Farming is a business just like any other business in the county. Raw materials and supplies are purchased, labor and resources are used, products or services are produced, and then those products or services are marketed. The problem is that farmers have to manage their business a little different than most other businesses. Farmers usually have to pay retail prices for all their supplies and materials and then sell all their products or services at wholesale prices. In addition, farmers usually have to pay the freight both ways.

If you are a farmer or landowner and are getting tired of doing business the same old way, there is an option for you. Have you ever considered adding value to at least some of the products or services you produce and then selling those products at retail prices?

This is a topic I touch on quite frequently in this column. I keep suggesting that farmers, landowners, or other individuals consider ways they can use the resources they have available to generate either products or services that people want to buy. I feel that there are a lot of good options for people in Robeson County to generate considerable extra income for themselves and their families.

I have used this column on many occasions to discuss the potential for developing agritourism businesses in our county. We happen to be in a county with tens of thousands of tourists passing through each day. Many of these tourists are seeking interesting things to do and rewarding experiences in which to participate. Spending a night on a farm does not sound very interesting to many of us, because we do it every day or we did it so much when we were kids that we never want to do it again. But what about those people who have never even been on a farm? Many families on their way to Disney World would love to devote one day of their vacation to visiting a "real" farm, a "working" farm, a place where they and their children can see how their food is being produced.

Local farmers who develop very nice rural lodging for tourists and then train a member of the family to serve as host for the tourists will never make as much money as Disney World does. But just a few tourists each year might provide a rewarding supplemental income for the family.

If providing lodging on the farm is not an option, how about developing rural campgrounds. Notice how many campers pass through our county each day as they travel to another destination for vacation. They have to spend a night somewhere, why not on your farm?

Corn mazes or school groups visiting a farm operation are additional ideas. The people visiting farms for these purposes are willing to pay for the visit. And when you get them there, sell them something else. During Halloween, sell them pumpkins, baled straw, and corn shocks.

Many of our farmers are growing vegetables. They then sell them off the tailgate of their truck at one of the farmers markets or at a roadside stand at their farm. But what would happen if a little extra effort was made to package the products in a special way and then promote them as specialty items? Is there an opportunity to "add value" to products by marketing them differently than is usually done?

I have encouraged landowners to consider other resources on the farm as a source of supplemental income. Is there an opportunity for fee fishing operations, tournament ponds, or small scale specialty fish operations?

I would like to remind our readers that the agricultural agents on my staff have recently developed a fairly comprehensive booklet entitled "Opportunities for Your Farm." This booklet provides a brief description of some of the more practical ways to use a farm to generate additional income. References and web addresses are included for additional information about each subject.

There are literally thousands of different things that can be done on a farm to generate additional income. The most important things to determine are what would the farmer like to do; how much time, effort, and capital investments is the farmer willing to devote; and is there a market for this product or service or can a market be developed.

Please contact my office if you would like a copy of this booklet. Farmers wishing to diversify their farms and landowners seeking alternative sources of income are encouraged to first contact the Cooperative Extension Service for more information and assistance.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 7/6/05