I love yalls channel. No flashy edits, no influencer bs. Just pure knowledge.
@SchoolyB3 ай бұрын
I try to keep the videos short and as to the point as possible. I'm not selling anything or hunting views just trying to help other small farmers succeed
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I must say before I have even watched this you are my favorite homestead channel on KZhead. The title alone explains the hard way. Which is the only way. Your insight and kindness of sharing you vast knowledge and experience is greatly appreciated.
@ltdlawnservice45863 ай бұрын
"Hiding the liquor still or dope farm!" 😂That's why I re-watch your videos Chris, it helps give you and Darlene tens of dollars, but I catch things I missed before.
@highdeseretranch3 ай бұрын
Got to say the tag line... its branding now. Your first piece of "merch" a hat, tee-shirt or hoodie, coffee mug, should have that line printed on it
@joetheagent3 ай бұрын
I doubt we'll ever do merch but I think we have made a few sayings and the red cups our thing
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
i agree with the Merch. Plus you said the key word Chris Variety. Just sell a truckers hat. start small. @@HomesteadingtheHardWay
@ramondoucette48643 ай бұрын
@@ramondoucette4864 we already have everything to make stickers and we've made a few and given them away.
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I'm so sorry for your loss 😢 never easy when you lose a litter!
@melissasharpe76393 ай бұрын
Its just part of it all but it does suck
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Every work you speak is the truth. During the Avian flu scare I was selling duck eggs for $5 a dozen and chicken eggs for $4 a dozen. Had a waiting list for them. Now they are cheap in the grocery store again and I can't give them away. I have one guy that buys eggs and has been a regular customer but thats it. Never can count on folks to remember you when Walmart goes back down in price.
@oldnorthstateoutdoors20023 ай бұрын
That's right and everything is supposed to be cheaper than the grocery store . If you figure everything I've got over 1.50 in a dozen eggs plus a .35 cent egg carton
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I grew up on a farm and ran a produce business putting myself through half my college years, here are a few notes: Do the road-side stand, don't have people driving out to the fields, besides damage,, you're getting compaction. Sweet corn and tomatoes are the two biggest summer time customer draws. All the other stuff is fill-in/add-on, but don't diversify so much you can't keep up with the tomatoes and sweet corn. Pumpkins in the fall and Christmas trees in the winter. Sell flats of flowers and produce in the spring (look up the soil-block tools to make one and you'll avoid buying cell trays). ... I would encourage you to grow from your own heirloom seeds, since plants will adapt to your growing and farming conditions, your "microclime". The plants that do well with fertilizer this year, when seeds are saved from them, will demand fertilizer next year. Same with chemicals for squash vine borers or cucumber downy mildew, select the survivors don't try to bandage the weak ones. Plants become input addicts if you let them. ... I'm getting back into farming again and fiercely unwinding input-demanding seed stock. ... Glad to see your cover crop work. What I do now is use the cultivator to put planting rows down into the standing cover (rye grain), then when the (corn/soybeans especially) emerge I roll the rye flat (roller-crimper is ideal, but a simple lawn roller going down and back flattens all the rye) into a straw mulch mat. If putting plant sets out, roll the rye down, then use the cultivator to make your trench strips and put the tomatoes in with water. I experimented with disking down green-manure game and that didn't work any better than conventional methods, just fed the weeds. An acre of active earthworms are as good as putting grazing cattle on there for natural fertility additions. So don't kill or set back the earthworms, they live in the top five inches per worm farm folks. Paint your road stand with gloss white paint, including the bottom side of the roof panels.
@jvin2483 ай бұрын
You have some good points , I'm going to pin this might help folks.We're set up to sell here , too many Rd stands around here already. Four within three miles . Tomatoes don't sell well here them and okra were out worst sellers last year the u-pick is aggravating but it does pretty good money wise .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
So glad to see y'all back! Take care of yourselves and post when you can. Love your channel.
@MichaelHerringValdosta3 ай бұрын
I'm planning to do more videos this year . My healths not improving much and I want to cover as much as I can
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Man I really enjoyed that video, absolutely nothing but the truth there. I need to call you sometime, been so busy around here don’t have time for anything seems like
@lawsonlawnandfarm80733 ай бұрын
Y'all are burning it up on your wife's channel. I watched a couple the other day good stuff
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay yea it’s been growing quite a bit
@lawsonlawnandfarm80733 ай бұрын
Give me a call I lost all my numbers
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I watched your videos when I first was getting back into pigs. Found out quick that If you ask 10 farmers a question you’ll get 11 different answers:) I’m still enjoying raising pigs and with piglet sales we’re breaking even and filling our freezer for free. Appreciate your wisdom and praying for your health! Cheers:)
@jeffhuntley29213 ай бұрын
There's definitely more than one right way to do most things
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I usually try to exhaust all the wrong ways to do things before trying the proper way:)
@jeffhuntley29213 ай бұрын
@@jeffhuntley2921 me personally I just like anything that's a lot of work and no money
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay absolutely:)
@jeffhuntley29213 ай бұрын
glad that you tell the truth about farming/pigs. The others are full of it when it comes to honesty about profits/costs
@whineysnowflake80722 ай бұрын
I think some are just bad at math and some are after views
@HomesteadingtheHardWayАй бұрын
Love your videos. We started raising pigs last year on our new homestead and your videos helped us out a lot. Thanks for doing them and keep them coming. Take Care!
@Mike_squarebeefarms3 ай бұрын
Always glad to hear we helped
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Great to hear from you again Chris. I'd love to see some of these fairytale homesteaders that make all this money raise a crop of tobacco. As far as I know, I'm the last generation in my family to raise tobacco and none of us got rich at it. I'm glad to hear the pigs are doing well. Still praying for you!
@MarkWYoung-ky4uc3 ай бұрын
Hear, hear Mark!
@highdeseretranch3 ай бұрын
We survived when we were farming tobacco and row crop . We could pay out every year just to borrow another 100 k to farm this year
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Mark, what you fail to see😉 and what isn't shown on these channels is the remote work from home job that brings in six figure income, plus the YT income that allows for new tractors, barns, diesel truck, etc. So when a loss is actually happening can be absorbed. Just my thoughts.
@highdeseretranch3 ай бұрын
@@highdeseretranch I've got it figured out , give me a call I've got a problem you might can help with anyway
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@highdeseretranch Don't even get me started on "working remotely" Robert! 😂
@MarkWYoung-ky4uc3 ай бұрын
This guy is what I call the real deal! Honest, sincere and down right good person.
@folgeradam69663 ай бұрын
As always, we love your honest advice. Good to see you Chris! Tell Darlene hello for us!
@contentment1643 ай бұрын
Hope y'all are good , give me a call . Lost all my numbers
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
"Making tens of dollars" hahaha classic!!! I sure enjoy your content Mr. Chris! Keep 'em coming!
@oklahomesteader3 ай бұрын
Might do another one tomorrow
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Thank you Chris. Love how authentic, honest, and straightforward y’all are.
@nickcb151393 ай бұрын
Glad to help a little honest information goes a long way
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Sure Do Wish We Had Ya'll Right Down The Rd or Community. Been on Our 6 Acres 4yrs & Tractor Been Down So Many Times, Now My Husband Parked It A Year Ago & I Can't Do This Without His Help @ Times , God bless, Discouraged In Al
@penneycoosenberry56573 ай бұрын
Email me I might can talk you through fixing it . Got one running over face time last week
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
You’re one of the few that i do watch that keeps it straight forward to the point and there are some that will just do it for click bait and mis lead there viewers
@Sugarloafhomestead3 ай бұрын
We're more education than entertainment. Best to get right to it
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I got some huge cabbage collards last year from your seeds you gave me 5 yrs ago and I pulled the envelope out yesterday to start some more … they’re so good! That first year, I was clueless and planted them too deep. Since then, I’ve done well with them! 💚
@MimsysGarden3 ай бұрын
I just sprinkle them on top of the ground and pat them down
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay yes! I finally figured it out 😂😂😂💚
@MimsysGarden3 ай бұрын
Chris, Thank you! Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. My son and I laughed through your entire video. Mostly just sell grass finished beef now but started out with pasture raised broilers and pasture raised pork. IDK, probably have raised over 10,000 broilers on pasture in my life. At the high point had over 300 pigs on pasture. Also sheep at different times, turkeys. I like keeping bees but it's too hard to keep them alive between the neighbors spraying and winter... We've made money at most things, just not enough money! IDK, we keep inching forward with this thing anyway! -Chris
@christophermarlowe50193 ай бұрын
That might be the best way to put it I've heard . We're making money just not enough pretty much sums up any agricultural venture I can think of .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Go talk to your county extension office about farm investments. They're probably not going to give you free money but there are grants and perks out there for small farmers. Possibly also AgSouth (formerly Carolina Farm Credit). They've been good to me.
@dfgyuhdd3 ай бұрын
We deal with AG Carolina for most things but we qualify for some USDA loans and a couple of grants. Really need to keep the payments low and definitely can't do a operating loan that big
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Really like seeing your new video, sorry about your loss when your pigs, hopefully things will get better for you all.
@user-tv5kv3xp8t3 ай бұрын
@@user-tv5kv3xp8t I'm getting spoiled we haven't lost any pigs other than a piglet getting layed on occasionally in years .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Keep him straight Darlene ;-) We wait for the tag line! Good to see y'all and you may be one of the few that can figure out how to make that stuff return a few bucks.
@geekygardens3 ай бұрын
It’s a labor of love for sure
@thenaturalhuman95683 ай бұрын
Absolutely
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Miss you sister and brother man love these videos
@preppedforeternityhomestea28483 ай бұрын
I've been catching a live here and there but always a day late
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I've just recently found your channel. Ive watched a lot of other channels and they all charge for their advice. And you just give it out for free. This is now one of my favorite channels to watch.
@shanesimpson69213 ай бұрын
I don't understand the charging for answering questions, maybe it's a cultural thing but helping people around here is just how it's done .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Stay well sir! We need people like you to stick around a while!! Thank you for all the knowledge so far!!
@CloudWalker333 ай бұрын
I'm going to step up the videos, try to get as much information out as I can
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Thanks for videos, sir. Your mentorship of an entire generation does not go unnoticed. Well wishes to you & your family. 🙏 👍
@yoholmes2733 ай бұрын
I'm glad to hear I might be helping and thank you
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Thank you for another video. I look forward to your videos and wish you the best. Little do you know, we appreciate you. Even videos of the pigs doing their thing, whether long or short, will get you views. Take care.
@HopiLivingintheCity3 ай бұрын
Thank you , I appreciate that
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
you guys are the real deal. I've watched and shared your channel through the years with my daughter in Florida who has a small homestead. Not a hobby, they use what they raise both animals and vegetables. They've been pretty successful with their pigs (small time) following your tips and suggestions: it's hard work and never ends. Keep sharing. Please
@FITZIEBLUE3 ай бұрын
Thanks for spending us around I do appreciate it. Want to help as many folks as possible
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I appreciate the words of wisdom gained through your experience.
@kentuckyprepper17923 ай бұрын
Glad to help
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Oh the faces I see when I tell folks “$150 for that piglet” “$8 a dozen”. They just don’t understand and I know someone’s blind to reply back “that’s expensive”, yea that’s right raisin’ up pigs and produce ain’t cheap.
@StubbsMillingCo.3 ай бұрын
Setting prices is one of the areas I have trouble with . There's so much competition around here someone's always cheaper then you have gardeners trying to give their extra away . Here an edge is critical you have to have a better product, more options, better looking place , more convenient
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Something that there isn't a lotta compilation in is okra. I started growing it , and selling to restaurants by the bushel. Then found out , I could sell it by the little square cup for $6⁰⁰. I charged $5⁰⁰ per cup , and could sell a weeks growth in a couple of hrs on Saturday mornings. It'll work you like a borrowed mule , but it'll turn a decent profit.
@coburnlowman2 ай бұрын
Only way okra sells around here is pickled. To easy to grow I reckon , only way restaurants buy them is frozen cut and breaded. What sells and what don't amazes me and it can change from year to year . Normally squash won't sell but last year we sold out every day , tomatoes usually sell good last year we didn't sell ten dollars worth .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay2 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Do you have a video showing how you shuck n silk that much corn? You said you can shuck tons in a hurry. I'm in North West Ga. Sweet corn does sell good. If shucking it could add value I'd sure do it . I can shuck it quickly , but the silk sure slows things down.
@coburnlowman2 ай бұрын
@@coburnlowman I get most of the silks off with the shuck but silking is extra . We have a video on shucking and I have a silking machine
@HomesteadingtheHardWay2 ай бұрын
I planted a bunch of extra corn last year. Pigs love the corn and the stocks are decent bedding. It’ll never be enough but thankfully I’m fine with it. It’s good to try to not loose your ars tho
@jeffhuntley29213 ай бұрын
Believe it or not corn stalks for fall decorations were our biggest money maker. I was shocked
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay never thought of that but I saw them all over town as decorations. Good idea. Cheers
@jeffhuntley29213 ай бұрын
Great advice! It’s definitely work and not many folks will make any money doing it.
@RaisedOutdoors3 ай бұрын
Hard work is out of fashion for certain and it takes a lot of determination to make it to the point a profit is possible
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
A lot of new comers in Tennessee are gonna sell eggs to support their homestead.😂😂
@backachershomestead3 ай бұрын
Yep I bet I've sold twelve dollars worth this week already. If I can quadruple that by Sunday I'll break even on feed
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@HomesteadingtheHardWay I appreciate the honesty and the time you put into your videos. My family has always farmed and what we do now is just for our own "family". But I hope people watch the content you've created. They can learn a lot from it. It's the best no B.S. videos out there. Thank you again for sharing your journey with everyone!👍👍
@backachershomestead3 ай бұрын
@@backachershomestead my hope is more people can do this that the small farm can come back and be profitable. Maybe with changing markets it's possible, but folks have to have realistic goals and understand what they're up against
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
you never see a tech college/work commercial for learning farming for a reason. Definitively not a get rich or get paid quick scheme
@whineysnowflake80722 ай бұрын
Most people with AG degrees are extension agents , insurance adjusters or AG teachers, occasionally fertilizer salesman tbh then they hobby farm after retirement
@HomesteadingtheHardWayАй бұрын
What you're doing is hard, back breaking work. Once you hit 47 you're officially old in my book. It's tough to really get physical with work after that age. Not impossible of course, but my goodness you feel it in the morning, and the energy level just isn't there like it was at the age of 40.
@Nikotromus3 ай бұрын
I'd be fine if I hadn't gotten mersa but it is what it is .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Always happy to see a YT notification from Chris and Darlene! Is the weather warmer where you are at, it is out west. I hear your wife has a channel now? Can you please send a link?!..
@highdeseretranch3 ай бұрын
No Andy Lawsons wife has a channel that kinda taking off . They're doing videos on some old mountain ways
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I've wanted to be a farmer as long as I can remember. When I was in high school and through my early 20s, my dream was to be a produce grower. I thought it seemed like the type of operation that had the fewest barriers to entry. I had a couple false starts and never got it off the ground. Eventually I started experimenting with pigs, which lead me to keeping a couple sows. I tried direct marketing meat, but (like a lot of farmers, I suppose) I'm just not a salesperson. I'm not good at it, and I don't enjoy it. I also live in a very isolated area, any real marketable population for small scale direct type farming is a couple hours away (which is part of what made produce challenging for me. Seems like proximity to market is really important for that business, those I've seen who've been most successful at market gardening are usually adjoining a city, or sometimes even inside of city limits). Around here it's a rural farming community. People are very frugal and pretty apt to either raise their own food or make the 2 hour trek to Costco and buy their pork cheaper than I could dream of profitably producing it. I finally figured it out: weaner pigs are where it's at for my area and my situation. Very few people in my area are gonna pay what I would need to sell a butcher hog for to profit, but plenty of folks want raise couple hogs for family consumption without the trouble of keeping a sow. With about 3 sows, I'm far from meeting demand for my weaners. And that's almost entirely word of mouth. Sometimes I have to turn people away. My goal is to get up to 6-8 sows and then see where I want to go from there. Maybe that'll be a good spot to keep it. I still day dream about being a full-time farmer someday, but I don't know if it'll ever happen. Pasture land rents so cheap around here because it's a pretty arid area, sometimes I think I should try to get my hands on some rangeland and try running a few cows too. For now, I work nights in town cleaning the school and keep a few sows and a kitchen garden. It's not the full time farming life I've always dreamed of, but it certainly ain't a bad life. :)
@randysheckler7633 ай бұрын
Its the same her . Have you ever thought about supplying bedding plants , chicks etc . Like nobody will buy finished hogs or pork but will buy feeder pigs . I'm running 8 sows now and doing ok with it , with a litter to sell every month the cash flow is there to keep everything going and pay some bills
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I have thought about bedding plants. A guy a ways north of me was trying to get a small scale nursery off the ground for a while and seemed to be doing alright but then he had a job opportunity he didn't feel he could turn down so he closed up. But he was on a paved road between 2 towns 10 minutes from each of them. I'm on a road to nowhere 20 minutes from any town. Maybe I'm self defeating with the idea that people wouldn't come out to me, I might be surprised. Or maybe bedding plants are something that could be sold roadside for a few weeks each spring?
@randysheckler7633 ай бұрын
@@randysheckler763 Something I think about ,during the good rush the people selling tools and supplies made most or the money . Getting established is the hardest part and location has a lot to do with it . You might have to do the farmers market or you might have to try several different ways until you find what works in your area . I've found people will travel if have the right destination and can get the word out
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
You are the best on KZhead 👍
@WelshfamilylivinginBulgaria3 ай бұрын
Thank you
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Good to see you again! Good to hear your out making some money! Take care of yourself !
@TheSwaffordHomestead3 ай бұрын
How are y'all doing ?
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Were doing well! Just enjoying all this snow & rain here...lol
@TheSwaffordHomestead3 ай бұрын
Good morning from Adams County, Pennsylvania. Thanks for the video. Wish i could send some homemade scrapple your way
@aaronrider40513 ай бұрын
We're not that far come on down and visit
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Awesome video brother I completely understand where you're coming from and totally agree 👍
@pasttime84503 ай бұрын
Thank you . When experienced people back us up it helps more than you know
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Thanks for the video praying for your better health Do ya think you could give us a tour of your place agian thanks
@lawrencenachtrab7353 ай бұрын
Anytime, maybe it won't be raining
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Very good video and good wisdom and good healthy food that don't have chemicals will keep you much healthier. The Amish are much heathier cause the way the grow food with manure mixed with sheep or other animal mixed with straw tilled in the soil. Thank you
@dimondDave100Ай бұрын
Anything that hasn't been through the packing plant is a thousand times better for you, real food from a mile away instead of picked green covered or injected with preservatives and shipped 6000 miles or more
@HomesteadingtheHardWayАй бұрын
Really appreciate your videos!!! Great no BS knowledge 👌
@jasonhall33153 ай бұрын
Hope they help
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Some people shop for Christmas all year long.~:>
@paulineackermann25983 ай бұрын
Chris, is good to see you making another video and giving people the honest to God truth.
@davisbeam81813 ай бұрын
I'm trying but it's hard to get folks to listen
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Now I am wanting to know what was written on the truck? LOL
@bmiller227653 ай бұрын
He works for the town lol
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Ever thought about a high tunnel? We're in south Arkansas and most folks around here all grow and sale the same things. Most do it in the spring/early summer, so I'm in the process of putting in a high tunnel in order to offer things later into the year. That would be something to look in to if you havent already. I got the high tunnel through the NRCS. They have a set rate per square feet so it don't matter how big the high tunnel is, it's the same rate. My neighbor and I were both getting one, so we went in together and made a deal with the manufacturer to get a cheaper rate. That got the price down so that the NRCS money paid 100% of the cost. I also started growing pumpkins for wholesale and for sale here at the farm (pumpkin patch type operation) and that's turned out to be a decent deal. With that pumpkin patch drawing folks to the farm, i'm transitioning my market gardens to more fall producing varieties. We'll see what happens i reckon.
@fivem33983 ай бұрын
I have thought about a high tunnel and a green house , I think bedding plant could be a good seller . To much competition with pumpkins here , we did ok with some rare varieties . You almost have to have a high tunnel here for tomatoes
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay hey, is that little chinese grist mill still holding up? I got some sure enough heirloom Indian corn that i've been propagating for the last couple of years. I been thinking about selling corn meal and/or chicken feed. It's a lot more nutrient dense than corn today.
@fivem33983 ай бұрын
@@fivem3398 its still doing fine . That might work good especially making meal just mind the legality
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Yeah, i need to check with the state on that i guess. Hey brother, I appreciate what you do for folks. i know it's time consuming and repetitive sometimes. I pray you get better soon.
@fivem33983 ай бұрын
What about herbs?
@CRJines3 ай бұрын
We plant some every year but not much of a market about like garlic.
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I love cushaw! It's my most profitable crop. Big ones go for $10 each😊
@SuperKyle3093 ай бұрын
Ours are 5.00 but there's not much cost , they do better with fungal infections than pumpkins and don't take much fertilizer
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Hey Chris hey Darlene ! We miss y'all and glad to see ya back ❤ be safe and take care ❤❤
@toniclanton73683 ай бұрын
Where do yall get a soil test from?
@drewnation99053 ай бұрын
County extension office?
@hanginlaundry3603 ай бұрын
Extension can help farm office , soil and water . They're usually free but check when they're available
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
thank you sir
@peltondean50253 ай бұрын
Glad to help
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Have you heard anything on these electric Id cattle, goat, and sheep tags?
@BoBrown-hp5hm3 ай бұрын
They have been out a while. They're supposed to be able to check where the livestock came from from yards away with a scanner or track them with a satellite. Government claims it's for disease control, we're heard that before
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Keeping it real!
@bamatractor3 ай бұрын
Trying my best !
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I have quite a bit of muscadine vines, they sell fairly well.
@user-wr1yh2zw6l3 ай бұрын
We have a few , too many people giving them away around here . I have thought wine might sell good
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I have a few acres of land in SC. I'm a plumber by trade, but have tried for almost two decades to make extra money selling stuff. I live in a sorta trendy want to be town called Hartsville. Here's my take, forget greens, almost waste of time. I sell shucked silver king corn for $8.00 per dozen, okra does good and you can always sell it wholesale at market in Columbia if you have too much. Heirloom tomatoes do good, watermelon sells ok if you have somewhere to set up to sell, I have a excellent almost went extinct variety, looks like rattle snake but sweeter, and too much water doesn't hurt them, garrison. By far the most money I have made has been with butter beans and Dixie Lee and pink eye peas. People were paying $35.00 per bushel here last year, shelled! If you can't get 3.00 per dozen for eggs, give them to the hogs. Squash and zucchini, not worth hoeing. We have to find a niche, elephant garlic, mabe even deer corn, I don't have enough cleared land for that. I sell some plants, fig, muscadine, paw paw. I could never survive on this. Probably more money to board a couple of horses.
@user-wr1yh2zw6l3 ай бұрын
@@user-wr1yh2zw6l sweet corn , red potatoes , watermelon and corn stalks we're our highest profit last year okra ,cucumbers and tomatoes were the lowest . Squash sold good until everyone's garden started producing . Our corns 8.00 a dozen then 2.00 to shuck it we sell a lot I plant 6 acres 3 varieties. What's amazing to me is what sell and what doesn't I sold 1000.00 worth of corn stalks after we sold the deer corn . My goal is to make 30 k clear pigs make half that and we managed 10 on the produce. I'm thinking pea and bean shellers and processing pecans might be a way to go . One drawback here is everyone has a garden and desperately trying to give stuff but that might could be turned into an opportunity for bedding plants ,processing etc
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@user-wr1yh2zw6l the fall/winter stuff is really just so my customers don't have to go somewhere else . Collards used to be great but to many people grow them now . Every old farmer has a few rows and a sign side the road . I think we did 1000.00 on all the winter stuff including mistletoe just started selling the pecans but they're moving slow . Need to have them before Christmas
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay doesn't sound like you are doing bad at all, definitely on the right track, any kind of small scale gardening is just so labor intensive. It's foolish for me, if I picked up one extra service call per week, it would be more than I could ever hope to make off a couple of small gardens. Even tried to get someone to provide some labor for split, but no one is interested in real work anymore.
@user-wr1yh2zw6l3 ай бұрын
What variety of collards are you growing? I’m trying to find some of the very old timey varieties to pair with some of the new hybrids I got! Loved the video, first time watching your channel.
@Rwargrumble3 ай бұрын
They are a yellow heading cabbage collard, best I can tell you can't buy any commucialy. We've been saving seed for 150 years email me and I'll send a few homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I will do! They sound awesome. Do you just let them head out in the spring until they make seed?
@Rwargrumble3 ай бұрын
@@Rwargrumble yes only way to get them
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I know you have said before that you don’t do KZhead to make money, however if you put out more videos I bet your channel would take off. It has helped me tremendously. People will watch you just to see how to properly prune a tomato. Teach us the different tricks.
@michaelvinson77173 ай бұрын
I'm intentionally trying to keep it small . We do it as a way to help people and I'm at about all I can do with answering emails and phone calls
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Yessir
@BoBrown-hp5hm3 ай бұрын
Are you growing morris heading collards? I grew them a few years ago and they were top shelf.
@coopgb3 ай бұрын
No ours are a yellow cabbage collard . Can't sell dark green collard's around here . I planted five acres of Morris collards for the grocery store last year I couldn't taste much difference but local customers wouldn't have them .
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Do you folks have a produce stand at your place? Thanks
@fitzpreacherfarm68263 ай бұрын
Kinda we sell everything here either we pick to order or do you pick . Some things like okra have to be picked twice a day . Waste is a big problem
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I hear you on the waste. We started selling last year, thought about the you pick but I’m not sure I want to turn people loose on the place. Thanks for responding.
@fitzpreacherfarm68263 ай бұрын
@@fitzpreacherfarm6826 you have to supervise them or they'll destroy things like pull up beans to pick them and anything directly edible they might eat as much as they put in the bucket . You need a liability insurance policy as well it's better than paying help
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Try Cherokee Tan pumpkins. They are stink bug resistant.
@lisanowakow36883 ай бұрын
Nothing seems to be resistant to the new asian stinkbugs native stinkbugs just aren't a problem. Fungus seems to be the major problem with pumpkins , apparently it's newish to . Wasn't an issue when we used to grow them . New pest and plant diseases are being brought in all the time . Think fire ants , coyotes
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Heck. I can hardly give some one a mess of turnips.
@rtoddharris3 ай бұрын
They sell ok but rudabagas sell good , we didn't sell hardly any mustard greens
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
I just wish I had the land for it. That’s my problem. I want to do it but don’t have the land
@buckshot210003 ай бұрын
You might can rent a little, get hooked up with the right farmer . Email me homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
My granddads got 2 farmall 140 that he ran and I want to get them back running and get the old gardens back working when I was a kid. But they have been sitting 15 years or so and I have no idea where to start.
@buckshot210003 ай бұрын
@@buckshot21000 shoot me an email, I'll send my number
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Tell like it is.
@user-xd7nq4us5l3 ай бұрын
Im trying lol
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Where I come from
@jerrykates46013 ай бұрын
Look forward to watching and hearing anything you have to say cause you know it's not going to be utube bullshit click bait crap like made 900 lbs potatoes in 2 25 ft rows anyway till the next one
@bradjoyce10403 ай бұрын
LoL I made five bushels to the row this year now I'm the local potato growing champion. I don't know how long the rows were probably 60 foot
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Thats really good i have no trouble believing in what ever you say you are in my opinion the most truthful and educational person/channel on you tube I've used your line in my opinion the best line ever you never plow a field by turning it over in your mind as frugal as I am I'd buy that on a tee shirt if you sold it the faithful subscribers would watch if you put out a video of paint drying on the wall just to hear your opinion of the paint you used hope your health hangs on this world needs men like you
@bradjoyce10403 ай бұрын
@@bradjoyce1040 truth is I hate to see people fail and I hope the small farm can make a comeback. It would solve so many problems. Its a hard job and hard get started then the money isn't great so not many people want to do it . I'm just trying to give the real information, it's much easier to make it if you know what you're up against. Biggest thing is if you grow it you have to sell it , so you have to produce what there's a market for then everyone in your area is going to be growing the same things . You have to have an edge more products,better product, more convenient.
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Buddy love ya I Really hate a sales person you’re just too real to bullshit
@stevenmielke38833 ай бұрын
I'm definitely not a sales man that's for certain
@HomesteadingtheHardWay3 ай бұрын
Yep. It's constant. I'm starting the last cold weather crops now. Then it's 2 to 3 rounds of summer produce and back to the cold weather crops before the last summer crops are finished. But I'm not beholden to a time clock or boss.
@MorganBrunson3 ай бұрын
Buying from other small local farm and reselling seems to be a good thing , like honey folks don't want to deal with selling and I'm already set up here
I love yalls channel. No flashy edits, no influencer bs. Just pure knowledge.
I try to keep the videos short and as to the point as possible. I'm not selling anything or hunting views just trying to help other small farmers succeed
I must say before I have even watched this you are my favorite homestead channel on KZhead. The title alone explains the hard way. Which is the only way. Your insight and kindness of sharing you vast knowledge and experience is greatly appreciated.
"Hiding the liquor still or dope farm!" 😂That's why I re-watch your videos Chris, it helps give you and Darlene tens of dollars, but I catch things I missed before.
Got to say the tag line... its branding now. Your first piece of "merch" a hat, tee-shirt or hoodie, coffee mug, should have that line printed on it
I doubt we'll ever do merch but I think we have made a few sayings and the red cups our thing
i agree with the Merch. Plus you said the key word Chris Variety. Just sell a truckers hat. start small. @@HomesteadingtheHardWay
@@ramondoucette4864 we already have everything to make stickers and we've made a few and given them away.
I'm so sorry for your loss 😢 never easy when you lose a litter!
Its just part of it all but it does suck
Every work you speak is the truth. During the Avian flu scare I was selling duck eggs for $5 a dozen and chicken eggs for $4 a dozen. Had a waiting list for them. Now they are cheap in the grocery store again and I can't give them away. I have one guy that buys eggs and has been a regular customer but thats it. Never can count on folks to remember you when Walmart goes back down in price.
That's right and everything is supposed to be cheaper than the grocery store . If you figure everything I've got over 1.50 in a dozen eggs plus a .35 cent egg carton
I grew up on a farm and ran a produce business putting myself through half my college years, here are a few notes: Do the road-side stand, don't have people driving out to the fields, besides damage,, you're getting compaction. Sweet corn and tomatoes are the two biggest summer time customer draws. All the other stuff is fill-in/add-on, but don't diversify so much you can't keep up with the tomatoes and sweet corn. Pumpkins in the fall and Christmas trees in the winter. Sell flats of flowers and produce in the spring (look up the soil-block tools to make one and you'll avoid buying cell trays). ... I would encourage you to grow from your own heirloom seeds, since plants will adapt to your growing and farming conditions, your "microclime". The plants that do well with fertilizer this year, when seeds are saved from them, will demand fertilizer next year. Same with chemicals for squash vine borers or cucumber downy mildew, select the survivors don't try to bandage the weak ones. Plants become input addicts if you let them. ... I'm getting back into farming again and fiercely unwinding input-demanding seed stock. ... Glad to see your cover crop work. What I do now is use the cultivator to put planting rows down into the standing cover (rye grain), then when the (corn/soybeans especially) emerge I roll the rye flat (roller-crimper is ideal, but a simple lawn roller going down and back flattens all the rye) into a straw mulch mat. If putting plant sets out, roll the rye down, then use the cultivator to make your trench strips and put the tomatoes in with water. I experimented with disking down green-manure game and that didn't work any better than conventional methods, just fed the weeds. An acre of active earthworms are as good as putting grazing cattle on there for natural fertility additions. So don't kill or set back the earthworms, they live in the top five inches per worm farm folks. Paint your road stand with gloss white paint, including the bottom side of the roof panels.
You have some good points , I'm going to pin this might help folks.We're set up to sell here , too many Rd stands around here already. Four within three miles . Tomatoes don't sell well here them and okra were out worst sellers last year the u-pick is aggravating but it does pretty good money wise .
So glad to see y'all back! Take care of yourselves and post when you can. Love your channel.
I'm planning to do more videos this year . My healths not improving much and I want to cover as much as I can
Man I really enjoyed that video, absolutely nothing but the truth there. I need to call you sometime, been so busy around here don’t have time for anything seems like
Y'all are burning it up on your wife's channel. I watched a couple the other day good stuff
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay yea it’s been growing quite a bit
Give me a call I lost all my numbers
I watched your videos when I first was getting back into pigs. Found out quick that If you ask 10 farmers a question you’ll get 11 different answers:) I’m still enjoying raising pigs and with piglet sales we’re breaking even and filling our freezer for free. Appreciate your wisdom and praying for your health! Cheers:)
There's definitely more than one right way to do most things
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I usually try to exhaust all the wrong ways to do things before trying the proper way:)
@@jeffhuntley2921 me personally I just like anything that's a lot of work and no money
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay absolutely:)
glad that you tell the truth about farming/pigs. The others are full of it when it comes to honesty about profits/costs
I think some are just bad at math and some are after views
Love your videos. We started raising pigs last year on our new homestead and your videos helped us out a lot. Thanks for doing them and keep them coming. Take Care!
Always glad to hear we helped
Great to hear from you again Chris. I'd love to see some of these fairytale homesteaders that make all this money raise a crop of tobacco. As far as I know, I'm the last generation in my family to raise tobacco and none of us got rich at it. I'm glad to hear the pigs are doing well. Still praying for you!
Hear, hear Mark!
We survived when we were farming tobacco and row crop . We could pay out every year just to borrow another 100 k to farm this year
Mark, what you fail to see😉 and what isn't shown on these channels is the remote work from home job that brings in six figure income, plus the YT income that allows for new tractors, barns, diesel truck, etc. So when a loss is actually happening can be absorbed. Just my thoughts.
@@highdeseretranch I've got it figured out , give me a call I've got a problem you might can help with anyway
@@highdeseretranch Don't even get me started on "working remotely" Robert! 😂
This guy is what I call the real deal! Honest, sincere and down right good person.
As always, we love your honest advice. Good to see you Chris! Tell Darlene hello for us!
Hope y'all are good , give me a call . Lost all my numbers
"Making tens of dollars" hahaha classic!!! I sure enjoy your content Mr. Chris! Keep 'em coming!
Might do another one tomorrow
Thank you Chris. Love how authentic, honest, and straightforward y’all are.
Glad to help a little honest information goes a long way
Sure Do Wish We Had Ya'll Right Down The Rd or Community. Been on Our 6 Acres 4yrs & Tractor Been Down So Many Times, Now My Husband Parked It A Year Ago & I Can't Do This Without His Help @ Times , God bless, Discouraged In Al
Email me I might can talk you through fixing it . Got one running over face time last week
You’re one of the few that i do watch that keeps it straight forward to the point and there are some that will just do it for click bait and mis lead there viewers
We're more education than entertainment. Best to get right to it
I got some huge cabbage collards last year from your seeds you gave me 5 yrs ago and I pulled the envelope out yesterday to start some more … they’re so good! That first year, I was clueless and planted them too deep. Since then, I’ve done well with them! 💚
I just sprinkle them on top of the ground and pat them down
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay yes! I finally figured it out 😂😂😂💚
Chris, Thank you! Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. My son and I laughed through your entire video. Mostly just sell grass finished beef now but started out with pasture raised broilers and pasture raised pork. IDK, probably have raised over 10,000 broilers on pasture in my life. At the high point had over 300 pigs on pasture. Also sheep at different times, turkeys. I like keeping bees but it's too hard to keep them alive between the neighbors spraying and winter... We've made money at most things, just not enough money! IDK, we keep inching forward with this thing anyway! -Chris
That might be the best way to put it I've heard . We're making money just not enough pretty much sums up any agricultural venture I can think of .
Go talk to your county extension office about farm investments. They're probably not going to give you free money but there are grants and perks out there for small farmers. Possibly also AgSouth (formerly Carolina Farm Credit). They've been good to me.
We deal with AG Carolina for most things but we qualify for some USDA loans and a couple of grants. Really need to keep the payments low and definitely can't do a operating loan that big
Really like seeing your new video, sorry about your loss when your pigs, hopefully things will get better for you all.
@@user-tv5kv3xp8t I'm getting spoiled we haven't lost any pigs other than a piglet getting layed on occasionally in years .
Keep him straight Darlene ;-) We wait for the tag line! Good to see y'all and you may be one of the few that can figure out how to make that stuff return a few bucks.
It’s a labor of love for sure
Absolutely
Miss you sister and brother man love these videos
I've been catching a live here and there but always a day late
I've just recently found your channel. Ive watched a lot of other channels and they all charge for their advice. And you just give it out for free. This is now one of my favorite channels to watch.
I don't understand the charging for answering questions, maybe it's a cultural thing but helping people around here is just how it's done .
Stay well sir! We need people like you to stick around a while!! Thank you for all the knowledge so far!!
I'm going to step up the videos, try to get as much information out as I can
Thanks for videos, sir. Your mentorship of an entire generation does not go unnoticed. Well wishes to you & your family. 🙏 👍
I'm glad to hear I might be helping and thank you
Thank you for another video. I look forward to your videos and wish you the best. Little do you know, we appreciate you. Even videos of the pigs doing their thing, whether long or short, will get you views. Take care.
Thank you , I appreciate that
you guys are the real deal. I've watched and shared your channel through the years with my daughter in Florida who has a small homestead. Not a hobby, they use what they raise both animals and vegetables. They've been pretty successful with their pigs (small time) following your tips and suggestions: it's hard work and never ends. Keep sharing. Please
Thanks for spending us around I do appreciate it. Want to help as many folks as possible
I appreciate the words of wisdom gained through your experience.
Glad to help
Oh the faces I see when I tell folks “$150 for that piglet” “$8 a dozen”. They just don’t understand and I know someone’s blind to reply back “that’s expensive”, yea that’s right raisin’ up pigs and produce ain’t cheap.
Setting prices is one of the areas I have trouble with . There's so much competition around here someone's always cheaper then you have gardeners trying to give their extra away . Here an edge is critical you have to have a better product, more options, better looking place , more convenient
Something that there isn't a lotta compilation in is okra. I started growing it , and selling to restaurants by the bushel. Then found out , I could sell it by the little square cup for $6⁰⁰. I charged $5⁰⁰ per cup , and could sell a weeks growth in a couple of hrs on Saturday mornings. It'll work you like a borrowed mule , but it'll turn a decent profit.
Only way okra sells around here is pickled. To easy to grow I reckon , only way restaurants buy them is frozen cut and breaded. What sells and what don't amazes me and it can change from year to year . Normally squash won't sell but last year we sold out every day , tomatoes usually sell good last year we didn't sell ten dollars worth .
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Do you have a video showing how you shuck n silk that much corn? You said you can shuck tons in a hurry. I'm in North West Ga. Sweet corn does sell good. If shucking it could add value I'd sure do it . I can shuck it quickly , but the silk sure slows things down.
@@coburnlowman I get most of the silks off with the shuck but silking is extra . We have a video on shucking and I have a silking machine
I planted a bunch of extra corn last year. Pigs love the corn and the stocks are decent bedding. It’ll never be enough but thankfully I’m fine with it. It’s good to try to not loose your ars tho
Believe it or not corn stalks for fall decorations were our biggest money maker. I was shocked
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay never thought of that but I saw them all over town as decorations. Good idea. Cheers
Great advice! It’s definitely work and not many folks will make any money doing it.
Hard work is out of fashion for certain and it takes a lot of determination to make it to the point a profit is possible
A lot of new comers in Tennessee are gonna sell eggs to support their homestead.😂😂
Yep I bet I've sold twelve dollars worth this week already. If I can quadruple that by Sunday I'll break even on feed
@HomesteadingtheHardWay I appreciate the honesty and the time you put into your videos. My family has always farmed and what we do now is just for our own "family". But I hope people watch the content you've created. They can learn a lot from it. It's the best no B.S. videos out there. Thank you again for sharing your journey with everyone!👍👍
@@backachershomestead my hope is more people can do this that the small farm can come back and be profitable. Maybe with changing markets it's possible, but folks have to have realistic goals and understand what they're up against
you never see a tech college/work commercial for learning farming for a reason. Definitively not a get rich or get paid quick scheme
Most people with AG degrees are extension agents , insurance adjusters or AG teachers, occasionally fertilizer salesman tbh then they hobby farm after retirement
What you're doing is hard, back breaking work. Once you hit 47 you're officially old in my book. It's tough to really get physical with work after that age. Not impossible of course, but my goodness you feel it in the morning, and the energy level just isn't there like it was at the age of 40.
I'd be fine if I hadn't gotten mersa but it is what it is .
Always happy to see a YT notification from Chris and Darlene! Is the weather warmer where you are at, it is out west. I hear your wife has a channel now? Can you please send a link?!..
No Andy Lawsons wife has a channel that kinda taking off . They're doing videos on some old mountain ways
I've wanted to be a farmer as long as I can remember. When I was in high school and through my early 20s, my dream was to be a produce grower. I thought it seemed like the type of operation that had the fewest barriers to entry. I had a couple false starts and never got it off the ground. Eventually I started experimenting with pigs, which lead me to keeping a couple sows. I tried direct marketing meat, but (like a lot of farmers, I suppose) I'm just not a salesperson. I'm not good at it, and I don't enjoy it. I also live in a very isolated area, any real marketable population for small scale direct type farming is a couple hours away (which is part of what made produce challenging for me. Seems like proximity to market is really important for that business, those I've seen who've been most successful at market gardening are usually adjoining a city, or sometimes even inside of city limits). Around here it's a rural farming community. People are very frugal and pretty apt to either raise their own food or make the 2 hour trek to Costco and buy their pork cheaper than I could dream of profitably producing it. I finally figured it out: weaner pigs are where it's at for my area and my situation. Very few people in my area are gonna pay what I would need to sell a butcher hog for to profit, but plenty of folks want raise couple hogs for family consumption without the trouble of keeping a sow. With about 3 sows, I'm far from meeting demand for my weaners. And that's almost entirely word of mouth. Sometimes I have to turn people away. My goal is to get up to 6-8 sows and then see where I want to go from there. Maybe that'll be a good spot to keep it. I still day dream about being a full-time farmer someday, but I don't know if it'll ever happen. Pasture land rents so cheap around here because it's a pretty arid area, sometimes I think I should try to get my hands on some rangeland and try running a few cows too. For now, I work nights in town cleaning the school and keep a few sows and a kitchen garden. It's not the full time farming life I've always dreamed of, but it certainly ain't a bad life. :)
Its the same her . Have you ever thought about supplying bedding plants , chicks etc . Like nobody will buy finished hogs or pork but will buy feeder pigs . I'm running 8 sows now and doing ok with it , with a litter to sell every month the cash flow is there to keep everything going and pay some bills
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I have thought about bedding plants. A guy a ways north of me was trying to get a small scale nursery off the ground for a while and seemed to be doing alright but then he had a job opportunity he didn't feel he could turn down so he closed up. But he was on a paved road between 2 towns 10 minutes from each of them. I'm on a road to nowhere 20 minutes from any town. Maybe I'm self defeating with the idea that people wouldn't come out to me, I might be surprised. Or maybe bedding plants are something that could be sold roadside for a few weeks each spring?
@@randysheckler763 Something I think about ,during the good rush the people selling tools and supplies made most or the money . Getting established is the hardest part and location has a lot to do with it . You might have to do the farmers market or you might have to try several different ways until you find what works in your area . I've found people will travel if have the right destination and can get the word out
You are the best on KZhead 👍
Thank you
Good to see you again! Good to hear your out making some money! Take care of yourself !
How are y'all doing ?
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Were doing well! Just enjoying all this snow & rain here...lol
Good morning from Adams County, Pennsylvania. Thanks for the video. Wish i could send some homemade scrapple your way
We're not that far come on down and visit
Awesome video brother I completely understand where you're coming from and totally agree 👍
Thank you . When experienced people back us up it helps more than you know
Thanks for the video praying for your better health Do ya think you could give us a tour of your place agian thanks
Anytime, maybe it won't be raining
Very good video and good wisdom and good healthy food that don't have chemicals will keep you much healthier. The Amish are much heathier cause the way the grow food with manure mixed with sheep or other animal mixed with straw tilled in the soil. Thank you
Anything that hasn't been through the packing plant is a thousand times better for you, real food from a mile away instead of picked green covered or injected with preservatives and shipped 6000 miles or more
Really appreciate your videos!!! Great no BS knowledge 👌
Hope they help
Some people shop for Christmas all year long.~:>
Chris, is good to see you making another video and giving people the honest to God truth.
I'm trying but it's hard to get folks to listen
Now I am wanting to know what was written on the truck? LOL
He works for the town lol
Ever thought about a high tunnel? We're in south Arkansas and most folks around here all grow and sale the same things. Most do it in the spring/early summer, so I'm in the process of putting in a high tunnel in order to offer things later into the year. That would be something to look in to if you havent already. I got the high tunnel through the NRCS. They have a set rate per square feet so it don't matter how big the high tunnel is, it's the same rate. My neighbor and I were both getting one, so we went in together and made a deal with the manufacturer to get a cheaper rate. That got the price down so that the NRCS money paid 100% of the cost. I also started growing pumpkins for wholesale and for sale here at the farm (pumpkin patch type operation) and that's turned out to be a decent deal. With that pumpkin patch drawing folks to the farm, i'm transitioning my market gardens to more fall producing varieties. We'll see what happens i reckon.
I have thought about a high tunnel and a green house , I think bedding plant could be a good seller . To much competition with pumpkins here , we did ok with some rare varieties . You almost have to have a high tunnel here for tomatoes
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay hey, is that little chinese grist mill still holding up? I got some sure enough heirloom Indian corn that i've been propagating for the last couple of years. I been thinking about selling corn meal and/or chicken feed. It's a lot more nutrient dense than corn today.
@@fivem3398 its still doing fine . That might work good especially making meal just mind the legality
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Yeah, i need to check with the state on that i guess. Hey brother, I appreciate what you do for folks. i know it's time consuming and repetitive sometimes. I pray you get better soon.
What about herbs?
We plant some every year but not much of a market about like garlic.
I love cushaw! It's my most profitable crop. Big ones go for $10 each😊
Ours are 5.00 but there's not much cost , they do better with fungal infections than pumpkins and don't take much fertilizer
Hey Chris hey Darlene ! We miss y'all and glad to see ya back ❤ be safe and take care ❤❤
Where do yall get a soil test from?
County extension office?
Extension can help farm office , soil and water . They're usually free but check when they're available
thank you sir
Glad to help
Have you heard anything on these electric Id cattle, goat, and sheep tags?
They have been out a while. They're supposed to be able to check where the livestock came from from yards away with a scanner or track them with a satellite. Government claims it's for disease control, we're heard that before
Keeping it real!
Trying my best !
I have quite a bit of muscadine vines, they sell fairly well.
We have a few , too many people giving them away around here . I have thought wine might sell good
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I have a few acres of land in SC. I'm a plumber by trade, but have tried for almost two decades to make extra money selling stuff. I live in a sorta trendy want to be town called Hartsville. Here's my take, forget greens, almost waste of time. I sell shucked silver king corn for $8.00 per dozen, okra does good and you can always sell it wholesale at market in Columbia if you have too much. Heirloom tomatoes do good, watermelon sells ok if you have somewhere to set up to sell, I have a excellent almost went extinct variety, looks like rattle snake but sweeter, and too much water doesn't hurt them, garrison. By far the most money I have made has been with butter beans and Dixie Lee and pink eye peas. People were paying $35.00 per bushel here last year, shelled! If you can't get 3.00 per dozen for eggs, give them to the hogs. Squash and zucchini, not worth hoeing. We have to find a niche, elephant garlic, mabe even deer corn, I don't have enough cleared land for that. I sell some plants, fig, muscadine, paw paw. I could never survive on this. Probably more money to board a couple of horses.
@@user-wr1yh2zw6l sweet corn , red potatoes , watermelon and corn stalks we're our highest profit last year okra ,cucumbers and tomatoes were the lowest . Squash sold good until everyone's garden started producing . Our corns 8.00 a dozen then 2.00 to shuck it we sell a lot I plant 6 acres 3 varieties. What's amazing to me is what sell and what doesn't I sold 1000.00 worth of corn stalks after we sold the deer corn . My goal is to make 30 k clear pigs make half that and we managed 10 on the produce. I'm thinking pea and bean shellers and processing pecans might be a way to go . One drawback here is everyone has a garden and desperately trying to give stuff but that might could be turned into an opportunity for bedding plants ,processing etc
@@user-wr1yh2zw6l the fall/winter stuff is really just so my customers don't have to go somewhere else . Collards used to be great but to many people grow them now . Every old farmer has a few rows and a sign side the road . I think we did 1000.00 on all the winter stuff including mistletoe just started selling the pecans but they're moving slow . Need to have them before Christmas
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay doesn't sound like you are doing bad at all, definitely on the right track, any kind of small scale gardening is just so labor intensive. It's foolish for me, if I picked up one extra service call per week, it would be more than I could ever hope to make off a couple of small gardens. Even tried to get someone to provide some labor for split, but no one is interested in real work anymore.
What variety of collards are you growing? I’m trying to find some of the very old timey varieties to pair with some of the new hybrids I got! Loved the video, first time watching your channel.
They are a yellow heading cabbage collard, best I can tell you can't buy any commucialy. We've been saving seed for 150 years email me and I'll send a few homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I will do! They sound awesome. Do you just let them head out in the spring until they make seed?
@@Rwargrumble yes only way to get them
I know you have said before that you don’t do KZhead to make money, however if you put out more videos I bet your channel would take off. It has helped me tremendously. People will watch you just to see how to properly prune a tomato. Teach us the different tricks.
I'm intentionally trying to keep it small . We do it as a way to help people and I'm at about all I can do with answering emails and phone calls
Yessir
Are you growing morris heading collards? I grew them a few years ago and they were top shelf.
No ours are a yellow cabbage collard . Can't sell dark green collard's around here . I planted five acres of Morris collards for the grocery store last year I couldn't taste much difference but local customers wouldn't have them .
Do you folks have a produce stand at your place? Thanks
Kinda we sell everything here either we pick to order or do you pick . Some things like okra have to be picked twice a day . Waste is a big problem
@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I hear you on the waste. We started selling last year, thought about the you pick but I’m not sure I want to turn people loose on the place. Thanks for responding.
@@fitzpreacherfarm6826 you have to supervise them or they'll destroy things like pull up beans to pick them and anything directly edible they might eat as much as they put in the bucket . You need a liability insurance policy as well it's better than paying help
Try Cherokee Tan pumpkins. They are stink bug resistant.
Nothing seems to be resistant to the new asian stinkbugs native stinkbugs just aren't a problem. Fungus seems to be the major problem with pumpkins , apparently it's newish to . Wasn't an issue when we used to grow them . New pest and plant diseases are being brought in all the time . Think fire ants , coyotes
Heck. I can hardly give some one a mess of turnips.
They sell ok but rudabagas sell good , we didn't sell hardly any mustard greens
I just wish I had the land for it. That’s my problem. I want to do it but don’t have the land
You might can rent a little, get hooked up with the right farmer . Email me homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com
My granddads got 2 farmall 140 that he ran and I want to get them back running and get the old gardens back working when I was a kid. But they have been sitting 15 years or so and I have no idea where to start.
@@buckshot21000 shoot me an email, I'll send my number
Tell like it is.
Im trying lol
Where I come from
Look forward to watching and hearing anything you have to say cause you know it's not going to be utube bullshit click bait crap like made 900 lbs potatoes in 2 25 ft rows anyway till the next one
LoL I made five bushels to the row this year now I'm the local potato growing champion. I don't know how long the rows were probably 60 foot
Thats really good i have no trouble believing in what ever you say you are in my opinion the most truthful and educational person/channel on you tube I've used your line in my opinion the best line ever you never plow a field by turning it over in your mind as frugal as I am I'd buy that on a tee shirt if you sold it the faithful subscribers would watch if you put out a video of paint drying on the wall just to hear your opinion of the paint you used hope your health hangs on this world needs men like you
@@bradjoyce1040 truth is I hate to see people fail and I hope the small farm can make a comeback. It would solve so many problems. Its a hard job and hard get started then the money isn't great so not many people want to do it . I'm just trying to give the real information, it's much easier to make it if you know what you're up against. Biggest thing is if you grow it you have to sell it , so you have to produce what there's a market for then everyone in your area is going to be growing the same things . You have to have an edge more products,better product, more convenient.
Buddy love ya I Really hate a sales person you’re just too real to bullshit
I'm definitely not a sales man that's for certain
Yep. It's constant. I'm starting the last cold weather crops now. Then it's 2 to 3 rounds of summer produce and back to the cold weather crops before the last summer crops are finished. But I'm not beholden to a time clock or boss.
Buying from other small local farm and reselling seems to be a good thing , like honey folks don't want to deal with selling and I'm already set up here