Luke Leon

Bryant RedHawk wrote:hau Leon, to actually be able to advise you on local niche markets we would have to know where on the planet you are. You didn't provide that information so no one could possibly tell you about opportunity in your area.
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Now, since you made the statement of being a non-believer, no worries mate, I'll never offer you any options again.

Redhawk

Thank you. As I mentioned in my initial post, I'm in zone 6 Connecticut.
No offense necessary about "non-believer" - I just trust first-hand knowledge from doers rather than text written to sell, although there are exceptions.

Many thanks to all for sharing. To narrow down the subject, as I mentioned, I’m probably ruling out vegetables and any edibles due to their short seasonality and the need to find a local market. I’m not a good salesman and neither would it fit me to set up a booth in front of my house. I would need to opt for safer, more constant types of plants, even though that would provide for less revenue. The problem is, however, that whatever is more lasting and can be sold “at distance” would face terminal competition from large, pro farmers, some overseas.

I guess no one here (including the book gurus – forgive me for not being a believer) would be able to advise on a true niche market. Also, that knowledge probably transpires quickly and so the demand is filled – it’s a dynamic business. But I’d still like to believe that doing things very well, in the right area, can provide some income.

1. Flowering bushes/shrubs (sold online in small containers) are in theory a very attractive, pleasant option for me, but there seems to be solid supply out there. Like Su was saying, a single guy with a backyard business was a prominent regional supplier in a group of plants.

2. Skandi mentioned seeds. I don’t know much about it but is the collection and packaging tedious? And again, would you not have to compete with pro growers from far away? Otherwise it sounds like a more controlled kind of process that I’ll have to learn about.

3. Specialty trees sold online still seems like a safer, albeit less lucrative option, if anyone could share their knowledge about such market in the US.

While I’d love to be convinced otherwise, I’m inclined to think the way Kc Simmons mentioned above – that one would sort of just breakeven here.  So other shared experiences would be much welcomed.

Hi everyone: I know this there’s been talk on this subject already and that most people here say they farm for a better quality of life and not for an income. So, if anyone can point to a better forum for this subject, please do. I didn’t find any. Perhaps those types of micro-farmers are too busy or too competitive to post on forums. Neither do I really buy the books on the subject – as usual, they seem written to sell, just summarizing or spinning old, overly-optimistic ideas.

Can someone make any income at all out of growing something on, say, 1/2 acre or less in the backyard,  on a rather reduced part-time basis? I’m in zone 6 Connecticut, I’m willing to invest in a solid setup/infrastructure, manage it tightly, but I wouldn’t afford more than 1-2 hrs some days/week for it. Furthermore, I’m not a salesman, and neither would I want to take chances with produce (even mushrooms or micro-greens), so I’d like to market nationwide online bareroot or in containers.

Is there such a niche market without economy of scale, where an individual can compete just by careful management and selecting rare or difficult plants to grow perhaps? I’m not thinking ginger or bonsai trees, by the way, as they take years to grow, and neither flowers, as they need a fast, local market. Herbs, or dried herbs, don’t seem to do well or they’re abundant. Maybe trees or shrubs of some kind? Starting all this would be a big undertaking and any feedback will be much appreciated.