Pasture-raised beef or pork sold direct

Local households wanting traceable meat, farmers' market shoppers, restaurants and specialty butchers.

Customers pay per pound or per share of an animal, often with a deposit up front. Selling direct usually earns more per animal than selling at auction, but you take on marketing and delivery.

• Animal handling and herd health
• Pasture and feed planning
• Marketing and customer relationships
• Record keeping and budgeting

• Meat must usually go through a licensed abattoir; check whether provincial inspection limits sales to your province or whether you need federal registration to sell across borders
• Check animal identification, premises registration and movement reporting rules in your province
• Check zoning, manure management and environmental rules with your municipality and province
• Land, feed and winter housing are the big costs; a dry summer or poor hay year can hurt
• Consider farm liability and property insurance, and check workers' compensation rules if you hire help

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on land, animals, fencing, feed and winter housing. Land, feed and winter housing are usually the big costs to plan for.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on herd size, how much meat you sell and your prices. A dry summer or poor hay year can hurt your results.

Things to check: meat must usually go through a licensed abattoir, and provincial inspection may limit sales to your province. Also check animal identification, premises registration, movement reporting, zoning, manure management and environmental rules.