Broad Ripple Random Ripplings
search menu
The news from Broad Ripple
Brought to you by The Broad Ripple Gazette
(Delivering the news since 2004, every two weeks)
Subscribe to Broad Ripple Random Ripplings
Brought to you by:
VirtualBroadRipple.com Broad Ripple collector pins EverythingBroadRipple.com
Everything Broad Ripple HomearrowRandom Ripplings Homearrow2016 07 22arrowColumn

back button return to index button next button
Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v13n15)
Right in my Own Backyard - Is there Money in your Backyard? - by Brandt Carter
posted: Jul. 22, 2016

Right in my Own Backyard header

Is there Money in your Backyard?

I remember going to lake in the summer. We passed several farms on the way. I was fascinated with the signs country folk had in their yards like Fresh Eggs, Tomatoes, Flowers, and Baked Goods. It seems like the housewives in those days liked to sell a bit of something to have extra money. I soon found out the ladies called it their egg money, and they could spend it without regards to the family budget.
So if the farms can produce extra money, what about your own yard? Although housing covenants or city ordinances may thwart a money-making idea, I think there are some things you can explore. I do think you can be creative and make a little extra by exploring what your yard could contribute.
  • The easiest and most common extra income is holding a garage or yard sale. Reselling your "stuff" lightens your load and creates a bit of cash.
  • If you have plants like perennials or hostas, divide them, and offer them for sale. It is helpful if you know the botanical names, but it is not critical. People can see them in your yard. This can also work for seeds in the fall. One neighbor sold the platter hibiscus seeds every year because people saw them growing in the yard and wanted them too.
  • We have an abundance of red bud and gingko saplings in addition to burning bushes. Our hearty starts are from our garden, and we know they grow well in our area. Pot them up and price them.
  • The kids can have a lemonade stand, always a favorite. This helps them understand marketing and business. Check out www.lemonadeday.org.
  • You can also plant just a bit more in your garden and sell the excess. Vegetables are always welcomed, especially when people know you have grown them. Kids can help too. Don't forget any cherries, peaches, or apples you may grow. You can charge for the picked fruit or you can let people pick their own. What about pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn in the garden for a cash crop.
  • Don't forget herbs planted in your garden. Check with small restaurants to see if they would like herbs like basil and mint. You may find you can supply them. You can also include edible flowers.
  • Let a dog stay with you. Especially if you have a fenced-in backyard, many people would rather have a dog in a home than a kennel.
  • Rent out a shed or extra garage.
  • If you have any kind of a studio (ceramic, woodworking, etc.), rent your space for a craft person. They may not have a kiln or a specific saw that they only need for a short time.
  • If you have a trailer parked out back, you may want to charge a small fee for people to use it. They will have to have a compatible hitch.
  • Add a chicken coop, sell the eggs and then you will be able to get real egg money!
  • Put on a play. That was one of our big summer money makers. We charged a quarter and sold treats during the performance. Although we never got rich, we learned to sell tickets, count money, put on a theatrical event, and clean up.
  • Have a fairy garden party. You can get the plants and charge for the workshop. Provide the soil, plants and décor for children and adults. No one is too old to tend a fairy garden. I ask the kids to bring their own containers.
  • If you have a lot of night crawlers, how about sharing some of your worms. As kids we loved to find them and put them in a dish filled with dirt.
  • Start a bee hive. You need to plan to do this in the spring. It is amazing to have honey from different locations around Marion County. There are restrictions on selling honey so check that part out. Last year, I purchased Rocky Ripple Honey at their art fair. Yum!
  • If you are artistic or a craftsperson, bird houses, lawn ornaments, garden décor, and flags can be created and sold.
I found that it just takes a bit of ingenuity and entrepreneurship to generate a bit of egg money! All you have to do is make something someone else wants. Good luck. I would love to hear some of your egg money ideas.


Brandt Carter, artist, herbalist, and naturalist, owns Backyard Birds at 2374 E. 54th Street. Visit her web site www.feedbackyardbirds.com. Email your bird questions to Brandt@BroadRippleGazette.com



brandt@broadripplegazette.com
back button return to index button next button
Brought to you by:
BroadRippleHistory.com Broad Ripple collector pins EverythingBroadRipple.com
Brought to you by:
EverythingBroadRipple.com RandomRipplings.com Broad Ripple collector pins