If you’re a writer with a green thumb, this post is for you! Personally, my way of taking care of plants has always led to their inevitable demises, but I always admired those who could nourish a plant or two through long, happy lives. And now, especially amongst millennials, there seems to be a “plant mom” trend, with even Refinery29 claiming that “plant ladies are the new cat ladies.”
If you are one such plant person who has always had a gift for gardening, you may want to look into agriculture or homestead-based writing opportunities we've shared with you today. Such gigs can offer you the convenience of working remotely, all the while writing about your passion. What more could you ask for?
Read on to learn about the websites that are offering up this type of work.
8 Sites That Pay You To Write About Homesteading & Agriculture
1 – Morning Chores
The entire MO of the Morning Chores website is to promote self-sufficiency – wow! I love a website that encourages people to focus on relying on their own skills to make a living.
It sounds simple, but it’s truly powerful. It’s a tough world out there, and self-sufficiency is key to making it work – any freelancer knows that. It’s all about the hustle!
What they’re looking for: The website is searching for writers with “a strong passion and experience in gardening, raising livestock animals, beekeeping, survival, prepping, food preservation and recipes, foraging, farming, frugal living, off-grid alternatives, woodworking, self-sufficient living, and a desire to help people by writing helpful guides.”
That’s a list that encompasses a lot of topics, so you’re sure to find one that suits you, even if you’re not an expert!
The pay: $50 per published article.
One caveat – it does say on their website that in order to be considered, you do need to upload an already-written article, and if they like it, they’ll be in touch.
As a professional writer, this makes me a bit wary – do they just want to see a portfolio piece, or do you need to write an article for their website that they may or may not use and may or may not pay you for? Do a bit of research first before you commit to applying – you never know who may be trying to get free work out of you!
Go here for more info on writing for Morning Chores.
2 – Gardener’s Path
Are you a “highly experienced” gardening writer? Gardener’s Path may be your perfect fit! The brand is looking for writers who can write amazing guides and take awesome photos.
If you have a blooming burgeonia in your backyard, (and unlike me, didn’t have to look up how to spell “burgeonia”), then you’re likely a prime candidate to be a Gardener Path writer.
What they’re looking for: You’ll need to submit a gardening-related writing sample along with your resume, rates, and availability. According to their website, “This can be an original piece, content posted to another site or blog, or writing published on your own blog.”
I like this better than the Morning Chores option, as it’s more clear on what they’re looking for in an application process, and allows you the freedom to use material you’ve already written and been paid for.
The pay: Unknown – it is not included on their website.
Note that this company is only accepting UK, US, and Canada-based writers.
Go here to learn more about writing for Gardener's Path.
3 – Homestead.org
Homestead.org is looking for “manuscript writers” – and no, you don’t need to write a book for them (I thought the same thing)! The website is actually looking for articles (or, “manuscripts,” as they call them) of 1,000 – 2,500 words on homesteading.
What they’re looking for: The website wants “timeless” or timely works of nonfiction, and you will need to have a good eye; they want you to include photographs or illustrations of your homesteading work.
The pay: $100 per accepted manuscript.
One important thing to note: photos must be uncopyrighted. This is a good call on their part – no one wants to get sued! Make sure you also read over their website so the pitches you’re offering to them are unique. This is best practice for any writer.
Go here to learn more about writing for Homestead.org.
4 – Better Homes & Gardens
BHG is a tough publication to get into – your writing really has to be the cream of the crop, especially if you’re a freelancer!
According to their website, only 10% of writing and photography comes from freelancers – the rest is all staff. It’s certainly not impossible, and I belong to writing groups where plenty of freelance writers got into Better Homes & Gardens.
Here’s how you know BHG is legit – they state that they “read all freelance articles submitted, but much prefer to see a letter of query than a finished manuscript.”
This boils down to: don’t send them unsolicited work, and goes back to what I stated before about never knowing who is going to steal your writing. If I sounded merely paranoid before, hopefully this backup from BHG lends credibility to the aforementioned statements!
What they’re looking for: Because of BHG’s big brand, they primarily accept pieces on health, parenting, travel, and education. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be published as a gardening writer, or even that you can’t move into a staff position eventually – you certainly could!
And articles on all of the previously mentioned topics can include gardening subtopics – it’s not much of a stretch. Come up with a unique article and pitch it – you never know!
The pay: Their website states that “rates are based on our estimate of the length, quality, and importance of the published article.”
Go here to learn more about writing for Better Homes & Gardens.
5 – Mother Earth Living
Mother Earth Living has an interesting process: they pitch all of their “test” articles to a group called the Editorial Advisory Group. This process isn’t unheard of, but it indicates that Mother Earth is a much bigger publication than many probably think it is.
Brand guidelines are always a good indication that a company has the dollars and legitimacy to back up its stringent rules.
What they’re looking for: A short pitch of your article (one to two sentences). This means give them a summary of the topic you want to cover as well as the approximate length and any possible way to format the article, according to your personal preferences.
The pay: Mother Earth Living is very detailed about everything on their submissions page, including how they pay. According to said page, “Once we determine we have interest in publishing your article, the assigning editor will contact you to discuss length, deadline and payment.”
Go here to learn more about writing for Mother Earth Living.
6 – Oregon Home Magazine
It never hurts to pitch to publications directly and see if they have any need for freelance writers. If you want to pitch to Oregon Home, visit the below link; there is an editor email at the top of the page (make sure you directly address the editor by name!).
Oregon Home has a variety of headlines on their webpage that you can try pitching for, but as always, make sure you do research first. Don’t pitch anything that’s already been pitched, and try to be unique in your pitch.
What they’re looking for: Headlines include Style, Home, Garden, Cooking, DIY, Shopping, Profiles, and Events.
The pay: Unknown – no information is available on their website.
Go here to learn more about writing for Oregon Home.
7 – Sunset
Sunset is the largest circulation magazine in Western American, so it would boost your writing resume to get published with them!
Its monthly issues are dedicated to four main areas: gardening and outdoor living, travel and recreation, food and entertaining, and last but not least, home design. Clearly, there are many areas you can pitch in, if you’re so inclined.
What they’re looking for: Their website states that they’re looking for “thoroughly researched, well-written stories and ideas for home gardening projects that can be successfully accomplished in a day or over a weekend or growing season.”
The pay: Payment is made only if your work is accepted, so that’s a bit of an issue. I personally don’t like it when companies don’t pay writers for their labor, whether or not the work is “acceptable.”
Go here to learn more about writing for Sunset.
8 – The Maine Organic Farmer
The Maine Organic Farmer accepts articles from freelance writers; the website says that the magazine publishes four times per year and accepts about three articles from freelancers for each issue.
What they’re looking for: “In-depth coverage” on social, environmental, and ecological consequences of agriculture. This one is hard-hitting!
The pay: Pay ranges from $20 – $200 per article – quite the large range, and $20 for an article is definitely not the standard, so I would nail down pay details before committing to writing for them.
Go here to learn more about writing for The Maine Organic Farmer.
If you’re a gardening writer, what other websites have you found that nurture your prowess for plants and also your writing talent? Let us know in the comments
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