Being a farmer comes with its own set of perks, such as having
access to fresh fruit and vegetables from your crops or organic meat from your
livestock. However, it can be tricky to maintain your income during hard times.
Applying for plant
and machinery finance when you have a tight budget is difficult and
stressful, so if you are looking for innovative ways to improve your farm’s
income here are some top tips.
Transform some land into the perfect wedding venue
Weddings are big business, as any wedding planner will tell
you, and one of the most important aspects of any wedding is the venue. In
today’s fast-paced modern world, more
and more brides are choosing to have weddings at peaceful, tranquil venues.
What could be better than a rustic, elegant farm for the perfect wedding venue?
It might seem like a lot of work, but if you have help and a
little guidance from a wedding planner on what brides look for in a wedding
venue, you can create a spectacular space for weddings to be held. You can
create packages for brides on a budget, or even host conferences and
team-building events during times when there are no bookings for venues.
Go glamorous with glamping sites
If you have large enough land, you can set up ‘glamping’
sites for people to enjoy on weekends or during holidays. ‘Glamping’, put
simply, is glamorous camping, and involves setting up ‘tents’ with flooring,
electricity points or wood burning stoves and comfortable beds.
Glamping is camping for people who do not enjoy roughing it
outdoors but still want to experience nature. This makes it the perfect venture
for a farm that has stunning surrounds or a lot of land available for guests to
explore and glamp in. You will need to get planning consent from your
municipality, and you will need to set up the glamping site in an area that is
relatively flat and far from your crops and livestock.
ALSO READ: Tips For Livestock Farmers During a Drought
Supply food artisans
If you farm vegetables, crops or farm livestock then a
lucrative way to make money is to supply
artisanal kitchens with your produce. Unlike bigger kitchens which will
simply create commercial dishes, a food artisan will use your food to create
unique taste experiences for select diners, showcasing the true taste of your
produce.
Food artisans who create jams, chutneys and sauces might
also be happy with slightly damaged or less-than-perfect options, which can
save you from having to get rid of fruits and vegetables that do not meet your
standards. If you have certain items in abundance, the chances are that you
will find an artisanal chef who is interested in using this product as part of
their new menu, and it could mean that you have a return customer during this
product’s peak season.
Sell farm by-products
All farmers will, at some point, need equipment finance for
their farm, and one easy way to raise the funds for this is to sell the farm
by-products that you have on your land. This could be anything from manure from
cows and horses to feathers collected from ducks and chickens.
Manure is the perfect product to market to nurseries and
garden stores, and feathers can be used in bedding and clothing. You could also
sell excess compost that is unused or even sell worm castings or ‘worm wee’, if
you have an active worm farm. ‘Worm wee’ is one of the most valuable liquids
used in organic gardening today and can provide a steady income when you are
not harvesting and selling crops to markets or stores.
ALSO READ: Proper land cultivation Techniques
Swap knowledge for money
Farm income does not always have to come from selling
products, you can use your knowledge as a farmer to make money too. You can
host workshops for people who are studying towards an agricultural degree or
give talks to schools on the processes that happen on your farm during everyday
life.
You do not have to be an expert in the field, but you do
have to be entertaining, informed and passionate about your topic. Hosting the
event on your farm will further increase your income, as you can set up a
conference area and provide food made from the produce of your farm. You could
offer schools and universities the option to have regular talks on your farm
for students who are interested in agricultural topics.
ALSO READ: Tips for Eco-Friendly small Farms.
Be creative
Creativity is one of the most important things to have when
thinking of ways to boost your farm’s income. You could provide a stunning
wedding, conference or event venue to bring in more customers or offer
‘glamping’ sites to those who enjoy the outdoors without wanting to rough it.
If you have by-products you may not be using, you can offer these to nurseries
or other industries who use them. The possibilities are endless if you have a
little creative spark and the ability to persevere.
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