Ryan Burkitt

Kathleen Sanderson wrote:

Timothy Norton wrote:Could you possible do both to start? Your main business to start (or keep doing) would be your appliance repair business and you could dip your toes into the nursery business? This would at least keep income flowing for you as you figure out the ropes with plants. Then you can eventually transition fulltime into the nursery IF you find that you are having success.

I personally would have a hard time taking a risk when I have an almost guaranteed cash flow from something that I already am familiar with.

I also believe that you can successfully flesh out a nursery business on the side without too much overhead especially if you specialize in something such as fruit trees, bushes, or even something like native plants. I know of a local who only works with fig tree varieties and does well on Etsy.

This is basically what I was going to suggest - do both. Start with your repair business, and gradually grow into the plant business. I do have a thought for you, with regard to the repair business - try looking at it as a way of helping people, rather than just a way to make money. You have an opportunity to provide a needed service, which not only helps keep appliances working (and out of the landfill!), but also serves and helps people who may not be able to afford new appliances right now. (And shame on the companies that build appliances to basically be disposable, with such a short lifespan!) Both the repair business and the plant business are noble occupations, if you are able to look at them that way.

Thank you, that is a good way to look at it! I used to flip appliances too it kept otherwise broken appliances out of the landfill. I liked the idea of taking something that would otherwise be junk and turn it into a nice properly working machine.

Timothy Norton wrote:

Ryan Burkitt wrote: I considered that, but I figured that would be too much at once. Plus I’d rather commit fully to one business. Appliance repair takes a good deal of investment and equipment. I could turn a profit quicker, but it would take a good 3-5 years to establish a full time business.

I can't fault you for that one bit. I tend to be quite risk averse when it comes to financials but that does not mean that it wouldn't work. You know the specific details of your lifestyle the best! Outside of the business side of a nursery, how do you imagine you want to stock your nursery? Seed starts and/or propagation?  Have you thought about the infrastructure you may want such as greenhouses or air pruning beds? What ideas do you have currently for a vision?

I was thinking seed starts and propagating at the same time, but also I would like to do air pruning beds. I thought of starting out selling seedlings.

Timothy Norton wrote:Could you possible do both to start? Your main business to start (or keep doing) would be your appliance repair business and you could dip your toes into the nursery business? This would at least keep income flowing for you as you figure out the ropes with plants. Then you can eventually transition fulltime into the nursery IF you find that you are having success.

I personally would have a hard time taking a risk when I have an almost guaranteed cash flow from something that I already am familiar with.

I also believe that you can successfully flesh out a nursery business on the side without too much overhead especially if you specialize in something such as fruit trees, bushes, or even something like native plants. I know of a local who only works with fig tree varieties and does well on Etsy.

I considered that, but I figured that would be too much at once. Plus I’d rather commit fully to one business. Appliance repair takes a good deal of investment and equipment. I could turn a profit quicker, but it would take a good 3-5 years to establish a full time business.

I was hoping people on here could help me decide if I should start a tree/nursery business or not. For context I have a background in maintenance work, so I have multiple skills working on things. I also have a lot of appliance repair experience and I thought about starting a business in that field.

However, my passion doesn’t lie in fixing appliances, but it’s a great opportunity, good money, and there is no competition in my area. On the other hand I’d rather do a tree nursery, because my true passion lies in nature and the outdoors. The only problem with running a tree nursery is that there is competition in my area, I have no experience in it, and I don’t know for sure if I have the demographics for it.

My question is should I do the appliance business? Which would pretty much be a guaranteed successful business and I would make great money and fairly quick. Or is there potential in running a tree nursery that I am not aware of?

Eric Hanson wrote:I want to expand on what Rico already mentioned--the thorns!!


I had a few, short Honey Locust bushes on my property when I bought it.  I thought that they would be the end of me.  Those thorns are really something else.  It is so very difficult for me to even handle the wood sometimes because those 3" thorns are so sharp and so strong that they easily cut skin.  If I remember correctly, they are mildly toxic, thus causing scratches that do not heal up as quickly as others have in the past.  When I say mildly toxic, I don't mean these are going to kill or really harm your health unless your diet was nothing but Honey Locust thorns, but when they scratch, the wounds are jagged and swell a bit.  They do of course heal, but I have a couple of 4"-5" scars left from my battles trying to move Honey Locust brambles that have either been cut down or somehow fell on the ground, perhaps from weather or some other cause.

The worst battle I ever had was when I inadvertently drove my tractor over a Honey Locust twig laying on the ground.  That little stick had a bend in the branch and as I rolled over it, the branch popped up and a thorn punched right into the sidewall of the right front tire of the tractor!  And I mean that thorn completely punctured the sidewall and the tire deflated almost immediately.  Very slowly, gently I drove the tractor back home and that tire was almost shredded, flopping off the tire rim.  I took the tire/rim into the dealer and they told me that I would need two new front tires!  So that tractor now has two front tires that are newer than the rear tires!  It was not cheap.



I am not telling anyone not to grow Honey Locust if that is your plan.  Honey Locust have several useful advantages and might well suit your goals.  I fully support you if that is the way you want to go.   Just please beware of those thorns!!!






Good luck in whatever you want to do and my hopes are with you!!


Eric

Do you have any experience using honey locust as a tree crop?

George Ingles wrote:I planted some Honey Locusts several years back, in hopes of providing fodder for pigs and cows.
My understanding is that the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds within the pods is the main food value of them.

My trees have grown very slowly and haven't made pods yet, so I cannot say from personal experience yet.

In the book it says the pods can be ground up and cattle can eat the pulp and seeds. However, it also said sheep have the ability to grind up the seeds themselves, because the way their teeth are designed. So I was thinking pigs may be able to do the same. Also it says i the book if you graft the trees they can produce a fair crop within 5 years. Up to 250 lbs of pods/ tree. Yeah  Highly recommended the book.

I’m reading a book called Tree Crops by J. Russel Smith and it talks about grafting honey locust trees to produce more honey locust pods. Does anyone know how this would work? What’s the point of grafting and why would that produce a higher yielding tree?

I’ve been reading Tree Crops by J. Russel Smith and it talks about using honey locust pods as a food source for livestock. It mentions mostly cattle eating honey locust pods, but it also mentions pigs eating them. However, I was wondering what part of the pod is edible to pigs. Do they eat the seeds or the sugar part? Or do they eat both?

Anne Miller wrote:I believe for making grits the hominy would be dried first before grinding.

https://permies.com/t/54159/questions-making-hominy

https://permies.com/t/284240/Instant-Nixtamalization-Cornmeal-Mush-Polenta

Thanks

Mk Neal wrote:If you’re trying to make grits like the kind you can buy in the store, those are hominy grits. So the corn kernels are soaked in lye, boiled, and the skins rubbed off. That removes the chewy bits. Then the bare hominy kernels are dried and ground to grits.

Sorry, scratch the last message, read through message again