How to run a side hustle from your lifestyle block or homestead
If you have thought about ways to bring in more money outside of your regular job, here are some ideas for side hustles you can do from your lifestyle block / homestead.
What is a Side Hustle?
A side hustle is a way to earn some extra income, outside of your regular job. It can allow you to earn some extra money, and give you greater financial freedom. It can be a way to make a little money from hobbies or activities that you love (and have possibly invested lots of money into already!).
Other ways to describe the term ‘side hustle’ include side job / business, side gig, or second job.
Lifestyle block / homestead side hustle ideas
There are many ways to make side hustle money from your lifestyle block or homestead. Here are some ideas you could try:
1. Sell produce you have grown
If you have a garden or orchard, you can sell seedlings, houseplants plants, cut flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs at a local farmers’ market or directly to neighbours and friends.
Other options include animal products such as eggs, honey, or dairy products – check the rules in your country for selling these kind of products though.
I used to sell produce at my gate, but it took a fair amount of work to manage, so I usually sell online through Facebook Marketplace now.
2. Offer farm stays
If you have a spare room or guest house, you can offer farm stays to people who want to experience life on a homestead. This can include activities like milking cows, gathering eggs, and helping with farm chores.
Farm stays are a unique way to experience rural life. This link has a list of some farm stay options in my beautiful country of Aotearoa New Zealand.
3. Sell handmade goods
If you have skills like knitting, woodworking, or pottery, you can sell your handmade goods online or at local markets. Other ideas for handmade products include soap, candles, clothing, or beeswax wraps.
I have recently learnt how to knit, from reading library books and watchin YouTube tutorials. I’m enjoying it lots, but I can see that I won’t need to keep all the hats, scarfs and dishcloths that I am busy making. Giving some away as gifts is an idea, and I could also sell some as I become a more experienced knitter.
4. Offer classes or workshops
If you have expertise in a certain area, like beekeeping or cheese making, you can offer classes or workshops to teach others about your lifestyle and share your knowledge and skills. It helps keep skills alive, by passing them on to other people. Some people learn best in a hands on way, and would gain more from hearing you talk and demonstrate your skills.
5. Rent out your land
If you have extra land, you can consider renting it out to farmers or people who need space for animals or crops. It’s quite common to see people asking online in my area for places to graze for sheep or horses. There are considerations around making sure your fencing is good enough for bigger animals like cows and horses though, you don’t want them getting out of their new home.
You could also rent out a portion of your land for tiny house parking, or storage. As more people get into tiny house living, there is more demand for parking spaces. In New Zealand, the website Landshare is an online directory connecting land owners with tiny house owners.
6. Offer services
If you have skills and expertise, you can offer your services to others in your community.
Skills and services could include:
- Garden maintenance or landscaping
- Wood chopping
- Animal care
- Repair and maintenance work
A great side hustle that my school aged daughter has developed (with my support!) is pet feeding in our local community. We have a number of regular customers now, after two years of pet feeding. And we have feed and care for lots of different types of animals now, including cats, dogs, rabbits, pigs, horses, sheep, birds, fish, and chickens.
Explore the side hustle possibilities!
It’s always important to research local regulations and laws before starting any new side hustle venture. But there are lots of opportunities to turn your skills and hobbies into ways to bring in some extra money.
Links to useful articles about side hustles
This article is specific to people based in New Zealand – 8 Profitable side hustles
An article that is more USA focused – 50 Profitable Side Hustle ideas
This one is UK specific – Side Hustles UK – Epic list of Side Hustles business ideas
Saving money is the other side of the coin to making some extra money. Check out these links to articles about saving money:
Thanks for reading, from Pippa
Check out my Bio at About Me
