Agriculture business ideas you can start from home
9 ideas
These 9 agriculture ideas can be run from a garden, smallholding or plot at home, so you can start small without renting premises. They suit people with some outdoor space, a willingness to do physical work and patience for seasonal income.
Home plant nursery selling online and locally
Grow perennials, herbs or veg plants in your garden and sell them through online listings, gate sales and local plant fairs.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- From home
Small-scale horse or pony breeder
Breed one to three mares a year on your own land and sell foals or youngsters to riders.
- £5k-25k
- Side hustle
- From home
Small flock egg seller
Keep a small flock of hens and sell fresh eggs to neighbours, local shops and cafes.
- £400-2k
- Side hustle
- From home
Small free-range egg flock
Keep a flock of hens on a small plot and sell fresh eggs locally from a roadside stall or to neighbours.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- From home
Local produce supplier run from home
Buy from nearby growers and sell to cafes, delis and restaurants, working from home with no warehouse.
- £800-4k
- Part-time
- From home
Small wholesale nursery from a garden or plot
Grow a few lines of hardy plants in polytunnels and sell trays and pots to local landscapers and garden shops.
- £2k-10k
- Side hustle
- From home
Fertiliser sales agent for local farms
Arrange fertiliser and soil product orders for local farms and growers from home, earning a margin or commission without holding stock.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- From home
Home greenhouse orchid grower
Grow orchids in a greenhouse or conservatory and sell them online and at plant fairs.
- £800-4k
- Side hustle
- From home
Part-time firewood and kindling seller
Buy in logs, season and bag them at home, then sell nets of firewood and kindling to local households.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- From home
About these ideas
Options such as a home plant nursery selling online and locally, a small flock egg seller or a part-time firewood and kindling seller let you test demand before you grow. Others, like a small-scale horse or pony breeder, need more land, time and money. Before you choose, think about how much space you have, what your planning permission or tenancy allows, what animal welfare or food rules might apply, and how you will sell what you produce. Work out your weekly hours and start-up costs too.
Questions
Do I need planning permission to run an agricultural business from home?
It depends on your property, what you plan to do and how much it changes the use of the land. Check with your local council, and look at any tenancy, lease or mortgage terms that might restrict business activity at your address.
What should I check before keeping animals or selling eggs from home?
Check animal welfare, registration and record-keeping requirements for the species you keep, plus food hygiene and labelling rules for selling eggs or produce. Your local council and government guidance pages are a good starting point.
How much land or space do I need to start?
It varies widely. A plant nursery or orchid greenhouse may need only a garden or small plot, while horses and larger flocks need more land, shelter and care. Check space, access, drainage, neighbours and running costs before committing.