(Sub)Urban Farming

[ydoaPs]

As many of you know, I am currently at Purdue university. What you don't know is that my residential plot has a really large back yard. I decided it'd be a shame to waste it, so I checked the local ordinances and got half a dozen Araucana hens and built a coop for them. I let them roam in the huge yard in the day and only shut their door at night.

 

 

And I have a garden going. It's not too much right now. I've just got a couple of tomato plants, potatoes, and onions. I plan on making a large expansion of the garden when I move in a year. I'm thinking of having a rainwater collection tank under the soil so that excess water drains to the tank to be reused in watering the plants.

 

I've also been thinking about getting a couple of Nigerian Dwarf does for milk after the move as well, though I'll probably get bees before goats as bees are declining in numbers. As far as animals right now, all I have is 5 chickens (we had six, but the neighbor's dog got under the fence last night and killed one), a Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix, a Maine Coon, and two indoor rabbits (a Harlequin and a black Lionhead).

 

It wasn't until after I had acquired the chickens and started my garden that I learned that urban farming is a thing people do and is actually gaining popularity. Are any of you urban farmers? If so, what do you raise and grow?

[dimreepr]

I raise chickens, ducks, geese and pigs (24 piglets, so far from pinky), and in the past had a modest flock of sheep (Jacobs). I don’t grow much a small plot with (England’s) usual veg. Maybe you should think of sheep before goats, whilst I admit goats are far more versatile, for me, the smell is what spoils the appeal; once it gets into your nostrils it tends to spoil the flavour of all subsequent products. BTW geese are the best alarm system available

What area is your plot?

Edited June 9, 2014 by dimreepr

[Externet]

Are any of you urban farmers? If so, what do you raise and grow?

Hi.

Pretending to be or learning to grow, on a tiny portion of 1 acre backyard for personal use. As far successful with garlic, onions, tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, blueberries, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley, coriander. Things easy for a beguinner.

Unsuccessful with capers

To avoid weeding, using black plastic. A very raised bed (1 m) helps the back... as my father said, he would had liked to be farmer, but the soil is way too low.

 

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[ydoaPs]

I raise chickens, ducks, geese and pigs (24 piglets, so far from pinky), and in the past had a modest flock of sheep (Jacobs). I don’t grow much a small plot with (England’s) usual veg. Maybe you should think of sheep before goats, whilst I admit goats are far more versatile, for me, the smell is what spoils the appeal; once it gets into your nostrils it tends to spoil the flavour of all subsequent products. BTW geese are the best alarm system available

 

What area is your plot?

I just paced it out. My (unusually large) back yard is about 15mx24m. As for the goats, the dwarves aren't as harsh on the grass and they'll eat branches and whatnot, so I think I'd prefer them to sheep. The Nigerian Dwarves are also much smaller. The max height for breed standard is less than 2/3m.

 

As for the smell, a doe shouldn't be that bad, and the Nigerian Dwarves are small enough that I could pick up the buck (if I even get a buck) and wash it with dog shampoo once a week.

 

I'm not a fan of geese. They're a bit too mean for me. This area gets wild geese and they are known to attack if you get too close (and they like to hang out at the entrances to buildings).

 

Hi.

Pretending to be or learning to grow, on a tiny portion of 1 acre backyard for personal use. As far successful with garlic, onions, tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, blueberries, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley, coriander. Things easy for a beguinner.

Unsuccessful with capers

To avoid weeding, using black plastic. A very raised bed (1 m) helps the back... as my father said, he would had liked to be farmer, but the soil is way too low.

 

----> http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss323/Innernet/P1010395_zpsaa54b628.jpg

----> http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss323/Innernet/P1010396_zpsfe94b2c1.jpg

----> http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss323/Innernet/P1010141_zps48ce18d1.jpg

I didn't even think about trying for capers. Maybe I'll do that next year with my over-engineered garden.

[Greg H.]

My wife and I live in a Condo, so our space is really limited, but I'm having good luck this year with a whiskey barrel garden. I just got some half barrels and planeted different crops in each one. Something I am looking forward to trying next year is the semi-vertical stair riser garden (see below). I figure then I can use my barrels for deep root crops (like carrots and potatoes) and the riser trays for shallower crops like lettuce and peas.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Greg H.

[Acme]

As many of you know, I am currently at Purdue university. What you don't know is that my residential plot has a really large back yard. I decided it'd be a shame to waste it, so I checked the local ordinances and got half a dozen Araucana hens and built a coop for them. I let them roam in the huge yard in the day and only shut their door at night.

 

... Are any of you urban farmers? If so, what do you raise and grow?

That's a mighty fine looking coop! No animals for me but urban farmer for some time now. In a response to Externet in another thread I posted this:

...

I've been growing veggies for over a decade and have no real special secrets over my initial 'plant, water, eat'. I've always been a renter and long-term or major gardening accommodation has always been out. Sometimes I just used pots. This year I've thrown in with the kids & grandkids & we have a few hundred square feet of space. We are growing raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cucumbers, corn, radishes, spinach, beets, zucchini, yellow squash, 4 types of tomato, thyme, basil, peas, butternut squash, watermelon, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, jalapeño peppers, dill, cilantro, rosemary, rhubarb, parsley, carrots, mint, green onions, chives, garlic, and assorted native wildflowers. Something's bound to survive.

That's pretty much the sum of it though I left out asparagus and sunflowers. We went halfsies on a small knock-down greenhouse and got a head start with seeds in March. I also built a cold-frame from scrap material & used it to over-Winter some wildflowers. It's now home for the corn and cucumber with the lid tied up.

 

Already harvested some zucchini, radishes, broccoli, cilantro, peas, strawberries, and spinach. I think we're around 450 ft² in various beds. Will see about getting some pics.

 

And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together. ~ Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels

[Externet]

Greg: That stair setup is ideal for cascading irrigation from the top planter drain to the next lower, successively.

[ydoaPs]

Greg: That stair setup is ideal for cascading irrigation from the top planter drain to the next lower, successively.

I actually thought the same thing. If you're going with that design, you may as well drop a few extra dollars on some pvc.

[Externet]

Aquarium hose tightly fitted in a drilled drain hole does it too. If the top hose end is inside a piece of sponge, avoids clogging.

[Acme]

... Something I am looking forward to trying next year is the semi-vertical stair riser garden (see below). I figure then I can use my barrels for deep root crops (like carrots and potatoes) and the riser trays for shallower crops like lettuce and peas.

I love that idea! I have a 2-step stand I made from scrap, but I really like that multi-level and the way it's constructed. I have only 2 of the long planters; one is still full of wildflowers, but the other I planted the wildflowers out and now have it seeded with cilantro.

 

I'm sure you all know that the seeds of cilantro are the spice coriander, but I have another common veggie with a mature use. To whit, let a couple radish plants go and the young pods are deeeeelcious. They'll grow to over 2 feet and pods galore. Don't forget to let some pods stay on and dry out and you can collect next year's seeds. Are you folks composting kitchen scraps too?

 

Here's a few photos of our spread.

[ydoaPs]

Are you folks composting kitchen scraps too?

What else does one do with chicken poop?

 

[Greg H.]

Greg: That stair setup is ideal for cascading irrigation from the top planter drain to the next lower, successively.

 

 

I actually thought the same thing. If you're going with that design, you may as well drop a few extra dollars on some pvc.

I hadn't thought of that, but I think I'll include that in the design. I'm planning to build it in the garage this winter while it's too cold to be outside anyway, so I have some time to finalize what I want. Thanks for the idea!

[imatfaal]

All very impressive - I am limited to a pot of Basil on the kitchen windowsill. But the smell of fresh basil whenever you even get close is spectacular

[Acme]

All very impressive - I am limited to a pot of Basil on the kitchen windowsill. But the smell of fresh basil whenever you even get close is spectacular

This is my first time growing Basil and while ours is outside I too have noticed the aroma when watering. Same for the Cilantro and Rosemary. Mmmm mmmmm! This is also the first time growing Thyme, but the plant is still small and I haven't noticed any aroma yet. I think I'll go get on my hands-and-knees and poke my nose into it to satisfy my curiosity.

[imatfaal]

Camomile is lovely for a garden - you can grow little clumps and walk straight through/on them (qv the Camomile Lawn). It smells divine.

[Acme]

Is it possible we have so few urban farmers here? Mon dieu!

 

Last night's vegetable dish fresh from the farm and before shelling.

 

[dimreepr]

I’ve just finished making faggots (nom nom) from the latest slaughtered pig, with what’s left after the standard cuts have been taken.

Not sure if faggot is known outside the UK for anything other than a gay term, if not, then offal cakes is a reasonable sub.

[Acme]

I’ve just finished making faggots (nom nom) from the latest slaughtered pig, with what’s left after the standard cuts have been taken.

Not sure if faggot is known outside the UK for anything other than a gay term, if not, then offal cakes is a reasonable sub.

Mostly known these days as an [usually] offensive term for gay, but in the US faggot has in the past referred to bundles of sticks as well as cigarettes.

 

I'm not sure if tongue is considered offal, but I occasionally eat beef tongue. Do you eat pork tongue? Is your farming urban? What else are you growing/raising?

[dimreepr]

Mostly known these days as an [usually] offensive term for gay, but in the US faggot has in the past referred to bundles of sticks as well as cigarettes.

 

 

Thank you, very interesting, I love etymology.

I'm not sure if tongue is considered offal, but I occasionally eat beef tongue. Do you eat pork tongue? Is your farming urban? What else are you growing/raising?

 

 

We sell most of the meat, keeping the choice cuts for ourselves, the rest is used for faggots; in this instant I used cheek, heart, lungs, spleen and liver.

In answer to your questions:

1. We have a saying in England “only the squeal isn’t used on a pig”.

2. A small holding, and more accurately described as in the OP. see attached Google maps image.

3. Please read post #2.

Edited June 14, 2014 by dimreepr

[Acme]

Thank you, very interesting, I love etymology.

Hey! I saw her first.

 

We sell most of the meat, keeping the choice cuts for ourselves, the rest is used for faggots; in this instant I used cheek, heart, lungs, spleen and liver.

I haven't had spleen or lungs, but I'm intrigued by the mixture. If we have any such here it would mostly likely be at a specialty meat market.

 

In answer to your questions:

1. We have a saying in England “only the squeal isn’t used on a pig”.

2. A small holding, and more accurately described as in the OP. see attached Google maps image.

3. Please read post #2.

1. Here too from place-to-place and time-to-time.

2. Will check it.

3. D'oh!

[dimreepr]

Hey! I saw her first.

 

 

But she saw me last.

I haven't had spleen or lungs, but I'm intrigued by the mixture. If we have any such here it would mostly likely be at a specialty meat market.

 

 

TBH they aren’t to be recommended on their own but together, with herbs and spices, it’s one of my favourites.

1. Here too from place-to-place and time-to-time.

 

Only, really, true in the pre-industrial age and, now, the local foxes benefit from the waste.

 

 

 

Edit/ to add smilies... And better a fed fox than a hungry one.

Edited June 14, 2014 by dimreepr

[Acme]

__Alrighty thens. Since last posting we have had to deal with a mole which did a number on the garden beds. Took 2 weeks, 2 kinds of traps (one useless), and poison pellets (also useless) to put the kibosh on the pest.
__Then too, though not bothering the garden, we have finally managed to wipe out a family of rats that had taken up residence in the compost pile. Well, there might be a baby or two still around, but they won't last long. We took these out with a combination of stomping, whacking with shovel, pitch forking, and a pelletgun. Good times.
__Anyway, here's a pic of today's harvest and I'm thinking of a baked ratatouille ala Acme. Bon appétit.

[dimreepr]

__Alrighty thens. Since last posting we have had to deal with a mole which did a number on the garden beds. Took 2 weeks, 2 kinds of traps (one useless), and poison pellets (also useless) to put the kibosh on the pest.

 

 

 

That reminds me of ‘Blaster Bates’ a uniquely British entertainer, that was both an explosives expert and a typical old fashioned farmer type.

 

‘There’s only one way to get rid of a mole’

 

Oh yes, how?

 

Blow its bloody head off!

 

What, with explosives?

 

No with a twelve bore!!!

 

 

 

Edit/ that’s a twelve gauge, for our American cousins.

Edited July 6, 2014 by dimreepr

[Acme]

That reminds me of Blaster Bates a uniquely British entertainer, that was both an explosives expert and a typical old fashioned farmer type.

Theres only one way to get rid of a mole

Oh yes, how?

Blow its bloody head off!

What, with explosives?

No with a twelve bore!!!

Edit/ thats a twelve gauge, for our American cousins.

We definitely considered the twelve bore, but we're a little too suburban for that to go over well. Plus you have to see it to shoot it and I had better things to do than sit & watch for it. I did happen to see it pushing up dirt once and tried to pitch fork it, but I had the tine curve the wrong way & missed it.

 

Raspberries, peas, and strawberries are mostly done, but the blueberries are on the table now. Also enjoying dill, basil, thyme, cilantro, rhubarb, radishes, spinach, and parsley. The broccoli is mostly done but we're letting it go to flower & seed as I recently read that broccoli sprouts are tasty and healthy.

 

Rats!! So the rat(s) showed up that we first noticed a couple months or more ago, feeding on birdseed that fell to the ground from the feeder. Got rid of the feeder and didn't see any rats for a while. Then we started seeing just 1, which I now think was mom. We put out poison and traps. They didn't touch the poison and ate the bait from the traps without setting them off, or occasionaly set a trap off but were not caught. Last week Son'o spotted mom napping on top of the compost pile and shot her. A few days later I was watering down the compost pile and out came 4 young ones. Last night I shot the last 2 of 6 young and we thought we had it made. (I put a floodlight right on the compost pile and waited. )

 

Sooooo, our tomatoes are all still green so I just ran to market to get tomatoes, some mushrooms and garlic for ratatouille ala Acme, and when I get back Son'o tells me we got rat dad. I didn't know if rat dads hung around with the fam, but this one apparently did. Anyway, it was killed by a modified rat trap, but wasn't caught in it! WTF!? Since they were eating the bait without setting off the trap, I made a box that the trap just fit in, added a wood platform to the trigger and put the bait in the back of the box & not on the trigger. See image below. (I'll spare you the dead rat pic. )

 

So off to the garden now to harvest some basil & thyme for the ratatouille and then to the kitchen for some cookin'. Aint suburban gardening fun!

 

Here's the ratatouille à la Acme before baking. Made with 70% home-grown suburban farm produce, this authentic French cuisine is also made with fresh rat; none of that canned rat for me boy!

 

Edited July 6, 2014 by Acme

[Acme]

A couple weeks ago I spotted some aphids on a potted plant and as they apparently ruined last year's Brussels sprouts I suggested we try some Ladybugs. [Ladybirds for you Brits?] Anyway, it was $10 US for 1500 and we released them over 4 or 5 days. As there were no aphids in the garden yet most seem to have flown off. Then a couple days ago I found aphids in patches on one of this year's Brussels sprouts so I just sprayed them off with the hose. This seems to have worked as today I see none. Anyone else have aphid probs?

 

Will just finish up with yesterday's pea harvest. Modest but ohhhh so tasty.