5 Ways to Turn Your Hobby Farm Into a Side Hustle
Guest post by Gwen Payne.
Maybe you’re lucky enough to own property with lots of land, and you’ve been working on small-scale farming as a hobby for a while. But now, you’re curious about whether or not you could profit from your hobby farming endeavors. These tips from The Side Hustle Journey will show you how to form an LLC, market your farm, and grow your business sustainably.
Create Your Brand
You might not think that a hobby farm business needs a brand - but today, every company should have a recognizable, memorable brand to inspire customer loyalty! If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to branding, Small Farm Nation recommends crafting your messaging around an environmental issue that you’re passionate about, using consistent slogans, and being transparent about what sets your farm apart from the rest!
Form an LLC
It’s important to complete some key administrative tasks before you start selling products from your farm. For example, you’ll want to register your business as an LLC in your state. This status will grant you limited liability, and you’ll be able to take advantage of special tax breaks. It’s a great perk for many small businesses! While you could hire a lawyer for assistance or file on your own, filing through an affordable online service is very convenient. They can help you meet all of your state’s filing requirements and gather the correct paperwork. Take the time to read reviews before choosing a service.
Explore Sales Channels
If this is your first foray into hobby farming, you might not know where to sell your products. There are a few different sales channels that you can use. For example, you may want to register for booth space at a few local farmers' markets. At the farmers’ market, you can sell everything from honey to fresh produce to baked goods to butchered meat!
You can also set up a website that customers can visit to order your products. To build your website, The Produce Nerd recommends signing up with a reputable hosting service, choosing a theme that’s easy to customize, and installing security plug-ins to protect your business against hackers.
Market Your Products
Marketing your hobby farm products is an exciting endeavor that can be done in a variety of ways. Online platforms like social media and e-commerce sites offer great ways to connect with potential customers. Creating engaging content such as informative blogs, inviting visuals, and special promotions or giveaways can draw attention to your offerings. You may also want to consider participating in local farmers markets or joining forces with other small businesses in your area to increase reach and create a stronger presence in the community.
Scale Up
Over time, you might want to grow your business. Even if you don’t want to rely on hobby farming as your entire income, you may want to introduce new products to your customers as you get curious about different agricultural pursuits. To expand without getting burnt out, you may want to use software to manage your sales information and important paperwork - leveraging the right technology can definitely help you save time and work more efficiently.
Making a full-time living as a farmer can be backbreaking work. But running a hobby farm for a side income is a lot of fun! With these tips, you’ll be prepared to file LLC paperwork for your farm, figure out where to sell your goods, and promote your products with the right marketing materials.
Photo via Pexels