Rural entrepreneurs are good at being creative and resourceful, two necessary attributes needed to develop new income streams and business ideas. If you are looking for an idea that you can grow from the ground-up or you want to diversify what you are already doing on your farm, acreage, or in your rural community – you’ll need to be innovative with the assets and resources you already possess. Whether you are searching for a new full-time business idea or a part- time side project, just know that with changes in the economy and marketplace, along with shifts in the way people are reprioritizing their lives – new opportunities are coming to light.

8 Business Categories For Rural Entrepreneurs

Let’’s take a look at some great rural business ideas you could customize and make your own. Combine a few together, or add to your current business, and you may become a rural landmark making a nice profit in the process! There are eight main categories we will explore. They are:

1. Land Use, On-Site Hosting or Group Ideas
2. Things You Can Make and Sell
3. Workshops and Classes
4. Things You Can Grow or Produce
5. Rural Accommodation
6. Rural Service Businesses
7. Professional Service Businesses
8. Repurposing and Remodelling Out Buildings and Barns

1. Land Use, On-Site Hosting or Group Ideas

• ‘Tiny Home’ site
• ‘Farm-Her for a Day’
• ‘Family Farm Days’
• Farm-to-table meals & wine pairings
• Bootcamp course
• Corn maze
• Nature trails – walking or cycling
• Bush craft
• Photography location/settings
• Team building activities
• Outdoor movie drive-In
• Farm and field tours
• ‘Petting Zoo’
• Picnics and wagon rides
• Harvesting adventures
• “U-Grow” flower/vegetable gardens
• Filming location
• Family Adventure Playground
• Theme park
• ‘Fitness on the Farm’
• Yoga classes and retreats
• Spa facility
• Vintage car rallies
• ‘Mud Run’
• Pet boarding
• Dog training and agility course
• Equine-based programs
• Winter sleigh rides
• Pond ice skating
• Farm birthday parties/reunions
• School field trips
• Gallery and gift shop
• Couples, families & corporate retreats

2. Things To Make and Sell As Rural Entrepreneurs

• Jewelry
• Bronze sculptures
• Furniture
• Pottery and sculptures
• Wooden toys or accessories
• Custom cakes and baked goods
• Handmade/crafted items
• Canned fruits, vegetables or meat
• Specialty leather goods
• Custom or specialty clothing
• Pet toys and accessories
• Beer – i.e. micro brewery
• Wine and wine beverages
• Custom specialty beverages
• Farm-to-table: meals-to-go
• Honey and honey products

3. Workshops and Classes

• Felting, knitting, crocheting, macramé
• Sewing classes
• Sculpting and pottery
• Quilting
• Leather workshops
• ‘Living-Off-the-Land’ workshops
• Wreath making classes
• Cooking classes
• Canning workshops
• Bread and biscuit making
• Cheese making
• Preserves and jams making
• ‘Gifts-In-A-Jar’ classes
• Hand-made gifts classes

4. Things You Can Grow or Produce

• Market Garden Produce
• ‘Pick-It Yourself’ berry farm
• Flowers for a variety of uses
• Tree saplings
• Wild plants and flowers
• Specialty grasses or crops
• Pumpkins for Halloween
• Crops not typically grown In Canada
• Crops or seeds grown for alternative markets, i.e. birds
• Specialty seeds from native plants
• Variety of products specifically for restaurants
• Pharmaceutical crops and products, i.e. evening primrose
• Gluten-free products for specialty cereals, snacks, mixes
• Specialty fruits and vegetables
• Specialty herbs, spices and teas
• Wool fibre from sheep, alpacas or llamas
• Direct-to-consumer: eggs
• Direct-to-consumer: beef, pork, bison, lamb, chicken
• Crops to process for food, body products, i.e. oils, honey

5. Rural Accommodation

• RV Campsite
• Bed and Breakfast
• Touring Caravans
• Cottages and Log Cabins
• Hostel
• Converted Granaries
• Yurts
• Tiny Houses
• Tipis
• Safari-Style Tents

6. Rural Service Businesses

• Large-yard cleanup services
• Farm equipment maintenance services
• Chicken coop setup services
• ‘The Last Mile’ delivery services
• ‘Getting-Off-The-Grid’ contracting services
• ‘Tractor-For-Hire’ services
• Rural investment services or co-op
• Farm or acreage sitting services
• Crop production labor services
• Fencing, hedge-cutting, gardening, landscaping

7. Professional Service Businesses

• Digital Content Creator
• Marketing and Social Media Consultant
• Business Coach, Consultant, Trainer,
• Speaker
• Counsellor, Wellness Coach
• Personal Coach, Advisor, Guide Photographer
• Web Developer, Graphic Design
• Freelance HR Professional
• Podcaster or Blogger
• Event Organizer
• Rural Personal Trainer
• Rural Daycare Service
• Outdoor Educator – Outdoor School
• Accounting, Data Entry, Bookkeeping
• Virtual Assistant
• Editing – Proofreading
• Tutor or Homeschool Consultant
• Independent Solicitor
• Mortgage Broker, Financial Advisor IT Support, Software
• Writing Language Teacher

8. Repurposing/Remodelling Out Buildings & Barns for Special Uses

• Storage for vintage tractors, trucks, or cars
• Self-storage facility
• Container/unit storage
• Workshop or group activity space
• Art studio
• Craft centre
• Yoga/meditation studio
• Wedding or elopement venue
• Special event venue
• Conference venue
• Educational venue for schools/groups
• Photography site
• ‘Barn Dance’

Article from: Spring 2021 Issue #2

Photographer Cover Photo Credit: Ash Nayler