Reposted from June 3, 2011
What makes my backyard garden hip? And what more what makes it farming?
For something to be hip, means that it is up to date with the latest styles, according to dictionary.com. Anyone who knows me, knows that I can care less about the latest styles. However, what I do care about is gardening frugally and as close to organic that I possibly can.
I also care about the environment and doing what I can do. While some may argue that it might be better if I drove an electric car or put solar panels on the house, I'm doing what I can do. As I've said once before, I can't do everything, but what I can do let no one put asunder.
So what makes my garden a farm?
Well the oasis-that's what I call my backyard- is my rock. It is the foundation upon which I want to build life. It is a homestead in the city. While there is discussion about urban areas becoming food deserts, my back yard is lush with veggies growing in raised beds, the landscape, and sometimes even through cracks in the sidewalk. A city does not have to be an urban desert. Local organizations like Toledo Grows also, make sure that urban neighborhoods like mine, don't become food deserts. (see the links below for more information on food deserts) So instead of an urban desert, I am creating a farm. I care for the soil using a minimal amount of chemical products and a whole lot more compost and manures. Farming, according to the Oxford Reference Dictionary is ". . . cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products. . ." The only animals, I have reared are two cats (living) and a dog (now deceased). If I had a sheep, I would definitely shear it and use the wool to make sweaters, because I love to knit. Yet, what I cultivate from the soil, I do use to supplement the groceries I buy. I do what I can do. So I use herbs in my garden and a few products already in my kitchen and I make lotions.
So I call this the Hip Urban Farmer's Blog, because it reflects my desire to grow food to supplement what food I buy and I do this in the city. I can put my hip into digging up the dirt and planting seeds. I do what I can do with what I have. Thus, doing what I can do in my little area of the city puts the hip in urban farming.
More information on food deserts:
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