Ep 9: Top 5 Ways to Make Money on Your Homestead

In this episode, we do so updates on our farm but also take a look at the top 5 ways to make money on your homestead. Many people want to be able to generate income from their homesteading efforts so they can stay home or have the money to expand their homesteading efforts. We offer the top 5 opportunities from our perspective.
For more information on our homestead, visit redtoolhouse.com.
To order fruit trees from a quality source, visit starkbros.com.
Please support our sponsor, goatmilksuds.com. They offer quality goat milk soap and other products.

[@Shrugboatt]

I know this video is old, but please do not give up on this channel. We need more Appalachian homesteaders on KZbin, and you're a fantastic source of knowledge. I really appreciate you doing these videos for us

[@RRinTN]

Here's acouple ideas: Honey bees... great income once you're in year two. With good acreage leasing hunting grounds. Setup a couple primitive camping spots and list them online with Air BNB or similar... you'd be surprised. Do some kind of classes to share knowledge/skills with others.

[@RedToolHouse]

All great ideas too!

[@KatanaKamisama]

I've heard of people paying hundreds of dollars a night for "glamping". Could be worth.

[@julier1080]

I vote for take 30, I burst out laughing! On the moneymaking end, firewood can/should include a small band mill eventually. Years back I accidentally got into the firewood business, and I bought stumpage on woodlots, but also bought tandem loads of hardwood. I found that cull wood mostly had crooked logs but maybe 6' was straight clear cherry, for instance, but that was still not a log the big mills would take. I would cut out and set aside those short log sections. Finally I bought a small mill, and cut and sold 2000bf of cherry/maple/oak/ash cabinet lumber to 1 buyer. Most end users of nice hardwood do not need long pieces. The mill will pay for itself quickly, and a homestead always needs lumber for itself as well.

[@RedToolHouse]

julie r couldn't agree more. We do have a Norwood sawmill and have used it for about 12 years. It is a good money earner as well

[@18632ewa8]

Me and my brother start up a Logging Company we had a couple of Acres filled with trees that we need to get rid of so we figured well if we're going to get rid of the trees anyway why not sell them to a lumber yard. We spent about a week cutting down trees and what we made on those trees was about a hundred and fifty bucks per truckload. maybe we should look around for someone else to sell them to but while we did get rid of the trees that particular business wasn't very profitable for us we did not go back to try to tweak it or sell the wood to somewhere else or cut the wood up ourselves we were mostly just trying to get rid of it I don't know if my brother said the wrong thing to the wrong people or if that was just the going rate.

[@jimnorth5173]

Well Sir I got me a collection of the best farmers/homesteads that I admire. Thank you for sharing. You are my newest addition to the elite group. Wishing we could do that but I am recently disabled. I live vicariously through you, and others. Thank You.

[@amommamust]

You know how to make a million dollars o a homestead? Start with 2 million... Best of luck to you, from another hobby homesteader lol!

[@JC-pk2xr]

HAHA! I'm so glad I watched this til the end! The commercial bit was hysterical! Lots of great info too, subscribed.

[@RedToolHouse]

Janice Coutsis great! Glad you liked it. We try to have some fun with the process

[@DEADKING624]

First time I have seen or heard of furniture repair as a source of income for homesteaders...now my wheels are turning with other ideas. Great ideas some old some new one.

[@SimplifiedPiano]

Thanks for the tips! Always nice to hear other homesteaders ideas!

[@mrgearheadfromhell]

I'm just getting my homestead / farm started, I spent a lot of time researching information prior to buying or building anything. Now that I have actually started with the pork, I have been talking to people about future sales as I have yet to get a litter on the ground. The body shop manager asked me about getting one to cook at work for a cookout and I have had some interest from other coworkers as well. I'm somewhat excited about the idea because everyone at work will know where the pig came from so that could generate more sales. At this point making money isn't the number one reason I started my homestead, I got into prepping years ago and realized it really didn't matter how much of anything you have; Without the ability to restock you will run out. So that was when I started researching food production and preservation, while I still have a long way to go my ultimate goal is to have everything up and running by the time I retire. I have also committed a pig a year to a friend that will feed up for me when I go on vacation of weekend camping trips. I'm in it for the long term, the way I figure I will be able to provide myself with all the pork I can eat that will later include beef, rabbits, chicken, fish and a year round garden. While some of the animals take longer to grow they produce much more meat so it should work out where I have enough of everything until harvest time. As a certified diesel technician I make a decent living and have marketable skills, I'm not a one trick pony. I enjoy working with my hands and love a challenge, I have done many things in my 51 years however I enjoy turning wrenches the best; And it pays the bills pretty good to boot. So while I'm new to animal husbandry I'm enjoying the learning experience and looking forward to the production phase of the endeavor. I don't have the acreage to go large scale so I'm building as needed to provide areas for the livestock as I go, however the buildings I will be constructing will all be built to last until long after I will be worm food.

[@RedToolHouse]

mrgearheadfromhell awesome plan! So many people don’t plan and get upside down before they know it. Love the diesel mechanic thing. You could work anywhere in the world comfortably with that skill. Thanks for watching!

[@parsonsfamilypantry8057]

Lol!! Still laughing about the Goat Milk suds takes! Thanks for the great content and the giggles

[@RedToolHouse]

Parsons Family Pantry sure thing! We like to have fun with it. Thanks for watching!

[@lisakukla459]

Haha! That ending was really funny! "Freshly squeezed goats" would get me to buy it. Haha thanks for that. I needed a belly laugh today.

[@RedToolHouse]

We try to have fun at the farm! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@nathandelhi]

Goat milk suds at the end was gold!

[@hankhawks1306]

I really like your content. You are very articulate and interesting.

[@gregoutdoors7]

Very good video, i loved ur ending 👍🏻 I wish you all the success you can handle 😎

[@jeslynnebrown1979]

So informative and funny!! Love it!

[@judiflannery6508]

I really enjoyed this video of ways to make money from your homestead. I plan on purchasing land next year to start my homestead. Your video here gave me a lot of great ideas! Thanks!

[@RedToolHouse]

Judi Flannery great! Thanks for watching

[@arnoldromppai5395]

I hardly feed my pigs any grain at all, I have them in a big reeving were its all bruh, and the root up everything an eat it, my layer feed off the huge compost piles, I add a few bucket loads of new stuff weekly, no grain, eggs like crazy, and great sales on compost

[@lonnieporter8566]

Okay, that Goat Milk Suds promo was hilarious! Nicely done!

[@loisthomas8764]

Thank you so much for all your great videos, just found them, and we are looking for land now, and this is just the best advice. You have such an easy listening voice and great information. Thanks Again!

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks! Good luck with your land search.

[@LonelyPinesFarm]

Great ideas! Thanks for sharing. We're definitely trying to lean more towards making money off the homestead, so very helpful. Love the commercial at the end. Laugh riot!

[@maryedmo7798]

if you haven't already, look into permaculture design with the orchard, but also with all aspects of the homestead. it's such an easier, wise, holistic, responsible way to manage land.

[@maryedmo7798]

also permaculture offers more efficient ways to burn wood

[@RedToolHouse]

Mary Mogusu great advice. We have studied it quite a bit. The orchard will actually be more of a food forest once it is done.

[@maryedmo7798]

awesome. I can't wait to see it. visiting your channel for the first time. thanks for all the good information.

[@TheWadetube]

When you squeeze a fresh goat, a lot of different products can come out. Especially if you use your chevy to do it.

[@buckslayer7409]

refreshing to see all positive comments

[@RedToolHouse]

Buck Slayer it is. So far things have been positive.

[@dropshot1967]

Lots of great info. I am not a homesteader and probably won't ever be, living in the Netherlands, but i am interested in seeing how people tackle problems. Thanks, you have got a new subscriber.

[@RedToolHouse]

Jelle Baris thanks for the feedback. Has to be some great countryside in the Netherlands.

[@RedToolHouse]

Jelle Baris thanks for the feedback. Has to be some great countryside in the Netherlands.

[@RedToolHouse]

Jelle Baris thanks for the feedback. Has to be some great countryside in the Netherlands.

[@RedToolHouse]

Jelle Baris thanks for the feedback. Has to be some great countryside in the Netherlands.

[@RedToolHouse]

Jelle Baris thanks for the feedback. Has to be some great countryside in the Netherlands.

[@hassanelsayed5265]

Good content and interesting narration, I also liked the announcement (note. I follow you from Egypt) Greetings to you

[@arnoldromppai5395]

just a heads up I put that same 2x4 fence around all my new apple trees and the fist 5 year it was fine, then the dear smashed it all down an eat every tree, bbig loss, so when I replanted o built hoops out of 1/2 inch rebar with 6 1/2 inch long legs in the ground 4 feet and welded to each hoop 1 foot a part then wrapped it in barb wire, 10 years later there a bit damaged but the trees never been touched, as for your black ash, what we do here is cut them all down an leave the limbs on and run a 1/2 inch deep cut though the bark the length of the tree, cut them in summer, the bark opens an drys it out before it roots and its good for years just to lay there, we do the same with the birch trees

[@suburbanliving4258]

Great video. I too aspire to have my own homestead someday. I have a cabin and 40 acres in northern WV. Your video and approach is very professional. I make a few videos, but have a long way to go. Good job, I definitely subscribed and will be watching your video. Thanks.

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks for the feedback. Good luck with your endeavors. Nice to see others in WV homesteading.

[@TealHouseFarm]

We're just starting out homesteading...thank you for the helpful video!

[@RedToolHouse]

Teal House Farm welcome and good luck! I like the name of your homestead!

[@TealHouseFarm]

Red Tool House - Homestead Thank you, appreciate it!!

[@Verdonne]

I have used Stark Bros for the past 40 years......quality product.

[@RedToolHouse]

Verdonne I have been impressed with them so far. We just ordered elderberry plants from them and they arrived looking great!

[@rodneyhendrix1292]

Thanks for your time and info.

[@gregwestfall6585]

this vid made me a sub.......if all youtube ads were like the end.......i would watch them all....hysterical

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks! We try to have fun with it. Glad you subbed!

[@conflictfree88]

Thanks for the insights! Can't believe I'm saying this, but I loved the ad at the end :)

[@RedToolHouse]

Kate Cutting glad you liked it. We try to have fun while shooting.

[@Eggsnearby]

That's how advertising should be done! At the end, after you give quality content. I can't understand how many youtubers ask for likes even before delivering the content. Good job!

[@moo1388]

I like this guy. His advice and knowledge is clear, honest and useful. Thanks Red

[@rockingkranch3406]

really good video lots of really good info. ive been lookin at a lot of things lately thinkin about going and establishing a homestead. maybe even going off the grid and ive been thinking about how to turn a profit over. thankyou for taking ur time and making this video helps out alo

[@RedToolHouse]

club elite no problem. Glad you like them. Good luck with your future homesteading endeavors.

[@salimufari]

One thing I have looked at for myself is a long vs short term look. Orchards of various types can make a growth income while fruiting but as the trees age so long as you give them room to grow fully a large tree is a considerable income in fine wood growth. A walnut tree can make a good income from the nuts but if you plant a new tree with extra space every year early on you can then sell those older trees to a hardwood dealer. Think of those trees as a long term investment that way.

[@unstoppable-ar3292]

Lol the ad was hilarious!! Well done

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks!

[@rachel9215]

Omg! I loved the advertising bit for goat milk suds! Mom for the win 🤣😍

[@Whodaleewho]

21:05 Makin' Bakin' oh yeah. BTW I really have been enjoying your videos since I found your fantastic channel. Cheers from Bay Area

[@RedToolHouse]

thanks for watching. I like the profile name!

[@Whodaleewho]

You're welcome!

[@Whodaleewho]

Will be making my journey back to Appalachia hopefully late next year. I'm originally from Western North Carolina but have been in Ca. for 30 years. Can't wait to come back home and will be using your channel as a great reference as I will be looking for old farm land with a modest home on to settle and rebegin my southern roots I miss so much. Thank you for posting the great content!

[@lekkki1]

loved the goat milk suds promos....., and the kitty in one of them.

[@gingerkittiesfour]

Was that a bear in the background during the part about passive income. 25:32 on the left ridge.

[@lonnieporter8566]

I do believe you're correct there.

[@gabrieldepablo8396]

Holy s...!!!

[@truthrecon4404]

good catch, thx.

[@Lb02]

Hi you give great advice and your animals look healthy

[@DreamerSeerFaithBeliever]

Great video. Thanks for sharing your hard earned knowledge with us.

[@ZiggyLu-og3zp]

Great videos. I always learn a lot. Thank you.

[@rough-hewnhomestead4751]

New sub and fellow West Virginian! Looking forward to more videos!

[@RedToolHouse]

Rough-Hewn Homestead awesome! Are you still in our wonderful state or are you a transplanted mountaineer?

[@horseblinderson4747]

Ash is nice stable wood too. They probably took the place of all the Chestnut that died in the blight. Anyway you can leave a Louisville slugger on the lawn in the sun reason and snow for years and it won't warp.

[@RedToolHouse]

The emerald ash borer has eliminated them all in our area.

[@jakeglenn2246]

You are on the right track but you can also pickup expired produce from all the supermarkets and this is free food for chickens and pigs. You can also plant grains to harvest for the chickens and pigs. Many grains and grass grow in the winter. also install compost piles with earthworms.

[@RedToolHouse]

By law, any post consumer waste we feed out to pigs we are going to sell has to be boiled to break a pathogen cycle. It is a very smelly mess. We do plant pumpkins for the pigs to enjoy in the fall as well. Thanks!

[@DukeFan99]

Great content! No nonsense

[@robertmoore1123]

We have the same problem with oak in Arkansas . It's because there is no burning and the under brush.make ideal condition for the pest

[@sj6404]

Great info, thanks for sharing.

[@arnoldromppai5395]

I repair boats an motors an custom build pontoon boats an pontoon house boats, custom trailers and all kind of welding mfg itemsas I been a welder all my life

[@koopspook]

Arnold Romppai that's what I want to get into as well, always liked to make things, i used to work with wood, been working with plastic for 10 years, the whole time I've been wanting to learn how to weld

[@Eggsnearby]

Good video, you speak calmly, I liked it + good content

[@0student]

great videos, thank you. why can't I stop watching this, I don't even have a land, all my land is 0.25 acre lot?

[@suemcfarlane4199]

Great use of hay I have seen pig sheds made of straw squash u are bales used like big bricks

[@maryedmo7798]

I love the goat milk suds cuts😂

[@x-mess]

awesome promo at the end! lolol !

[@RedToolHouse]

cintylocks thanks! We try to have fun with those who help support our channel.

[@congamike1]

Thanks!

[@carlnelson7358]

Lmbo, I loved the goat milk promo!

[@dianneedwards2491]

You need to sell the commercial of making a commercial. I'm laughing so loud.

[@amartinjoe]

funny ending; that's a cool ipad slate; first time i've seen one.

[@RedToolHouse]

Free app on the app store.

[@Tripsolo65]

Troy, at 25:21 moving down the hill behind you (left to right) in the light grass it an elongated figure moving like a cat. Do you know what that was? The info. you are sharing is very good stuff.

[@RedToolHouse]

That is my black lab. She was walking down our driveway. She makes cameos in many of our videos!

[@allnaturalhomesteaders]

Instead of hay in your pig shelter, use wood chips, my pigs eats the goodies from out of the wood chips, and if you just keep adding to it, in the spring you can use it in your garden as fertilizer!

[@SteveSmekar-ll6ln]

Isnt that a damn shame about those beautiful ash trees? Happened in northern Michigan to me, too. Great firewood.

[@RedToolHouse]

it is killing me. i have a 25 inch diameter that is dead as a hammer. Taking it to the mill so we can least get some lumber. i have over 100 dead ash on the property

[@howardgibson8934]

i love you mam like a brother of course good information i like all of your episodes

[@xgi36]

Check out planting ginseng on your north or east facing slopes, not a fast earner but with prices not at record highs you could wait for the ten or so years to harvest then retire.

[@cdcruz2009]

Did you see the bear in the far background when he was talking of passive income?

[@RedToolHouse]

cdcruz2009 that's actually my black lab walking down my driveway. Looks like a bear but is less ominous. Eats like one, however.

[@cdcruz2009]

Lol !Thanks for the reply. I like your videos. I subscribed.

[@RedToolHouse]

No problem. When I saw your comment I scrambled to see what it could be. Wouldn't be the first time some critter walked through our farm. We see stuff constantly.

[@cdcruz2009]

Lots of black bears up here in Canada :)

[@rickeybelt9668]

+cdcruz2009 lol

[@johntack1049]

7:11 “they stack up like sausages” 😂

[@Celemosh83]

great video. i hope you get more subs. keep it up sir

[@RedToolHouse]

seamans life thanks!

[@shadenphoenix]

lol loved the commercial cuts

[@tomastylecek7209]

So information, thx much

[@realamericanpatriots1919]

Red Tool House - Homestead @Red Tool House - Homestead Hello again, Brother. I don't know why, but it's been a while since I've watched one of your video's. Thanks again for the hard work and bringing all the useful information to us. Is there a way to combat those damn borer's and replant the ash so we don't lose them? I agree, they are fantastic and used for allot of things. Would be a shame to see them go, although as you said, will bring some good revenue for those storing the material. God Bless

[@AnnabelleC0306]

Those are some nice pieces.

[@TERRORoftheLORD]

I know this is a couple years old but, almost every state has quarantine restrictions on moving ash firewood or lumber more than 50 miles without sanitizing in a kiln. So all wood sales would need to be an hour or less from you.

[@anmanning]

Hello, love the videos. What career path were you on before becoming a homesteader?

[@RedToolHouse]

I am self employed with a marketing business.

[@RedToolHouse]

I am self employed with a marketing business.

[@einarabelc5]

Ever consider contacting the music instrument industry for wood?

[@heyerstandards]

Check out Walter Jeffries farm in Vermont. His hogs are raised outdoors year round on the mountain. Sugar Mountain Farm.

[@RedToolHouse]

heyerstandards very familiar with his operation. He has a great setup

[@sallytally1325]

Im a bit ignorant on these things. Im very new to barely even researching homesteading. I wish i started years ago..but oh well. Anyway, so, you sell the hogs once theyre full grown?? Or do you butcher the meat and sell it?? Do you butcher them for your own consumption? Ive sub'd to your vids. Very informative and helpful. Thanks. 👌🏼🙇‍♀️🙋🏽‍♀️

[@RedToolHouse]

We raise our hogs to a butcher weight and sell whole and half hogs to customers. We deliver to the processor and deliver to the customers once processing is done. Some of our hogs processed at that time come back to the farm to be stored in our commercial walk-in freezer so we can sell individual cuts to customers. At that time we also have hogs processed for our own consumption. Thanks for watching!

[@dodoodledraw9858]

Goat Milk Studs, nice entertaining ad

[@RedToolHouse]

DoDoodleDraw thx! We try to have fun with it.

[@RedToolHouse]

DoDoodleDraw just noticed you said Goat Milk Studs. That was their first attempt at the male dance troupe...

[@carlschmiedeke151]

My son was working for a big tree operation, & he used to drill into the trees for bugs to kill off the bugs ,that killed off tree from the inside out , & that was only like $10 a tree , something to think about to save your trees

[@vemacrinnon9752]

#Red Tool House - Homestead Hi. It's 2021 now, 5 years later. Are you still paying for all that animal feed? Or have you switched to using the land itself to feed them? Enjoyed watching this. Thanks. :)

[@mikestone9129]

Great info, thanks

[@HomesteadDad]

A couple years in, how are you liking your Stark Bros trees?

[@RedToolHouse]

The trees are doing ok but the deer and the Japanese beetles are wearing them out.

[@timkim999]

Last scene was funny and cute

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks

[@workingclasshero7239]

Ooohhh boy gotta get me some goat milk suds LOL LOL LOL.

[@milestogotilisleep]

ha ha I am laughing so hard I can't type! your so funny!

[@RedToolHouse]

Milestogotilisleep glad you like it. My wife says I am funny as well but she is usually referring to how I look!

[@milestogotilisleep]

ha ha my husband is funny too

[@stevemorelli1451]

Bev Pippard ....hi Bev😊

[@wjb40]

I love me some GoatMilkSuds!

[@kriszellers9718]

You do nice work

[@buckslayer7409]

I'm working on my homestead I have chickens, turkeys and ducks and will be expanding with pigs and I hope soon cattle I just can't figure out how to to chop up the land for fencing yard

[@RedToolHouse]

Buck Slayer we use the pigs as "frontiersmen". They stay on the property that we are still clearing. They root out all the underbrush and tear down saplings. Once we have a clear pasture then they stay off of it. We don't have enough to sustain cattle yet but the plan will be to put cattle on pasture and rotate them with egg layers in a Salatin style rotation.

[@stefangrahn929]

I must need to move to another part of the country. How do you get $4 for a dozen? Around here it's about 50¢, $1 if you want to get crazy.

[@RedToolHouse]

We see people selling for a $1 per dozen around us but it is all about how we raise our chickens and marketing to specific customers.

[@treyferguson9393]

My sister gets 3 a dozen. It's all about your clientele and marketing.

[@lisacastano1064]

I know places where they get up to 10 a carton

[@Shanmammy]

Around here in northern Idaho they’re $4-5 a dozen... but it costs a lot to live up here in general.

[@buckslayer7409]

Will just have to figure out what to do with the coyotes and black bears lol oh and occasional wolf northern saskatchewan is alot of work

[@RedToolHouse]

Buck Slayer we have a coyote issue here as well. The electric fence keeps them out and after the pigs reach a certain age, they would be safe. The black bears just like to focus on the neighbors garbage.

[@007-g3s]

Hey how about that bear. What a neat neighbor.

[@RedToolHouse]

0 07 she is pretty handy to have around

[@marcosbacas7169]

I pretty like all of your tips. But you should consider add Spanish subtitles to each videos. I know maybe pretty munch work but I’m sure you will get more followers

[@RedToolHouse]

I will have to look into that. The only Spanish I know involves food.

[@6xtillion]

I'm interested in Pig Pasture!

[@Rhythm911]

Life on a homestead is where animals can learn to be more than a food source. If pigs aren't a persons thing . And just with the trend of pigs becoming pets and support animals, will continue to grow into the future .Then there also may soon be a demand for trained dogs and other options of raising and training animals free in the countryside rather than city kennels and other 'puppy mills'. Animals for security to family membership.... Same as with other animals that are 'trained' as pets to be part of a family or as tools to assist and deal with others various social problems, and much more.

[@jasonroberts8206]

At 25:43 (a little before is where it starts) a black animal walked behind you in the woods. A decent distance back. At first I thought it was a black bear. Not sure though.

[@RedToolHouse]

Black Lab. Less dangerous but still elusive at times.

[@ellytorres7630]

Thank you!

[@sharonmiller9896]

excellent video

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks, Sharon

[@ttjbiggunner2025]

lol love the ending

[@RedToolHouse]

thanks!

[@wendyannedarling7365]

I didn't realize that channels only get the ad money if people watch them for 5 seconds! I don't like a lot of ads, but, in the future, I'll make sure to leave them on long enough to make the channels I watch some revenue.

[@positivelynegative9149]

I thought the passive technology income was going to be allowing a cellular tower on the property. 😄

[@ToddSchultzNC]

How did you go about finding and purchasing abandoned farmland?

[@RedToolHouse]

Todd Schultz check out episode 22 - Homestead Startup. It explains how we found the land and how we went about buying it. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!