Nathan, Farm the 2 acres and check out the local farmer's markets. My wife and I are a decade older, raising 4 children and makeing similar decisions. The problem, as with many folks, is the the money economy gets in the way. The way to solve that is to look at money a different way (quite honestly the pieces of paper and metal we carry around in our wallets and pockets are of arbitrary value) Why not invest some of it into meaninful things that might produce an income (vegetables sell well at many farmer's markets. I sell leaf lettuce at a local market from 50 square foot beds at a rate of just over $100 per bed.) Blackberries are another big winner at my local markets and through the markets I have met a couple of farm to fork resteraunt owners who are interested in my product. You don't have to go big, in fact I recomend you don't, just take extra produce to a local market to see how you like it, and pay attention to what customers are looking for, and what they are carrying away from other booths, you'll quickly learn what you need to grow the following year. This is my first year and here is what I have learned so far:
- Sell something no one else has (in my case Leaf lettuce and radishes)
- Sell something at a time when no one else has it (the local menonites were selling sweet corn the second week of June! and they were selling tomatoes)
- People at my market routinely ask for the following : (Peaches, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, eggplant, and melons)
- Don't rule out cottage kitchen industry, my neighbor at the market makes a killing on her chocolate zucchini bread, peach cobblers, and other sweets.)
Be sure to look into the laws surrounding your local markets and cottage kitchen industry before starting. And don't get discouraged. I made $74 at my first market!
