# Homesteading around Amish



## SadieRenee

Friends, we need some ideas. We are nearing retirement age and want to make some money from our homestead (5.5 acres, no woods, no pond or stream). The struggle we have is that we live in a very Amish-populated area so selling produce and eggs, baked goods, or wood furniture is out of the question. Any suggestions?


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## muleskinner2

The only way to make any money from such a small plot, is to sell it to the Amish.


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## FarmerRuss

SadieRenee said:


> Friends, we need some ideas. We are nearing retirement age and want to make some money from our homestead (5.5 acres, no woods, no pond or stream). The struggle we have is that we live in a very Amish-populated area so selling produce and eggs, baked goods, or wood furniture is out of the question. Any suggestions?


Around here we have gal that sells bee nucs, she does not do anything with the honey (go figure).
She has 60+ hives and sells 2 set of nucs for $110 each. That comes to $13,000 a year.
She said she had never NOT sold all of them.
What I liked was very low maintenance.


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## SadieRenee

FarmerRuss said:


> Around here we have gal that sells bee nucs, she does not do anything with the honey (go figure).
> She has 60+ hives and sells 2 set of nucs for $110 each. That comes to $13,000 a year.
> She said she had never NOT sold all of them.
> What I liked was very low maintenance.


Thank you FarmerRuss - I appreciate the idea.


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## IndyDave

I don't have any ideas but do sympathize. If it works there like it works here, the Amish could spray varnish on horse manure and sell those road apples right and left to people who won't even pay attention to the fact you are there much less what you are selling.


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## tiffanysgallery

I also have a place near an Amish community. 
I'm not sure how much they pay, but the Amish are often in need of a driver from a trusted neighbor.
Also, you may want to talk to your county extension office for advice. They are a good resource.


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## hiddensprings

I suppose it depends on who you are selling too. I had a friend with small acreage that produced greens (leaf type lettuce) and sold directly to restaurants. The lettuce grows quickly and she could have a continual supply and was able to produce enough to supply the fancy places that loved saying they bought from local farmers.


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## SLADE

Grow organic. Bake organic. You will not sell to everyone but you will sell to money.


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## ticndig

I know a guy who sells rats to reptile owners .
he has a small metal building he calls the rat barn. there he breeds and grows rats to different stages of their lives .
sold live or frozen , he ships overnight and claims to make 60.000 a year.

Or maybe raise fishing bait , worms, Crickets to bait and tackle shops


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## CIW

When my father retired at 70 he purchased 4 commercial band saws, and started cutting out wood shapes for craft painters and rough three dimensional shapes for beginning wood carvers. Sold them wholesale. He ended up employing several semi retired folks from around his area, up until his decline in health and passing. His niece has since taken over the business with great success and it supported his wife in her latter years.
How about a you-pick blackberry farm. Berries here are about $4 a pound picked and packaged. U-pick is about half that. Three acres of berries would yields somewhere close to $26000 gross annually in this area. Its seasonal work, with winters slowing down. You could start out with an acre and work your way up. Once you get the people there you could up sell them with a few bedding plants from a small greenhouse. The ones that I have seen usually have prepackaged berry products such as jams and syrups also.
A third would be commercial vermiculture. Go to sonomavalleyworms.com and see what those folks have done with their small plot of land. I believe that they are selling 1 ton of castings daily to the local commercial gardeners. Not to mention shipping several hundred lbs. of worms a week. And the worm castings tea. 
The simple part is only you are going to know what will work best for you, in your area. You may want to go speak with you counties extension agent. They will have great amounts of information that will apply directly to your county and state.
With the internet, marketing a small business has became all encompassing and available to a much larger client base. With a little bit of education, investment and a good amount of work, one can ship many products all over the world. Whereas in earlier times this would have been nearly impossible.


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## SadieRenee

Group - I really appreciate your suggestions! I'm not sure I can go the "rat" route, but lettuce, worms, and woodworking are right up our alley. We do have a somewhat touristy area not too far from us so selling "trinkets" is a possibility, and there are several large campgrounds nearby that may bode well for the fishing bait. As always, you folks always give me food for thought.


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## wy_white_wolf

Taxi service for the Amish. They don't drive but many of them will pay a taxi to take them somewhere.

WWW


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## big rockpile

wy_white_wolf said:


> Taxi service for the Amish. They don't drive but many of them will pay a taxi to take them somewhere.
> 
> WWW


This is true we had the same problem with Mennonites it was local joke in order to sell anything is get a Big Black Hat. We had to take produce several miles away.

big rockpile


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## GTX63

Plenty of amish drive. They just dont go out of their way to show it.


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## HDRider

Use their labor, their skills, to make a product for you to sell.

RV industry, furniture, food stuff, are all things they can make for you to retail.


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## haypoint

Around here, Amish do baked goods, organic vegetables, potted flowers, saw mills, build sheds, sell eggs, camp wood, make maple syrup, canned food, build kitchen cupboards, operate puppy mills, etc. Just about anything that can be grown, built or made, is done with the help of their children's free labor. Nearly every family has a product they produce.
Each Amish community is different. Some live like they did in mid-1800s, seldom travel, no rubber tires, no baled hay, no power tools, barefooted most of the time. Others have solar panels, battery powered tools, gas powered generators and hire drivers often.
Most people that drive for Amish are retired and don't earn much. They buy a big van and an enclosed trailer. They spend days siting in their van, waiting.
Their lack of cars and electricity is your only advantage I can think of.


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## big rockpile

Around here it is Old Order Mennonites. They make and sell everything but they use Air Tools, don't have Phones in the home. Horse and Buggy, use Horses to work their fields.

Thing is here they used to have a trade and none of the others would get into it. But they started building Big Houses and such. Greed took over now they are bad about stabbing each other in the back.

Lots of them just broke off from the Church and moved to an other area.

big rockpile


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## IndyDave

haypoint said:


> Around here, Amish do baked goods, organic vegetables, potted flowers, saw mills, build sheds, sell eggs, camp wood, make maple syrup, canned food, build kitchen cupboards, operate puppy mills, etc. Just about anything that can be grown, built or made, is done with the help of their children's free labor. Nearly every family has a product they produce.
> Each Amish community is different. Some live like they did in mid-1800s, seldom travel, no rubber tires, no baled hay, no power tools, barefooted most of the time. Others have solar panels, battery powered tools, gas powered generators and hire drivers often.
> Most people that drive for Amish are retired and don't earn much. They buy a big van and an enclosed trailer. They spend days siting in their van, waiting.
> Their lack of cars and electricity is your only advantage I can think of.


I had wondered about the lack of uniformity on the things subject to different standards in different communities that didn't make a bit of sense to me, so I asked about it. The answer I received made perfect sense. First, the rejection of "modern conveniences" isn't about believing them inherently evil but rather as distractions interfering with their focus on things which truly matter including and especially faith. At a practical level, whenever a new technology was introduced, each community arrived at its own response on whether or not to accept it. For example, in some communities, bicycles are accepted. In others, the mechanism is not accepted, but they have conveyance that look like a bicycle and a scooter got together in a dark room yielding a standing platform like a scooter with bicycle type tires that are suitable for rough surfaces. After all, it isn't like they have a national convention every time a new invention hits the market


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## haypoint

IndyDave said:


> I had wondered about the lack of uniformity on the things subject to different standards in different communities that didn't make a bit of sense to me, so I asked about it. The answer I received made perfect sense.


The most strict group around here refuses to put a slow moving vehicle triangle on their buggies and only a single kerosene light, about as bright as a big candle. I thought that just foolish and dangerous. But when I asked about it, I got a logical answer. "Well, if it is more dangerous to be out after dark, then people will make sure to be home by dark and the result is more time with their family." Another group has a buggy with bright flashing lights that is used by the local midwife, often times being needed to be out in the wee hours.
The refusal to allow air pressure tires, limits how far a wagon can go. This increases your dependence on those close to you. The result is a closer knit community and increases the importance of getting along with your neighbors.
One Amish guy I've known for 40 years, has moved to four different Amish communities, each more liberal than the last. Recently, he has "jumped the fence" and no longer Amish, has a tractor and a truck. While we lived 300 miles apart, I visited with him at horse sales and events in his community. At one time, he hired a driver to take the family to Wisconsin and stopped by my house for a visit. A decade ago, I told him that I had divorced. He wondered why so many English divorce. I thought about it and replied, " I think it is just a lack of commitment." I felt bad about that admission. But, then I remembered I was talking to a guy that lacked commitment to his community four times and moved away.
While electricity is shunned due to its direct connection to the outside world, the line is blurred with wind generators, solar panels and huge diesel engines running air compressors and a workshop filled with air-powered tools. In home phones are shunned, but a shed out by the road with a cell phone, solar panel, charger is more common. Some Amish that are more strict don't have any phone, but if they need to make a business call are willing to ask to use the cell phone of a English customer.


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## SadieRenee

So it sounds like, as this thread progresses, that I need to either take my wares to another non-Amish community, or possibly partner with their skills, or serve them rather than compete. More food for thought..... thank you.


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## [email protected]

If you don't mind driving and traveling, 
try delivering small animals, .
I used to raise Maremma LGD and sold them to many far off customers in different states.. the only way I could send the puppies was by air freight.. let me tell you, that is a hassle I do not miss..
.....jiminwisc........


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## big rockpile

Oh they started having a Produce Auction once a week, in order to sell through it you needed permission.

I also thought about buying Produce there and selling it a few miles away. Well several from the Big City was buying everything and reselling it as Organic Amish Grown. If anyone knows Old Order Mennonites and Amish are not Organic Farmers anymore than English. But anyway they drove the price up at the Auction.

We asked their Church about selling their Goods over the Internet? They was nice but just said no and we was pushing it. 

Here Amish and Old Order Mennonite are just the opposite of what people think. Amish drive Vehicles and have Electric. The Mennonites use Horse and Buggy and no Electric.

Actually we are in better shape to sell 20 miles from them being as we are in a Tourist Area.

big rockpile


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## weaselfire

Start a computer networking and repair business. No Amish competition. 

Jeff


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## FCLady

Be a "convenience" for them. We have a small copy shop and newspaper in an area where there are more and more Amish every year. I offer internet "look up" services (operating manuals, auctions. phone/fax numbers etc), small quantity copy services, printing services and faxing services. I also receive and print shipping labels for an Amish furniture maker. 

Then once I figured out where their "needs" are I now offer to include their order when I order chickens or turkeys online. So if I'm ordering 12 turkeys for me and 12 for Dan and 12 for Jonas. My prices are cheaper due to the larger quantity we ordered.

My husband drives Amish as well.


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## TheMartianChick

I wouldn't limit myself to the local audience. Almost anything that you can make can be sold online to a worldwide audience. Also, there are some specialty items that you could raise and ship. Specific breeds of fertile poultry eggs for hatching, you could raise quail, kill them and sell them to zoos or people with exotic animals.


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## siberian

What area of Ohio?


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## Forcast

[email protected] said:


> If you don't mind driving and traveling,
> try delivering small animals, .
> I used to raise Maremma LGD and sold them to many far off customers in different states.. the only way I could send the puppies was by air freight.. let me tell you, that is a hassle I do not miss..
> .....jiminwisc........


Pa. Has a huge puppy selling operation. One family takes the pups advertises and sells the pups. Animal broker.


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## SadieRenee

siberian said:


> What area of Ohio?


Siberian, sorry for my delay. The holidays took me over! We are in about an hour north of Columbus.


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## siberian

Not that far away. We live in Trumbull county, 1-2 hrs probably. What about driving the Amish.


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## IndyDave

siberian said:


> Not that far away. We live in Trumbull county, 1-2 hrs probably. What about driving the Amish.


Some folks have profited handsomely from a 15 passenger van.


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## haypoint

A retired friend has a livestock trailer and a big truck. He started hauling Amish livestock to the weekly livestock auction 20 miles away. He charged $20 for each farm stop and $10 for each cow. With 4 or 5 stops and 8 or 9 cows, he covered his costs and a bit more. He would hang around for the whole sale and sometimes get hired to haul cattle from the Auction.

Didn't take long before the Amish started doing their own collecting. So, he'd have two stops and 8 or 9 cows. That cut too far into his costs and he had to give it up.

My Amish farrier is attending a Draft Horse Sale 500 miles away. He has two horses that he has been training for the English owner. He has hired a driver to haul those two horses, plus the Farrier is taking his wife and a child and a neighbor teenager. His father has hired a maxi van and organized enough Amish to fill it. He has reserved Hotel rooms for him, his driver and the Van's passengers. They'll be there for four days.

But the more conservative Amish seldom travel. Recently, an Amish sawmill owner, with his wife and infant child, attended the marriage of an Amish employee. But it was in Canada. They hired a driver to go 100 miles to Amtrac. Then a train ride into Canada. Then a hired driver to the wedding.

I thought it would be an interesting trip, for a couple that almost never get more than 10 miles from home. But the train ride was all after dark, so they saw nothing.


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## SadieRenee

I find it interesting that many of you are coming up with the same thought.... be an Amish driver in some way. We'll have to check into the vehicle options/costs. Curious...for the more conservative groups, how did they contact you?


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## siberian

Go to a local Amish store where they sell coal and stoves. Put up a sign and ask if they need some one to drop coal off, they will keep you busy


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## chas

IndyDave said:


> I had wondered about the lack of uniformity on the things subject to different standards in different communities that didn't make a bit of sense to me, so I asked about it. The answer I received made perfect sense. First, the rejection of "modern conveniences" isn't about believing them inherently evil but rather as distractions interfering with their focus on things which truly matter including and especially faith. At a practical level, whenever a new technology was introduced, each community arrived at its own response on whether or not to accept it. For example, in some communities, bicycles are accepted. In others, the mechanism is not accepted, but they have conveyance that look like a bicycle and a scooter got together in a dark room yielding a standing platform like a scooter with bicycle type tires that are suitable for rough surfaces. After all, it isn't like they have a national convention every time a new invention hits the market


It also depends on the local Bishop running the show. Our Amish friends bought a peddle driven boat for a lot of money and had to sell it. The Bishop said it's peddle power like a bicycle which they are not allowed to have! They are old order in New Wilmington Pa.


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## ydderf

I've worked for a number of Mennonite colonies in Alberta, when it comes to farming they were all leaders in their specialties. Smart intelligent farmers. They are far more religious then I am but they never held that against me.


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