Killing Japanese Beetles
I've made money in about eighty different ways, but killing
Japanese beetles for gardeners never came to mind as a job. It's
something new, and that's one thing 'm enjoying about running
my Most Interesting Money Maker Contest. I get to hear
about all these ways I've never never considered nor even heard
of. So here is the story/contest entry about the Japanese beetles
sent in by a subscriber to the Unusual Ways newsletter...
Steve Osgood
When I was around 12 I found a great way to make some money.
Living in suburbia in Ohio everybody had their own veggie garden.
The problem was an outbreak of the Japanese beetle. If you ever
encountered a Japanese beetle they are pesky little creatures
with a hard shell and a love of destroying everyone's garden.
There was also not any easy to use pesticides at the time to
kill them off, until I came along.
After testing out on my parent's garden I realized that
dunking the beetles in hot water brought them a quick death.
So I started selling my services to the neighbors; I would get
rid of your beetles at a price of 5 cents per beetle. In a couple
of hours I could put down 200 to 300 of these critters, and could
usually pull in 15-20 dollars a job which was a lot of money
back then, and even better I was fighting off invasive species.
I did this every summer for maybe 3 or 4 years, you know until
I discovered girls.
Now I think I could make even more money if I found something
to do with the dead beetles, either making them into some sort
of organic gardening product, or as fish food.
Or maybe make them into earrings - I've seen stranger jewelry.
Come to think of it my wife and I sold earring made of fish scales.
Maybe they could be made of Japanese beetle wings. In any case,
thanks for the story.
I by the time you read this the contest is over, go ahead
and subscribe to the newsletter. I'll announce any new competitions
in it. Or just send along any story you have of an odd way you've
made money. If I put it on the site I'll send you an e-book of
your choice (with at least three to choose from).
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