8 Practical Micro Farming Ideas for a Small Property

You can do a LOT even with a small property

A small property can produce food, income, or both. The trick is not cramming every possible enterprise onto one acre. It is choosing one dependable centrepiece and adding complementary crops or livestock as your skills and market grow. Below are the micro farming ideas I would consider first, based on the systems we have used at New Terra Farm.

First, a little context. The old-fashioned homestead was often a hard-scrabble place; subsistence farming left little time for anything else. While self-sufficiency is all well and good, there are still only 24 hours in a day. So you need to think about time and labour requirements for the various crops your farm might grow.

And you need to think synergistically i.e. grow complementary crops that don't compete for your attention all at the same time. And if you can grow multi-purpose crops, or perennial crops, that's even better.

Last piece of advice, I recommend against breeding stock on a small place; it's hard to justify keeping breeding stock year-round if you have to buy in most of their feed, and the cost of infrastructure to house them can be prohibitive.

On with the show!

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Let's Break it Down

So, what micro farming ideas would I consider to start? Here's a few typical small farm enterprises that I believe have real potential for the 1 acre farm.

1. An organic market garden.

I like this one because it's 'scalable'; that is, you can start small and make a profit (by feeding yourself and a couple neighbours VERY well), and it can be expanded as your experience and resources grow. And if you follow the Community Supported Agriculture model (my recommendation) your start-up costs can be very low, and your CSA customers provide a market for your other farm goodies. 

• Best advantage: Can start small and scale
• Main challenge: Sales and crop planning
• Time to income: One growing season
• Best first step: Test a small crop list with known buyers

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2. Growing Garlic. 

Garlic is one of the better crops for a small property because it stores well, sells at a premium, and does not require constant attention through the season. It can be sold fresh, cured, braided, or as planting stock, and the scapes provide an extra product before harvest.

The main drawback is timing. Garlic ties up the bed for a long period and most of the income comes after harvest. But for growers who want a dependable, high-value crop with a reasonable labour requirement, it is hard to beat.

See more about how we grow a LOT of garlic here.

3. Microgreens

Microgreens are one of the fastest crops we can grow for sale. Most are ready in 10 to 25 days, and they can be produced indoors on shelves, benches, or greenhouse tables without using much land.

Popular choices include pea shoots, sunflower shoots, radish, broccoli, mustard, and mixed salad blends. They can be sold to restaurants, market customers, CSA members, or through weekly subscriptions.

The advantage is speed and high value from a small footprint. The challenge is consistency. Microgreens need dependable seeding, watering, temperature control, sanitation, harvesting, packaging, and regular customers. They also have a short shelf life, so production has to match actual sales.

Start small, track which varieties sell, and expand only after we have a reliable weekly market.

High Mowing offers a  good microgreen starter kit. You can get a good deal on microgreen growing flats here. The 10-pack is a good deal. I kept about 20 flats going through the summer for my market.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

4. Laying hens.

Raising chickens for free-range organic eggs can be a profitable small farm business. Farms in my area sell their eggs for up to $7/dozen, and they are always sold out. And when the 'girls' are finished their useful laying life, they can be sold as stewing hens, or made into very tasty chicken stock (for yourself or for sale.)

Laying hens can provide steady repeat sales, but they are not a hands-off enterprise. Startup costs include a secure coop, nesting boxes, feeders, waterers, fencing, and the birds themselves.

The daily labour is modest but unavoidable. Hens need feed, fresh water, egg collection, cleaning, and regular health checks every day, including weekends and bad weather.

Feed is usually the largest ongoing expense, so profitability depends on controlling waste and charging enough to cover the real cost per dozen. Secure housing is equally important. A poorly protected flock can be wiped out quickly by raccoons, foxes, coyotes, weasels, or birds of prey.

5. Raising chickens for meat.

Raising meat chickens is a quick-turnaround business. About 9 weeks from day-old chicks to 5-lb roasters, and you have a return on your investment. You can also rotate the birds through your garden area and fields; they will improve both.

The short production cycle is attractive, but brooding, feed waste, predators and processing can quickly eat through the expected margin.

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Raising chicken in portable pens is a profitable micro farming idea

More Micro Farming Ideas

6. Perennial crops.

I think the 1 acre farm should definitely dedicate some space to perennial crops. Here again you need to think in terms of reducing labour requirements. For example, I would plant blackberries rather than raspberries. Less suckering will occur, and therefore less thinning is required.

Asparagus is a good choice for some early income; a good bed will last 20 or more years, and it always sells out at the market.

Another possibility is table grapes; I have a friend that grows about 12 varieties that do well here in the Great White North so you can probably find a variety adapted to your area. While grape vines do require pruning, the cuttings can be rooted to produce more vines (and another crop for you.)

Before planting anything, check:

• Winter hardiness
• Local disease pressure
• Years to production
• Harvest labour
• And most important, whether local customers already buy the crop

7. Tree fruit.

Tree fruit is another good micro farming idea, if you stay away from varieties that need excessive pruning or spraying.

For example, we're looking into Asian pears right now, They produce quicker than apples, and are pretty much immune to pests in my area. Note that tree crops and vine crops like grapes can be planted on fence lines where they won't interfere too much with your other crops.

I also planted one paddock with hazelnuts. They are planted on 10 foot centres, in rows 25 feet apart. This spacing means I can pasture chickens or pigs between the rows (in electric net pens).

Tree crops are a long-term farm asset, not a quick-income solution. They best suit growers  who own the land, have several years to wait, and can protect young trees from wildlife and livestock.

8. Backyard nursery. 

A backyard nursery can produce a surprising amount of income from a small space. Instead of selling vegetables by the pound, we are selling young plants with a much higher value per square foot.

Good options include:

• Herbs: Basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, mint, and other culinary herbs sell well in spring and can also be offered in larger pots later in the season.
• Perennials: Hardy flowers, pollinator plants, and low-maintenance landscape plants can be divided, potted, and sold year after year.
• Vegetable starts: Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and specialty varieties are dependable spring sellers when timed for local planting dates.
• Rooted grape cuttings: Grapes can be propagated from cuttings and sold as affordable starter plants, especially when we offer hardy varieties suited to the local climate.
• Native plants: Native flowers, grasses, and shrubs are increasingly popular with gardeners interested in pollinators, wildlife habitat, and lower-maintenance landscapes.
• Small fruit trees: Dwarf apples, pears, cherries, and other compact fruit trees command higher prices, although they require more time, space, and care before sale.

The main advantage is flexibility. You can start with a few trays, pots, and dependable plants, then expand the lines customers actually buy. The main challenges are regular watering, good propagation skills, and a short, busy spring selling season.

Of course, it would be difficult to learn how to manage all these crops at once. Pick a 'centre-piece' crop from the micro farming ideas above, and build the others around it as your experience grows. It's very possible to integrate 8 or 10 crops on a one acre farm.

Important: CSA Market Gardens typically have the highest net income

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Ready to Turn the Ideas Into a Working Farm Plan?

The biggest mistake is trying to launch six farm enterprises at once. Pick one centrepiece that can provide either dependable food or dependable income. Learn the system, find the customers and get it operating smoothly. Then add enterprises that use different seasons, spaces and skills.

We do not need to build the entire dream in year one. We need to build one workable piece, and make sure it pays its way.

The Complete Start Farming Pack brings the main New Terra Farm systems into one practical package. It includes guidance on market gardening, profitable crops, greenhouses, meat chickens, pigs, season planning, and the business tools needed to move from “someday” to a workable small-farm plan. Read the guides, pick an enterprise and get started.

If you are serious about building a diversified farm without wasting years on trial and error, this is the place to start.

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