We live in northern Jefferson County Ohio, just west of the Ohio River.
Our homestead is north of Steubenville and southeast of Carrollton, Ohio.
In the foothills of the Appalachians.
We also live in a ‘desert’.
A Food Desert.
The closest grocery store (not Dollar General or the gas station's fried chicken) is over 20 miles away.
There is no public transportation, either.
If we would have a natural or man-made disaster, where can we get food and supplies?
Many homesteaders and preppers are already prepared with stored supplies and a network of others to meet their needs. But what about fresh food items?
Developing a self-sufficient homestead requires time, labor, skills, money, and experience.
Along the way, homesteaders may produce an abundance of various products.
Sometimes, even so much they have extra to sell.
It may only be a gallon of maple syrup, extra firewood, eggs, garden produce, or loaves of bread.
But, it is something.
How can the homesteader turn this surplus into needed cash?
They can sell on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, sell wholesale to local businesses, or try selling at the roadside.
What can I do if I only have an extra ½ bushel of tomatoes or 1 peck of green beans?
There are families who would like an opportunity to buy local fresh veggies and fruit but how do they find me?
We have seen a huge increase in the number of organized farmer’s markets popping up throughout the local communities. That’s exciting, but they are usually open only one day a week. Most of them require a committment for the length of the market season. That can be tough for the average homesteader.
In our area many homesteaders are setting up small roadside stands at the end of their driveways. Most are unmanned and use the ‘honor system’ of exchange.
Butter, bread, fruit, fresh vegetables, firewood, deer processing services and
even homing pigeons are on sale in our neighborhood.
One local has access to both plastic and metal barrels and sells them for a profit.
Notice the cash box for the honor system:
as simple as a Cool Whip container or a wooden box with a lock.
These roadside stands don’t get the traffic of a huge supermarket, but people want to buy local, fresh food and the stands are successful.
Let me share what we are doing at our homestead:
We operate a small farm market/stand on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday . Someone is at the stand to help customers.
Six local families provide various items (baked goods, jams, fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, etc.)
Our market is basic. Just some tables under a fold-out canapy. It works.
Because we have 6 families participating, we have someone man the booth at all times. `
That person keeps track of who has sold what and how much they are owed.
This is done with colored index cards kept in the money box.
Other producers in our area also have small stands, usually based on the honor system.
Area residents are driving out in to the country and finding local products instead of heading to the big stores. I get asked all the time, "What's going on out there on {County Rd} 53?
As the season passes, more customers are visiting our local markets and providing economic income to the homesteads.
The customers are also discovering other local businesses in our rural communities.
(Small engine shops. Welding services. Chicken butchering. Portable saw mills.)
Our signage is simple - hand painted and hung on a metal frame.
We add flags on the market days to draw attention.
Our son-in-laws' small engine shop is just up the road from us and is an example of the
numerous small businesses found in rural communities.
No, we aren’t getting rich, but we are proud to see our rural community moving forward.
In the business world, this is called ‘Networking’.
For now. And the future.
Ask yourself – what do you and your neighbor have available to sell and what can provide some needed cash?
Can you put resources together to build a bigger customer base for both of you?
Selling eggs to cover some of your feed costs?
Apples that are too small for canning but great for cider?
Wood for smoking meats?
½ a hog at butchering time?
Compost or manure for gardens?
Garlic?
Homemade soap?
Hay?
Shelled corn?
Today, I saw a sign for Homing Pigeons. That's a new one for me.
Stop by your local market and see what they have now.
Find out what they offer in the Fall and Winter, too.
Things like firewood, maple syrup, egg noodles, fresh bread, homemade soup, pumpkins.
I don’t like going to ‘town’ anymore.
When we head to Walmart or other large shopping area, my head is on swivel the entire time and I am very aware of my surroundings.
It’s just not safe.
Rural communities were once the backbone of our country. This is how we rebuild them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note – I’m not a fan of giving away my family’s work to someone who believes they are entitled to it. We have a ‘Harvest Table’ at our church where attendees can bring in extra produce or items to be given away within the church body. If we have extra to give away, that’s where it goes.
Enjoy the rest of the Summer!
Bob
Comments