Most farms operate like traditional businesses. They hire employees, set schedules, and pay hourly wages. But what if there was a better way—one that encouraged independence, rewarded effort, and allowed people to build their own income streams within the farm’s ecosystem?
That’s the model we want to build at Huckleberry Farms. Instead of growing a workforce, we want to grow a team—not employees, but autonomous collaborators. People who create their own enterprises using the farm’s resources, choosing how much or how little they want to work, and earning based on what they produce.
Hourly wages create a strange dynamic. They don’t always reflect effort, and they can make it hard to measure success. Traditional employment often leads to a system where workers are paid for time spent rather than value created. An incentivized model flips that equation. Instead of earning a set wage regardless of output, collaborators earn based on what they produce. This means they have control over their income—if they want to work harder and earn more, they can. If they prefer a slower pace, that’s their choice. It’s a system that rewards initiative and removes the limitations of a fixed paycheck.
One idea we’re excited about is bringing on someone to use our duck eggs to make homemade noodles and sell them under the farm name. They would purchase the eggs from us, market the noodles using the farm’s established reputation, and control how much they produce and sell each week. The more they make, the more they earn. And this is just one possibility.
There are so many ways to build independent enterprises within a farm ecosystem. Someone could start an on-farm butchering service, processing poultry and rabbits for customers who want high-quality, locally raised meat but don’t have the skills or equipment to butcher themselves. Another person might offer butchering classes, teaching others how to humanely and efficiently process their own animals. Their income would be directly tied to how many animals they butchered or how many classes they held each month.
A baker could use farm-fresh ingredients to create a line of baked goods under the Huckleberry Farms name, selling at farmers’ markets or through local shops. This wouldn’t be an independent bakery—it would be a farm-based enterprise, using our eggs, milk, or other ingredients to create products that carry the farm’s brand.
Someone passionate about education could run farm tours or workshops, teaching people about regenerative agriculture, food preservation, or animal husbandry. A soap maker could craft farm-branded soaps using ingredients sourced directly from Huckleberry Farms. A fiber artist could raise sheep or rabbits for wool and fiber, creating farm-branded yarn or handmade goods.
And—if someone is truly committed to the idea—there’s even room for a goat enterprise. Dairy goats, meat goats, or even show goats could be raised on the farm, but let’s be clear: we will have zero responsibility for them. After past experiences, we’re officially retired from goat management. But if someone wants to take full ownership—handling care, breeding, and marketing themselves—this could be a great opportunity to build a thriving business without needing their own land.
Beyond the financial benefits, stacking enterprises strengthens the land and ecosystem. Bees boost harvests from the garden, fruit trees, and berry patches while also improving forage for the animals. Animal compost becomes fertilizer for crops—or even a separate income stream. Each enterprise feeds into another, creating a system where waste is minimized and productivity is maximized.
In theory, we could use stacked enterprises to establish a closed-loop system—one where every element supports another, reducing outside inputs and making the farm more resilient. Instead of isolated businesses, we create an interconnected web of production that benefits the land, the farmers, and the community.
The beauty of this model is that it benefits everyone. It increases farm income without increasing workload, decreases farm labor because each collaborator manages their own enterprise, and provides real income for people who want to build something meaningful but don’t have the land or infrastructure to start from scratch. Instead of one person running everything, the farm becomes a network of independent yet connected businesses, each thriving in its own way.
If this idea excites you—if you’ve ever wanted to create something but didn’t know where to start—let’s talk. We’re looking for people who want to take ownership of their work, who want to build something sustainable, and who see the value in working with a farm rather than just for one.
Reach out today to explore how you could start your own farm-based enterprise with Huckleberry Farms! Contact us here.
