For entrepreneurs who want to start a business close to home and maybe spend some time outside too, a backyard business might be the right choice for you. It might sound like a strange concept, but there are actually plenty of businesses that you could potentially run right from your very own yard.
Of course, you’ll want to check your state and local zoning ordinances to make sure it’s allowed in your area. But if owning a small business sounds like something that would interest you, here are 50 backyard business ideas for you to consider.
Backyard Business Ideas
Gardener
There are a variety of different plants you can grow in your yard to sell to local consumers. Or you could even offer your services to other homeowners and spend time working in their yards as well.
Backyard Nursery
Or you could start a nursery business where you grow potted plants and sell them in a nursery environment.
Florist
You could also specialize more in flower products and start a florist business in your backyard.
Herb Grower
Or you could grow herbs in your yard and then harvest and package them for sale who want fresh herbs for their food.
Vegetable Farmer
If you have a little bit more room to work with, you could also grow and harvest vegetables for sale in your yard.
Seed Sales
For those who want to offer smaller products and help other growers start their own gardens, you could harvest seeds and package them for sale.
Canner
There are also plenty of different food items that you can grow and then preserve and can to sell to buyers who want some longer-lasting products.
Farmer’s Market Vendor
No matter what kind of food or other products you grow, you can work to collect and prepare those items in your yard and then set up a booth at your local farmer’s market to sell them.
Firewood Sales
You might also find that you have a fair amount of trees or sources of wood in your yard. If that’s the case, you can potentially parcel out that wood and sell sections of it to local consumers to use as firewood.
Compost Sales
If you don’t mind getting a little messy, you could also collect waste and other materials to make your own compost and then sell it to local farmers or gardeners.
Fertilizer Sales
Likewise, you could make and sell more specialized fertilizer products for homeowners in your area.
Landscape Designer
Your backyard might also provide you with some inspiration that you can use to work with other clients as a landscape designer.
Party Rentals
If you want to work with clients in your area to provide rental items like tables, chairs and electronics for parties, you could use your backyard, garage or shed as a storage facility for those items.
Small Poultry Farm
If you’re looking to work with animals, you could potentially start your own small poultry farm and have it fit into your backyard.
Rabbit Rearing
Rabbits also don’t take up too much room. So you could start your own rabbit rearing business in your yard.
Fish Farmer
If you have waterfront land or room enough for some large tanks, you could get into the aquaculture game and start your own fish farm.
Shrimp Farmer
You could also opt to raise shrimp instead using many of the same methods and equipment as fish farmers.
Snail Farmer
Snail farming is another farming business opportunity that doesn’t take a lot of room.
Beekeeper
Or you could start your own bee colony to raise bees for honey production or other purposes.
Goat Rentals
If you want to rent out your animals, you could raise goats on your property and then lend them to local property owners for lawn mowing purposes.
Fiber Spinning
If you have sheep, alpacas or similar animals, you could sheer them and spin fiber out of wool or other materials.
Dog Trainer
You might also want to start a business where you work with other people’s pets as a dog trainer.
Laundry Service
You could also start your own laundry service where you wash, dry, iron and provide other services.
Candle Maker
If you want to create your own handmade products, candles are something you can easily make in your yard.
Soap Maker
You could also gather all the necessary supplies to make your own soap and package it right in your backyard.
Christmas Tree Farm
If you have a fair amount of space to work with, you could plant some evergreen trees and start your own Christmas tree farm.
Petting Farm
Or you could raise animals on your land and invite people to visit with them in exchange for a small fee.
Corn Maze
You could also set up corn fields and then create mazes that people can pay to visit.
Hay Rides
If you have a tractor or similar vehicle, you could also offer hay rides to visitors on your property.
U-Pick Service
For those who grow items like apples on your property, you can start your own U-Pick service where people can pick their own items off trees or other plants and then pay you for them.
Car Detailing
If you want to work on vehicles, you could start your own car detailing business and have people bring their cars to your yard so you can clean and detail them.
Electronic Repairs
You could also start your own electronic repairs business where people can bring their computers, smartphones and other tech devices to your yard for service.
Photographer
For those who want to pursue a creative business opportunity, you can take photos outside and even set up a photo studio and editing station in your yard.
Videographer
Likewise, you can shoot videos for clients or various other purposes right in your yard.
T-Shirt Printer
Screenprinting is another creative activity you can do in your backyard. You can set up a screenprinting space to make a variety of items including t-shirts, tote bags and more.
Web Designer
You could also set up a small office space in your yard to work on a sort of virtual business. For example, you might set up a space where you can design websites for clients.
Graphic Designer
Or you could start a business as a graphic designer and use your yard space to inspire your designs.
Blogger
Bloggers can also potentially work from anywhere – including your backyard.
Ebook Author
You could also commit to writing your own e-books and publishing them online from your backyard office.
How-to Classes
If you have a skill or hobby you could teach to others in your backyard, you can set up a business offering how-to classes.
Tutor
Or you could work with students in a more one-on-one setting as a backyard tutor.
Online Course Creator
You could also create your own courses that you can set up in your office and sell online.
Yoga Instructor
Yoga is a fun activity that you can potentially practice outdoors. You can even offer your own yoga classes to students in your yard space.
Personal Trainer
Or you could work with individual clients who want to improve their fitness habits as a personal trainer.
Massage Therapist
If you want to create an outdoor oasis for massage clients, you could also start your own backyard massage therapy business.
Airbnb Rentals
For those who have backyard getaways like treehouses or garage apartments, you could even start your own business by renting out those spaces on home rental sites like Airbnb.
Carpenter
If you’re a skilled woodworker, you could also start your own carpentry business and work on projects from your backyard.
Furniture Upcycler
Or you could purchase antique or secondhand furniture and then use new materials to update and sell those pieces.
Etsy Shop Owner
There are plenty of other potential craft items you could make right in your backyard and sell on sites like Etsy.
Recycling Service
You could also start a recycling service where you pick up items from homes or businesses and then sort those items for proper recycling in your yard.
Gardener Photo via Shutterstock
Canning Photo via Shutterstock
Party Rental Photo via Shutterstock
Backyard Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “50 Small Businesses to Start in Your Backyard” was first published on Small Business Trends