If you couldn't live in the country...

[RedTartan]

This thread could have alternatively been called "Giving hope to Those Trapped in the Suburbs"

I've read several threads here on HT where the poster was miserable because they couldn't live in the country. The reasons for this predicament have been varied, but usually their spouse was unwilling or they couldn't afford to purchase land.

So... If you couldn't live in the country, what would you do to homestead right where you are?

Here's what I'd do:

Assuming I had a tiny suburban lot cut off from my neighbors by a privacy fence and I was unwilling to break any existing laws, I would prepare as garden soil all the land around the perimeter of my yard. I'd make beds 4 feet wide ending at the fence and plant the area heavily. I would only develop the perimeter because I have kids and would want to preserve the interior as "play space". I'd plant dwarf fruit trees in the front yard, put vegetables and herbs in the front flower beds, and edge both sides of the driveway with strawberries.

Because I'd be gardening heavily, the soil would need to be heavily amended. I'd keep meat rabbits in a hutch in the backyard. The neighbors would think that they are pets, but every now and again some rabbits would be quietly taken into the garage and never be seen again. 'Cause of course there's a nice little set up in there for butchering the bunnies... Then all that poo could amend my soil. Rabbits feed you more than once!

What would you do?

RedTartan

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by RedTartan

Assuming I had a tiny suburban lot cut off from my neighbors by a privacy fence and I was unwilling to break any existing laws, I would prepare as garden soil all the land around the perimeter of my yard. I'd make beds 4 feet wide ending at the fence and plant the area heavily. I would only develop the perimeter because I have kids and would want to preserve the interior as "play space". I'd plant dwarf fruit trees in the front yard, put vegetables and herbs in the front flower beds, and edge both sides of the driveway with strawberries.

You're going to have a lot of problems with shade from the privacy fence. I'd put my garden where you have the longest period of un-interrupted sun. As for the kids. Well, *if* I had any (shudder), they'd be too busy working in the garden and around the house to have much time (or energy) to play. LOL Besides, honestly how much time DO your kids spend in the back yard? Probably not enough time to justify dedicating a PRIME garden spot just to them.

Make the little pikers work for their keep, I say.

donsgal

[MawKettle]

Well, this is what I am doing!

1. I do have a dwarf orange tree - and am looking to get a lemon planted.

2. I have a raised bed garden that DH built for me on the side of the house. Its not much - but its a start! I've got tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers (both eating & pickling), basil, oregano, chives, rosemary, thyme and something that DH tells me will eventually be a jalapeno but I'm not taking any bets on that one.

3. I have three potato plants growing in a POT. From a supermarket potato. It started as a joke....but the darn things are thriving. :banana02:

I would love to get rabbits - but I'm a bit concerned about the neighbors (they're pretty close), and the heat here makes bunnies a bit of a dicey proposition...........

I keep asking DH if he thinks we could get away with a "pet" chicken or two...at least for the eggs...but he's not sure we could pull that off...

Hmmm.....maybe a "pet" goat?

[RedTartan]

Originally Posted by donsgal

You're going to have a lot of problems with shade from the privacy fence. I'd put my garden where you have the longest period of un-interrupted sun. As for the kids. Well, *if* I had any (shudder), they'd be too busy working in the garden and around the house to have much time (or energy) to play. LOL Besides, honestly how much time DO your kids spend in the back yard? Probably not enough time to justify dedicating a PRIME garden spot just to them.

Make the little pikers work for their keep, I say.

donsgal

Full sun is defined as at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. So it would depend on the individual yard and how it's situated to the sun. For example, the sun is always, ALWAYS on the left side of my house. So there's three feet of earth on the right side of my house that is always shaded, but the left side of my house has full sun all day, every day.

As for the kids, mine are outside 4-6 hours everyday and that will probably increase after we finish our schooling for the year.

RedTartan

[SquashNut]

We have rabbits inside our shed and all the back yard is veggie garden except the shed and small lean-to green house. Inside the shed is a wood shop, rabbitry and canning kitchen.
The front flower bed are where I grow a few secluted veggies for seed saving. In the back alley is a french prune plum tree.
We harvest the rabbits inside the canning kitchen.
This year the canning kitchen is also a plant room for the over flow from the green house. We sell extra veggie plants to cover the costs of growing and putting up our produce. And a few rabbits to pay for their feed.
Of course we have a compost bin out by the alley

[chickenista]

I think you have it... I was poking around "you tube" and have found some great videos on suburban gardening and turning your yard into a productive space. This one guy has an awesome setup and he turns his greenhouse into a drying shed in the heat of summer with a shade cloth. "you tube" can be valuable as well as killing brain cells.

[Sandhills]

A different poster on HT shared a website called Garden Girl TV just a few days ago. If I lived in the city I would probably do something like this gal has. I spent an entire morning reading her site and watching the short videos she has. I love how her rabbit and chicken cages fit on top of her raised beds. She has a very efficient system. I think I could learn a few things from her even tho I have more space than I know what to do with.

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by Sandhills

A different poster on HT shared a website called Garden Girl TV just a few days ago. If I lived in the city I would probably do something like this gal has. I spent an entire morning reading her site and watching the short videos she has. I love how her rabbit and chicken cages fit on top of her raised beds. She has a very efficient system. I think I could learn a few things from her even tho I have more space than I know what to do with.

Oh my yes. Patti rocks. She has some wonderful videos (I wish I could watch them!!!). She posts on here from time to time and also on the Peak Oil newsgroup.

donsgal

[Beeman]

Why do people think you have to have vast acreage to accomplish anything? Suburban living can be much easier and productive with less expense in the right area. You also have access to better markets both for selling, buying and bartering. Besides you also can have a much better community life and access to a lot more culture.

[njmama]

Originally Posted by RedTartan

This thread could have alternatively been called "Giving hope to Those Trapped in the Suburbs"

I've read several threads here on HT where the poster was miserable because they couldn't live in the country. The reasons for this predicament have been varied, but usually their spouse was unwilling or they couldn't afford to purchase land.

So... If you couldn't live in the country, what would you do to homestead right where you are?

Here's what I'd do:

Assuming I had a tiny suburban lot cut off from my neighbors by a privacy fence and I was unwilling to break any existing laws, I would prepare as garden soil all the land around the perimeter of my yard. I'd make beds 4 feet wide ending at the fence and plant the area heavily. I would only develop the perimeter because I have kids and would want to preserve the interior as "play space". I'd plant dwarf fruit trees in the front yard, put vegetables and herbs in the front flower beds, and edge both sides of the driveway with strawberries.

Because I'd be gardening heavily, the soil would need to be heavily amended. I'd keep meat rabbits in a hutch in the backyard. The neighbors would think that they are pets, but every now and again some rabbits would be quietly taken into the garage and never be seen again. 'Cause of course there's a nice little set up in there for butchering the bunnies... Then all that poo could amend my soil. Rabbits feed you more than once!

What would you do?

RedTartan

When do you start or do you live in the country?

[njmama]

Originally Posted by Beeman

Why do people think you have to have vast acreage to accomplish anything? Suburban living can be much easier and productive with less expense in the right area. You also have access to better markets both for selling, buying and bartering. Besides you also can have a much better community life and access to a lot more culture.

Valid points. So much can be accomplished in the suburbs. Pelenaka, Path to Freedom & Garden Girl are prime examples. I was raised in the country and now live in the suburbs both have their positives.

[RedTartan]

Originally Posted by njmama

When do you start or do you live in the country?

I do live in the country. I have 12.5 acres. I have just noticed an increase in threads where people seem to be assuming that you HAVE to be out here to homestead. You don't! You can do it anywhere! My plan is to sell my place when I'm too old to properly manage it, but I'll never stop homesteading

Two good places to look for inspiration are:

www.gardengirltv.com

www.pathtofreedom.com

Homesteading can be done very efficiently on a small scale. Just because you can't afford a country spread or your spouse doesn't want to, doesn't mean you have to give up your homesteading dream.

I just wanted to inspire and comfort those who aren't able to be "out here".

RedTartan

[Dubi]

Originally Posted by RedTartan

Assuming I had a tiny suburban lot cut off from my neighbors by a privacy fence and I was unwilling to break any existing laws, I would prepare as garden soil all the land around the perimeter of my yard. I'd make beds 4 feet wide ending at the fence and plant the area heavily. I would only develop the perimeter because I have kids and would want to preserve the interior as "play space". RedTartan

Sounds similar to what we have--small suburban lot with privacy fences, a garden area with raised beds just built this week by my hubby and sons, fruit trees, and grass in the middle for my grandkids to play. Even without acreage it's nice to grow some of our fruits and veggies. --Dubi

[Wags]

We had a thread here not to long ago about what people were doing on suburban lots - very impressive and inspirational.

[Beeman]

We lived on a 60x100 when I was a kid and we did more then most on that land plus didn't have to have a car.

[Danaus29]

When we lived in a townhouse apartment in Columbus I still had my little garden. It wasn't much (real hard to have a garden in a rental where strangers mow the yard) but it did produce some tomatoes and sunflower seeds for us. I kept trying strawberries in pots but never could get them to do anything except die. Then we bought 1/4 acre in a rural residential neighborhood. Put in a decent garden though never enough to keep us fed year round. Bought 1/2 acre up the road (not buildable due to zoning restrictions) where I put in a couple hickory trees and left some nice black walnut trees. Our big problem there was the egde to edge trash on the top and buried just below the surface of the soil. Last summer bought the 1/2 acre with run-down house next to the vacant land. Put a garden there over the winter. I don't expect much from it this year but hope to gradually expand and improve the soil there. We've had rabbits for 11 years now, using them to decrease the annual leaf pile and convert it into fertilizer. A few years ago we got the Muscovy ducks for pest (giant slug and numerous pill bug, also Japanese beetle) control. Their waste has been the greatest asset to my garden. Pile the stuff in long rows and plant on those. Also has suffocated the dreaded canadian thistles. I really do have too many ducks for foraging on the 1/4 acre so I use the mowed grass and collected bugs from the other place to feed the ducks. The duck pen did kill the lovely sledding hill but with some extra planning and a bit of creative landscaping we just may have our hill back for next winter. I give the neighbors eggs occasionally and they just love the fact that the ducks eat their pesky bugs. Currently the ducks are penned most of the day but once the tadpole season is past and cricket season is upon us they will be left to roam through several yards.

[njmama]

Originally Posted by RedTartan

I do live in the country. I have 12.5 acres. I have just noticed an increase in threads where people seem to be assuming that you HAVE to be out here to homestead. You don't! You can do it anywhere! My plan is to sell my place when I'm too old to properly manage it, but I'll never stop homesteading

Two good places to look for inspiration are:

www.gardengirltv.com

www.pathtofreedom.com

Homesteading can be done very efficiently on a small scale. Just because you can't afford a country spread or your spouse doesn't want to, doesn't mean you have to give up your homesteading dream.

I just wanted to inspire and comfort those who aren't able to be "out here".

RedTartan

Don't forget Pelenaka:

http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/

and the thread Wags referred to with some cool pics:

http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=240570

[Shrek]

When I moved into my first apartment , I selected an apartment close to my place of employment with afternoon sun exposure to the 10 by 15 foot patio and used containers to construct garden plots for tomatoes, peppers, peas, carrots and bush beans.

I also planted strawberries in wire framed hanging baskets to be able to plant in them and around the sides also.

The second season in the apartment, I container planted some cucumbers with a cane pole trellece.

That was also the year I got approval from the apartment manager to keep a few "caged" rabbits as non deposit required pets.

I also went to the river near my apartment to fish two or three times a week using bait raised in my compost bin that I used to dispose of the cleanings from the rabbit cages and garden scraps.

My neighbors enjoyed the occasional crockpot of rabbit stew and my end of season 10 to 15 gallons of strawberry wine.


Later I found the book "Squarefoot Gardening" , but I learned my patio gardening from my grandfather who lived in a house with a postage stamp yard inner city in Chicago.

I was sure lucky that my countryboy father married a city gal. It was good training for me on the subject of urban gardening.

[Quint]

For a time growing up my parents moved us from the homestead and into town. Even there we grew a great deal of our own food. We had a large garden that produced enough that my mother never bought canned vegetables at the store. Potatoes were about all we bought. We were lucky enough to buy a house on a fairly large lot that had a couple of established apple trees which produced enough to have a several dozen quarts of apple sauce canned from them along with apple pie filling and filling for apple dumplings. Canned the small sugar pears which were quite abundant too. Soon after we moved we set out peach trees and planted grape vines. They were soon producing.

We at times had chickens but with neighbors it wasn't always possible. Even when we didn't my parents would buy several dozen live chickens and work them up canning and freezing. We raised rabbits too until we got tired of them. We also hunted of course. That brought in lots of meat.

[daisymomto3]

We live in the city. One day I hope to live in the country again and have more room and our homestead but for now we try and make the best with what we have.

We have a fairly small yard but have tried to make the most use of of it.

I built long raised beds along the back side of our privacy fence in the back yard (it gets plenty of sun there). We plant tomatoes, sugar snap peas, climbing pole beans (they climb the privacy fence and therefor take up less room), peppers, and cucumbers (which also grow up the fence). I added side beds and another raised bed around the remaining perimeter of the backyard where we plant a few different varieties of leaf lettuce, peas, carrots, strawberries, collard greens, nastirums, lemonbalm, chamomile, onions, basil, chives, oregano and flowers.

In our front yard in between flowers we have planted a variety of herbs (mint, sage, lavendar, thyme, lemonbalm, basil, rosemary, etc.). We also have a couple dwarf varieties of blueberry bushes, and along the front picket fence we have a grape vine, a thornless blackberry bush, and a red raspberry bush.

On occasion we will also stick in any left over veggie plants we didn't have room for in the back yard into the front yard flower/herb beds. So we may have the occasional tomato plant or pepperplant growing amongst the front yard flowers lol.

My Dad helped us build a mini chicken coop in the backyard so we can keep a few bantam hens for eggs. We started out with 2 cochin bantams. We had them for a few years and got quite a few eggs (although they are a little smaller than your average store egg) but quite tasty. The hens got ltos of "treats" of kitchen veggie and fruit scraps and lots of dandelion leaves from the yard and were quite happy and healthy. They were pretty quiet (they would "sing" a bit when laying an egg but other than that they didn't make much noise). They were very friendly, almost pet like. Unfortunately we had to get rid of our hens this spring because they were getting to be a bit too old to lay much anymore but we are hoping to find some new young banatam hens to replace them soon.

We try and can and freeze what we can from the garden. I dry our herbs in hanging bunches and they make great tea and spices and whatnot for the winter.

We compost all our veggie/fruit scraps that the chickens don't eat, along with all the chicken "poo" and that makes great fertilizer for the garden beds.

This year I am looking into installing a rain barrell to save on water. We also have a clothes line in the backyard and I use cloth diapers (95 percent of the time) for my youngest. I also just got a "new" used bicycle from the thrift store this spring so hope to do my errands using my "new" bike so I don't have to spend money on gas. We are looking into getting a couple rabbits maybe.

A great site to check out on the ultimate urban homestead is www.pathtofreedom.com
It is amazing what they have done with their city space and are such an inspiration!

"Bloom where you are planted."

Kim