Anyone Making Money on a Small Acreage Parcel?

[hankpac]

Just my opinion, but it seems the Oregon State Government is at war with the Rural communities. They are making it harder and harder to make a living one one's own land (unless you are a lefty marijuana herder). Two years ago, they shut down the only Pharmacy in Lake County as a punishment for some "masking Issue". Took the owners some time to resolve it all. Just one example. The State didn't give a crap about hte patients needing meds. The State placed a Prison there over the objections of the Populace (like 90% against in referendum voting) so that now the Country is absolutely reliant on the income and jobs. Mills have shut down, forests are burnt, and anyone selling logs from property adjoining Forest Service land can expect some trouble from the FS. And Californicators are not appreciated, even if politically right leaning. Housing and property prices are soaring, and I mean badly, and simply not as available as once was (yeah, it's tough all over, I know). Jobs are getting scarce as well. The I-5 Corridor and Willamettte Valley, as well as I-84 are rife with Leftists.
I had a 2.5 acre place in a remote area, grew most of my own food, was able to sell some to the local store (had a huge garden), hunted elk and fished, rock-hounded minerals, loved my neighbors had a great Church family. I got out.

 

[Bigfatcock]

Mr. Rogers in the land of make believe.

That’s rude.

 

[Mudburner]

I do OK with a 5ac parcel here in California. 1500 sq ft of machine shop, a few machines and good retirement income.

If you have animals you will become a slave to them, because you can never leave them alone and predators eat them.

Agriculture, same with weather/bugs/diseases. Around here (thd Ozarks) hay & cattle are big producers. When you have a good year of hay, EVERYBODY else does also, and price goes down. A bad year, weather-wise, and everybody has a hard time. Fruit orchard/vegetables means insects, diseases, labor for picking, shipping costs, etc. as well as marketing. Common garden vegetables are a good product if you have good soil, hot houses, ready market. Everybody always needs good produce. One local guy has 20 acres, with 3 acres under cultivation, with hot houses. The 3 big hospitals in Springfield, Missouri came to him wanting him to provide year-round salad vegetables for their cafeterias. He wasn't big enough and his gross sales were over $110,000 per year. If I had some good dirt, I'd grow vegetables. Hard to keep the deer out of it.

Think separate income, as suggested above; some service or product you can provide or make and sell/ship easily. Something you can do and take a vacation from. The machine shop idea sounds grand. Maybe an indoor pot hydro grow? I think that requires a high initial cost, and includes government licensing, inspection, and high taxes. But where LEGAL, it's an option, despite how I feel about drugs.

A home micro-distillery? Huge initial investment and continual govt looking up your nose. But not everybody can make good booze.

Maybe grow crickets for food? Dunno. Seems like it's gonna be a thing.

Are you a craftsman? I can make a number of items, like archery bows, arrows, stone points, tanned deerskins, etc. but you need someone good at marketing your products. I'm an artist, not a successful businessman, and you have to be a successful businessman to be a successful artist/farmer/welder/pot grower/you-name-it.

People do it every day. I found it easier & less headache/stress/depression just to get a regular job.

If you already have an income that will sustain you... like investment income or social security, ANYTHING can become a 2nd income. I really love thinking about the possibilities, and I'm already retired. I think you can't be lazy about it, however, like I am. There's a lot that can happen in a year's time. A lot of small businesses fail.

 

[Franko]

Just my opinion, but it seems the Oregon State Government is at war with the Rural communities. They are making it harder and harder to make a living one one's own land (unless you are a lefty marijuana herder). Two years ago, they shut down the only Pharmacy in Lake County as a punishment for some "masking Issue". Took the owners some time to resolve it all. Just one example. The State didn't give a crap about hte patients needing meds. The State placed a Prison there over the objections of the Populace (like 90% against in referendum voting) so that now the Country is absolutely reliant on the income and jobs. Mills have shut down, forests are burnt, and anyone selling logs from property adjoining Forest Service land can expect some trouble from the FS. And Californicators are not appreciated, even if politically right leaning. Housing and property prices are soaring, and I mean badly, and simply not as available as once was (yeah, it's tough all over, I know). Jobs are getting scarce as well. The I-5 Corridor and Willamettte Valley, as well as I-84 are rife with Leftists.
I had a 2.5 acre place in a remote area, grew most of my own food, was able to sell some to the local store (had a huge garden), hunted elk and fished, rock-hounded minerals, loved my neighbors had a great Church family. I got out.

I understand the hate I'm going to get as a CA refugee, prices have gone crazy. Covid inflation, Wall Street going nuts with all the free Govt. money, and the rich panic buying of rural land has made prices insane (lots that sold for less than 100K a couple of years ago are now listed for 400k+) so the locals have a right to be pissed. I am looking at Oregon and Washington as I want green hills, a mild climate, and hate high heat/humidity so a lot of the US is out. Also Portland and Seattle are big tech hubs so if the lords of Big Tech decide they hate remote work again I still might be able to make it work.

 

[Franko]

If you have animals you will become a slave to them, because you can never leave them alone and predators eat them.

Agriculture, same with weather/bugs/diseases. Around here (thd Ozarks) hay & cattle are big producers. When you have a good year of hay, EVERYBODY else does also, and price goes down. A bad year, weather-wise, and everybody has a hard time. Fruit orchard/vegetables means insects, diseases, labor for picking, shipping costs, etc. as well as marketing. Common garden vegetables are a good product if you have good soil, hot houses, ready market. Everybody always needs good produce. One local guy has 20 acres, with 3 acres under cultivation, with hot houses. The 3 big hospitals in Springfield, Missouri came to him wanting him to provide year-round salad vegetables for their cafeterias. He wasn't big enough and his gross sales were over $110,000 per year. If I had some good dirt, I'd grow vegetables. Hard to keep the deer out of it.

Think separate income, as suggested above; some service or product you can provide or make and sell/ship easily. Something you can do and take a vacation from. The machine shop idea sounds grand. Maybe an indoor pot hydro grow? I think that requires a high initial cost, and includes government licensing, inspection, and high taxes. But where LEGAL, it's an option, despite how I feel about drugs.

A home micro-distillery? Huge initial investment and continual govt looking up your nose. But not everybody can make good booze.

Maybe grow crickets for food? Dunno. Seems like it's gonna be a thing.

Are you a craftsman? I can make a number of items, like archery bows, arrows, stone points, tanned deerskins, etc. but you need someone good at marketing your products. I'm an artist, not a successful businessman, and you have to be a successful businessman to be a successful artist/farmer/welder/pot grower/you-name-it.

People do it every day. I found it easier & less headache/stress/depression just to get a regular job.

If you already have an income that will sustain you... like investment income or social security, ANYTHING can become a 2nd income. I really love thinking about the possibilities, and I'm already retired. I think you can't be lazy about it, however, like I am. There's a lot that can happen in a year's time. A lot of small businesses fail.

I'm a small business owner now and understand that there is always more work than hours in the day. So I am looking at passive or low involvement ways to make a little pocket money from a small chunk of land I live on and not becoming an owner/operator of a new out and out business venture.

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions so far.

 

[BCP]

If you have animals you will become a slave to them, because you can never leave them alone and predators eat them.

When I lived out in the country raccoons and coyotes were "kill on sight". Ruger 1022 with CCI ammo works wonders on them.

 

[BCP]

I understand the hate I'm going to get as a CA refugee

Nobody is gonna hate you as long as you are normal.

 

[OldSalty2]

Do this!! If not come back in a year or two and tell us about all the money you didn’t make.

One of the traits of effective sarcasm, is the inability to detect it. A very dry, matter of fact delivery.

I admit, it's the lowest form of humor, but it's all I got....

 

[hlee]

Goats are a relatively low investment, low maintenance animal. They will get eaten by predators, so you’ll need to become familiar with the 3S’s in mountain lion country. But, they tend to be high producers and sell well. But more than that, they will get you the ag exemption on your property taxes. For a hobby farmer, this is the real value- you’re not making money without real sweat equity. The land is it’s own investment (and probably the best return you’ll see), but it only gives a return when you sell.

 

[chevy_man]

The land itself will determine what you can do. You need to shop based on what you want to do with it.


Example: My BIL runs 200-250 cows on 7000 acres. 300 miles away my buddy runs 200 cows on 500 acres.
The land will only support so much. Soil quality, water access, growing season, etc.

 

[Softtail103]

Prior to Covid I had resigned myself to living in a major metro due to what I do for a living (tech consultant). Covid seems to have made remote work now an acceptable thing. If this trend holds, I might be able to move to coastal Oregon or Washington. My budget will probably allow for 20-50 acres. I'm not a farmer or have aspirations to be one, but I am interested in is finding out if there are any ways to earn some money off the property without too significant of an investment in time and money.

So what I am looking for is suggestions, gotchas, or resources where I can go educate myself.

Thanks for reading and thank you in advance to anyone that responds.

P.S. I don't expect the acreage to be big enough for landowner tags but perhaps with the right planning I can qualify for depredation tags to protect my "crops" from deer and maybe waterfowl...

Your moving to the Blue side of both states. A large majority of these people hate guns and gun owners. Move to the other side of the Cascade range. Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon are outdoor recreation paradise. Hunt elk and fish for salmon in the same areas. Fly fishing that is unbelievable. Predator hunting that is endless. Think Bend, Or or Ellensburg, Wa.

 

[FWoo45]

I hear Wyoming is nice.

 

[OREGUN]

Nobody is gonna hate you as long as you are normal.

This is patently false. I don’t even live in Oregon any longer but as a third generation, native Eastern Oregonian, I hate Californian implants with an irrational passion that has been passed down in the blood of Oregon natives for a hundred years or more. Come north of the Siskiyou and feel the disdain.

Your moving to the Blue side of both states. A large majority of these people hate guns and gun owners. Move to the other side of the Cascade range. Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon are outdoor recreation paradise. Hunt elk and fish for salmon in the same areas. Fly fishing that is unbelievable. Predator hunting that is endless. Think Bend, Or or Ellensburg, Wa.

If you think Bend is “red” you haven’t spent any time there in probably 20 years, minimum. It’s as ”blue” as the I5 or I84 corridors. You are thinking of Redmond, maybe, or Prineville, or Lakeview, or John Day or Burns…where you can “occupy” a National Wildlife Refuge if you don’t feel like buying your own land.

You might look for a piece of ground out around Heppner. South Morrow county, maybe Condon area. Which you could put in conservation to at least get the taxes paid. It’s rural, mild climate as far as Oregon goes, land will be less expensive than in a lot of other areas and the likelihood of finding ground that a regional rancher or wheat grower would lease from you goes up.…or let the .gov put windmills on it.

You don’t want to do your own ag…do your day job and let someone use your ground to at least break even.

 

[Rthur]

Hybrid tomaters:

Space twice as close as regular.
"Composters" will arrive to relieve the "overburden" with cash.
Makes shitty BLT but killer cash.

R

 

[Softtail103]

Your right. Oregon is just a shit hole place to live. The free run of the homeless everywhere. I certainly didn’t get the blue feel when I was there this summer. Think more eastern Washington. North Eastern specifically. Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille county’s. We are solid red and welcome like minded people. Looks very red in Bend to me.

https://www.koin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/Sheet-1-e1604289085718.png?w=1328&h=646&crop=1

 

[Franko]

Your right. Oregon is just a shit hole place to live. The free run of the homeless everywhere. I certainly didn’t get the blue feel when I was there this summer. Think more eastern Washington. North Eastern specifically. Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille county’s. We are solid blue and welcome like minded people.

I am leaning towards western Oregon and Washington due to not being a fan of snow and freezing temps.

 

[lariat]

There's no easy. Somebody's got to pick it, clean it, box it, ship / take to distribution, find buyers, deal with pricing, broken equipment, will local distributor deal with a small operation or will you have to find a farmers market .... The list is endless. Things sound good until you find out you have a second job. It's not bad if you really love what you do for that second job.
A few weeks ago I was going out the driveway to my first job. I noticed a cow in distress giving birth. Back to the house and put on the boots and get to the cow and have to pull the calf and get it breathing. Get it nursing on the mother and make sure everything is good. Take a few pictures and back to the house for a shower and clean clothes then off to the first job again. For me, that's an awesome day.
View attachment 7962454
Just saying that if you go down that road you really need to love whatever you decide on.

There was wisdom in this comment. If you enjoy seeing the completion of the work of your hands you will be happy. If you don’t like sweat, bugs and sunburns you are not going to enjoy your life. That means you will outsource the labor and it will cost you profits. That’s just the straight up truth. If you enjoy it there is nothing like living a job while working another one. Read what I wrote there; it never ends. And it can be awesome.

I don’t know what it is. How most of us grew up, a compulsion or something else entirely. But the satisfaction of a job well done, a calf on the ground, eggs hatching, hell even the sound of cows grazing is just soothing to the soul for some. Others want other things and I get that too. You have to choose your path. The other option is to just buy rough land with a house on it and be done with it. No work involved. It a depends on what you want to do with your life and what you think the future holds.

Was any of that helpful? Probably not, but it’s the truth. With land comes work, and it’s got to get done. Unless you are cooking meth or something equally stupid. But hell that’s even work so ain’t nobody getting out of it.

 

[Softtail103]

Tough to argue that. We shovel

I am leaning towards western Oregon and Washington due to not being a fan of snow and freezing temps.

around 5-8 feet a year. But when you see a cougar walking down the road it is just a different feeling. Olympic national forest area has a ton of bears

 

[Franko]

There was wisdom in this comment. If you enjoy seeing the completion of the work of your hands you will be happy. If you don’t like sweat, bugs and sunburns you are not going to enjoy your life. That means you will outsource the labor and it will cost you profits. That’s just the straight up truth. If you enjoy it there is nothing like living a job while working another one. Read what I wrote there; it never ends. And it can be awesome.

I don’t know what it is. How most of us grew up, a compulsion or something else entirely. But the satisfaction of a job well done, a calf on the ground, eggs hatching, hell even the sound of cows grazing is just soothing to the soul for some. Others want other things and I get that too. You have to choose your path. The other option is to just buy rough land with a house on it and be done with it. No work involved. It a depends on what you want to do with your life and what you think the future holds.

Was any of that helpful? Probably not, but it’s the truth. With land comes work, and it’s got to get done. Unless you are cooking meth or something equally stupid. But hell that’s even work so ain’t nobody getting out of it.

Appreciate the thoughts. My future isn't working the land to make a living. I'm looking at somewhere I can live in peace and quiet, work remotely, have my hobbies, and maybe make a little cash on the side.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

The only way is to lease it out.
Leasing out is not really profitable but it will pay the property tax and a little more.
You will need to make sure that they keep up the maintenance though or you will have a shit ton of work when they decide to leave after running your place down

Appreciate the thoughts. My future isn't working the land to make a living. I'm looking at somewhere I can live in peace and quiet, work remotely, have my hobbies, and maybe make a little cash on the side.

 

[CheStadium]

I am not looking at quitting my current job and running a farm. I don't have the skills or the experience to so. What I am looking for is something that might put a little money in my pocket with a modest investment. So far, an orchard looks interesting but I could be totally wrong as I know nothing about this subject.

We have a 12 acre place. 1 field is leased for haying, but we take most of the payment in hay to feed our animals in the winter. We have chickens and ducks and sell some eggs, but that is pocket change. Dairy goats are a lot of work and need some specific local market conditions.

Bees are a lot of work, but can get you significant cash if you sell honey locally for cash. Here in PA, I can sell honey from a stand on my property, but now I have to have an inspected extraction facility if I want to sell some to the farm stand down the road. A properly managed hive can produce 60+ pounds of honey @ $8-12 per pound depending on where you are. I have a local friend who regularly pulls in $8000-12000 cash from his hives at a roadside stand every year.

 

[hlee]

So, what I have gleaned is that the OP wants a free place to hunt and shoot. Given that constraint, he should think of a hobby farm like a boat. The best boat is a friend‘s boat.

Anyone who thinks they can buy an ag property and sit back while watching the residual income roll in should just buy a townhome in the city of their choice.

 

[Mudburner]

Anyone who thinks they can buy an ag property and sit back while watching the residual income roll in should just buy a ....

Property with mineral rights. A natural gas well comes to mind...

 

[hlee]

Property with mineral rights. A natural gas well comes to mind...

My dad has a NG well on his property (Eagle Ford shale). Good producer and he made a bit of money several years ago, but gas prices are down enough that the company shut down the well. He got a nice gravel road and pad out of the deal. The NG market is a fickle beast.

 

[Franko]

So, what I have gleaned is that the OP wants a free place to hunt and shoot. Given that constraint, he should think of a hobby farm like a boat. The best boat is a friend‘s boat.

Anyone who thinks they can buy an ag property and sit back while watching the residual income roll in should just buy a townhome in the city of their choice.

None of my friends or family own acreage and I can't shoot in the courtyard of a Townhome, so I am looking for other options.

 

[hlee]

Property with mineral rights. A natural gas well comes to mind...

And any property with mineral rights and a proven well will sell at a significant premium. My dad bought well before the Eagle Ford gas boom, and it just happened that the property had mineral rights attached. At the peak i heard that the gas drillers we’re trying to poke wells at 500 yard intervals on a grid.

 

[hlee]

None of my friends or family own acreage and I can't shoot in the courtyard of a Townhome, so I am looking for other options.

Based on what I’ve read here, buy a townhome in Portland and join a hunting club and a private shooting club. You’ll be money ahead, have less stress, and not lose your ass when you realize you hate farming and have to sell.

 

[Franko]

Based on what I’ve read here, buy a townhome in Portland and join a hunting club and a private shooting club. You’ll be money ahead, have less stress, and not lose your ass when you realize you hate farming and have to sell.

Everything I have been reading indicates that Portland is a complete mess as far as prices and oodles of homeless people so I'm going to pass on that. Although a 5 acre rural home and a membership in a nice hunting/gun club sounds like it's worth looking into.

 

[Mudburner]

My dad had 5 acres in Northern Michigan and the neighboring property has a functioning gas well. His property sold after he died for $12,000. Had a house trailer, shed, garage. I suppose I could have bought it, but I didn't. So I guess I missed out on that deal. Just a stupid idea, probably. Good luck to ya, OP. Be interesting to see what you end up with.

 

[hlee]

Everything I have been reading indicates that Portland is a complete mess as far as prices and oodles of homeless people so I'm going to pass on that. Although a 5 acre rural home and a membership in a nice hunting/gun club sounds like it's worth looking into.

Wilderness Unlimited wasn’t cheap, but I could always find somewhere to hunt. Cheaper than trying to be a weekend farmer.

 

[fpgt72]

So much depends on location.

How the hell is anyone making money off of hay on a small parcel? Round bales go for around $40 here, $70 for horse quality. It also requires ~70hp+ tractor and a big $$$ bailer.

Heirloom seedlings and duck eggs are where it's at around here. People who are allergic to chicken eggs are usually G2G with duck eggs and they sell at a premium. You can make a hell of a lot more money raising seedlings than you can off of produce around here too.

Beef isn't profitable here unless 90% of their food is coming out of the ground. The butcher's fees kill it and besides, grass fed beef sucks anyway, regardless of whether or not it's healthier.

Chickens aren't worth it from a financial perspective either. I can't get eggs for less than 50 cents a piece after amortizing all costs.

Microgreens, gourmet mushrooms, etc. might be worth looking into.

When I did mine I used an old 4020, that....back then I bought for $3k. When it was down I could run the bailer, the most HP hungry thing in the entire process with an old 8n, and that really is just an over grown lawn mower it just did it much slower. You CAN do it if you have to.

That is another thing to think about, the old equipment, bailers are a huge pain in the ass, and it is hot sweaty dirty work, and that is just getting it into a bail, after that you are moving it, stacking it, and the wrap for it does cost money again.

Good thing is (at least around here) with everyone going to larger zero turns there are a great deal of smaller older tractors that once mowed that are in VERY good shape for sale cheap. I saw an 8n that looked and ran better then it likely did fresh off the show room floor sell for $2k about a month ago. They are just not in demand, and being one that just jumped on the zero turn band wagon I see why.

If I mowed everything it would take us (wife and I) two days to mow it all, If the boy came out we could finish it in a day with three of us running machines.

Bought a Ferris 72" zero turn and with that one machine, and a smaller 52" craftsman for around the house I can finish in about 6 hours, if the wife and I both hit it (and she loves to mow, I have used the Ferris twice, she loves that thing and calls it a crazy go kart) we can knock it out in about 4 hours. It is roughly $50 in fuel to mow the yard once (Thanks Joe)

 

[vinniedelpino]

When I did mine I used an old 4020, that....back then I bought for $3k. When it was down I could run the bailer, the most HP hungry thing in the entire process with an old 8n, and that really is just an over grown lawn mower it just did it much slower. You CAN do it if you have to.

That is another thing to think about, the old equipment, bailers are a huge pain in the ass, and it is hot sweaty dirty work, and that is just getting it into a bail, after that you are moving it, stacking it, and the wrap for it does cost money again.

Good thing is (at least around here) with everyone going to larger zero turns there are a great deal of smaller older tractors that once mowed that are in VERY good shape for sale cheap. I saw an 8n that looked and ran better then it likely did fresh off the show room floor sell for $2k about a month ago. They are just not in demand, and being one that just jumped on the zero turn band wagon I see why.

If I mowed everything it would take us (wife and I) two days to mow it all, If the boy came out we could finish it in a day with three of us running machines.

Bought a Ferris 72" zero turn and with that one machine, and a smaller 52" craftsman for around the house I can finish in about 6 hours, if the wife and I both hit it (and she loves to mow, I have used the Ferris twice, she loves that thing and calls it a crazy go kart) we can knock it out in about 4 hours. It is roughly $50 in fuel to mow the yard once (Thanks Joe)

Ouch. I just picked up a Kioti DK but I use a 54" zero turn to mow about 2 acres of actual grass. The rest gets hogged a few times a year. I started with a mint 1948 Ford 8N years back. It worked, for the most part. When it didn't, my 12 year old son could fix it since it was so simple.

The juice just isn't worth the squeeze when it comes to planting hay around me. It wouldn't be as bad without the up front equipment cost. If you have the coin to drop on a tractor, basic tractor work runs about $85/hr. If you work quickly and have a post driver, you can do even better. I'd go that direction before fiddling around with hay. Your mileage may vary.

If OP HAS to grow/raise something, novelty produce is the way to go if sold in city farmers markets. Purple carrots, heirloom veggies... anything you can't get in grocery stores. Even though colored eggs taste the same as white ones, eggs from marans, easter eggers, olive colored eggs and duck eggs sell for a massive premium. Ridiculously spicy hot peppers sell well too. I bet 99% never get eaten though. Then you have gourmet mushrooms, hard neck garlic, seedlings, etc.

So much is dependent on location it's crazy to give advice without knowing OPs details. I'm convinced that access to a trendy, expensive, hipster filled area is the key to turning a profit from a small plot of land. Otherwise, I can't see it being worth his time unless he's motivated by a passion for farming more so than financial gain.

 

[Missalot]

Good luck passively making money on your land. I have a hard time finding someone to cut my hay for free. If I bush hog it, it takes 30 gallons of diesel and 8 hrs, not to mention wear and tear on equipment. A 900-1000# bale sells for $30. Standing pine in the SE is selling for the same price it did in the 80's. Now if you want to actively farm, you can make some money, but you will start working at sunrise and won't be done at sunset.

 

[Franko]

Ouch. I just picked up a Kioti DK but I use a 54" zero turn to mow about 2 acres of actual grass. The rest gets hogged a few times a year. I started with a mint 1948 Ford 8N years back. It worked, for the most part. When it didn't, my 12 year old son could fix it since it was so simple.

The juice just isn't worth the squeeze when it comes to planting hay around me. It wouldn't be as bad without the up front equipment cost. If you have the coin to drop on a tractor, basic tractor work runs about $85/hr. If you work quickly and have a post driver, you can do even better. I'd go that direction before fiddling around with hay. Your mileage may vary.

If OP HAS to grow/raise something, novelty produce is the way to go if sold in city farmers markets. Purple carrots, heirloom veggies... anything you can't get in grocery stores. Even though colored eggs taste the same as white ones, eggs from marans, easter eggers, olive colored eggs and duck eggs sell for a massive premium. Ridiculously spicy hot peppers sell well too. I bet 99% never get eaten though. Then you have gourmet mushrooms, hard neck garlic, seedlings, etc.

So much is dependent on location it's crazy to give advice without knowing OPs details. I'm convinced that access to a trendy, expensive, hipster filled area is the key to turning a profit from a small plot of land. Otherwise, I can't see it being worth his time unless he's motivated by a passion for farming more so than financial gain.

I'm motivated by the desire for peace, quiet, and being left alone. Farming is not my calling, I'm just looking to see if there are any relatively low effort/investment ways to make a little pocket change if I can manage to pull off a move to a small piece of land in rural Oregon or Washington.

 

[vinniedelpino]

I'm motivated by the desire for peace, quiet, and being left alone. Farming is not my calling, I'm just looking to see if there are any relatively low effort/investment ways to make a little pocket change if I can manage to pull off a move to a small piece of land in rural Oregon or Washington.

Hell, if you find one good luck and let me know about it!

I'm interested.

 

[diggler1833]

I'm not sure where this idea of owning a few acres and letting it make money for you without the investment of a lot of effort originated...but I can guarantee that if it were true...that most Americans with a few $K would have already done it.

 

[Franko]

I'm not sure where this idea of owning a few acres and letting it make money for you without the investment of a lot of effort originated...but I can guarantee that if it were true...that most Americans with a few $K would have already done it.

I asked because I was wondering if I might be able to buy a small piece of property (for the peace, quiet, and a little bit of privacy) and maybe have a way to earn a bit of cash without impacting my peace, quiet, and privacy while living on said land. I already have a small consulting business, I'm not looking to become a farmer in addition to my current gig.

Current consensus on my idea seems to be this isn't going to be possible, but I'm still listening.

 

[Anb618]

I'm not sure where this idea of owning a few acres and letting it make money for you without the investment of a lot of effort originated...but I can guarantee that if it were true...that most Americans with a few $K would have already done it.

This^

Small parcel ownership profit is nearly impossible in modern times. I get my return from my property from hunting on it, shooting on it, and enjoying the peace and quiet at the creek with my kids.
My <10 acres has never and will never make me a penny, unless you count my expectation that my resale value will increase by the time I die/sell

 

[diggler1833]

This^

Small parcel ownership profit is nearly impossible in modern times. I get my return from my property from hunting on it, shooting on it, and enjoying the peace and quiet at the creek with my kids.
My <10 acres has never and will never make me a penny, unless you count my expectation that my resale value will increase by the time I die/sell

It can certainly be a long-term investment if one is willing to sell later.

Our ranch was 1,200 acres at one point. Selling 500 after land prices more than doubled in a decade paid off the other 700.

 

[roostercogburn98]

@Bender invites people to Wyoming all the time? He says it’s a nice place to raise a family

 

[Bigfatcock]

@Bender invites people to Wyoming all the time? He says it’s a nice place to raise a family

That’s what I heard. @Bender also says there is unlimited vape and no income tax.

 

[roostercogburn98]

That’s what I heard. @Bender also says there is unlimited vape and no income tax.

That place pretty much sells itself. @Bender is just putting more icing on the cake

 

[Franko]

Have a a relative and a few family friends in Montana. After hearing what transplants have done to the local housing prices in the past two years I can completely understand why everybody in making it clear that their states are full up.

 

[n0glock]

I posted the meat goat idea awhile back ( yes there are actual meat goats) , you should really check it out, goat is hugely popular with the untamed influx from south of the border, they literally eat anything including blackberry’s (you will learn about that menace in western Oregon), if you are worried about predators get a mule, whatever you do be sure you have water rights, Oregon is so high on property taxes farm deferral, and write offs on you income taxes is where the property pays off. One last suggestion is while you are looking look for property where your neighbor is already doing hay, they will lease it and take care of everything. Unlike where some of these guys are quality hay is fairly expensive in Oregon.

 

[Franko]

I posted the meat goat idea awhile back ( yes there are actual meat goats) , you should really check it out, goat is hugely popular with the untamed influx from south of the border, they literally eat anything including blackberry’s (you will learn about that menace in western Oregon), if you are worried about predators get a mule, whatever you do be sure you have water rights, Oregon is so high on property taxes farm deferral, and write offs on you income taxes is where the property pays off. One last suggestion is while you are looking look for property where your neighbor is already doing hay, they will lease it and take care of everything. Unlike where some of these guys are quality hay is fairly expensive in Oregon.

Appreciate the mineral rights tip. I know about it but it's a big gotcha if you miss it.

Thanks again.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

If there's any sporting game on the property many people are willing to lease for hunting. But there goes your tranquility and hunting. Plus it's not a lot of money unless you do short term guide hunts.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

34-year-old spent $17,000 on a tiny home in Idaho—now it brings in $49,000 a year on Airbnb: It's 'almost completely passive'

Ivan Ellis Nanney dipped into his savings to buy land and build a tiny home in Idaho, listing the property on Airbnb in 2019. Now, it brings in up to $49,600 annually.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Oregon542]

Hobo Hilton is on the right path. Own the land outright if you can. Then put in a septic system and a well large enough for yourself and as many RV pads as you are willing to manage. Rent the RV pads to vacationers as often as you can handle the company. Upgrade and maintain as necessary.

 

[beetroot]

I have no clue about farming in the USA so take this with a grain of salt.

Unless you live in an area that has people who will do small amounts of hay/cropping for you, you'd be better off just to lease out the land.
But if you live in an area full of hobby farms/acreages then that likely won't be possible.

20-50 acres is more that enough land to raise cattle and sell as grass fed beef, obviously will depend on the quality of the land to how much grass you will actually have. If there are stock sales that you can go and buy a dozen weaned calves/yearlings and a time, you raise them until they are 2-3 years old then send them off to the meat works.

Other than making sure they are healthy and giving them something for parasites you more or less on't have to do anything other than make sure they have grass to eat.
Lots of people on small plots around the world do it this way, whether or not the market is set up to allow for this in the USA I dont know.
If you can do some fancy shit like buffalow or wagu meat then you'll typically get more money for the meat but the animals will be more expensive to buy.
So long as you can buy the yound animals at a decent price and sell them for a higher price in a year or two then all you have to do is make sure they don't die and you'll be good.

Unless you can buy highly productive land for next to nothing (not likely) you wont be geting rich off it but you can potentially make some money or at least break even. You will likely become a slave to the property and always have a huge list of jobs that need doing, but if you have a shooting range an no people around what more could you possibly want?

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

This is how to tell me you don't know jack shit about raising cattle.
You sound like Bloomberg.

I have no clue about farming in the USA so take this with a grain of salt.

Unless you live in an area that has people who will do small amounts of hay/cropping for you, you'd be better off just to lease out the land.
But if you live in an area full of hobby farms/acreages then that likely won't be possible.

20-50 acres is more that enough land to raise cattle and sell as grass fed beef, obviously will depend on the quality of the land to how much grass you will actually have. If there are stock sales that you can go and buy a dozen weaned calves/yearlings and a time, you raise them until they are 2-3 years old then send them off to the meat works.

Other than making sure they are healthy and giving them something for parasites you more or less on't have to do anything other than make sure they have grass to eat.
Lots of people on small plots around the world do it this way, whether or not the market is set up to allow for this in the USA I dont know.
If you can do some fancy shit like buffalow or wagu meat then you'll typically get more money for the meat but the animals will be more expensive to buy.
So long as you can buy the yound animals at a decent price and sell them for a higher price in a year or two then all you have to do is make sure they don't die and you'll be good.

Unless you can buy highly productive land for next to nothing (not likely) you wont be geting rich off it but you can potentially make some money or at least break even. You will likely become a slave to the property and always have a huge list of jobs that need doing, but if you have a shooting range an no people around what more could you possibly want?