grows 6 or so acres of sweet corn every year and manages to keep going from July till the first frost. Some of the best stuff I've every had and I'm pretty sure he does pretty well with that. I'm also sure it's time comsuming.


Wedge

 

[flusher]

I got into a long conversation with a good "city" friend. We were discussing farming, its virtues and the chances of making any coin off a small piece of land.

So for a bit of personal edification, does anyone try to make money off their land, and what are the general results. I am especially interested in results for people who do not have farmland specifically (100 acres flat field).

Thanks in advance for humoring me in this conversation

Carl

I have 10 acres of flat pasture land that used to be an almond orchard. There are about 25 old almond trees that still produce, but are too tall to harvest efficiently. I have oat hay on 5 acres. I could plant a modern variety of almond that produces in the 3rd or 4th year on the hayfield. The problem is irrigation--I'd have to drill another well ($5-6K to get to the 3rd strata at 150 ft) and install the irrigation lines (PVC mains and drip lines, cost TBD). Payback time would be lengthy (10 years or more) and I'm to old to be planning that far ahead.

 

[Mousefield]

This is something my wife and I have talked about a number of times. What can we do or use our land for to make money, (more than cover our costs). We are still looking at a few things but tough without investing a ton of money which we don't have.