Africa: South Africa:Community Gardens Contribute to Food Security (note info about hedges as habitat for insects)
Welcome to our garden.
The picture shows a simple circular garden for vegetables. This was a type of victory garden. Victory gardens were popular during the early 1900s during WW I, the Great Depression and WW II. This circular garden is about 6 meters in diameter. A circular garden like this can fit nicely into a small backyard with a sunny area. There are numerous styles of gardens. For more ideas visit our Garden Styles page.
Backyard farming comes in all sizes and is dependent on the environment found in the backyard. For example soil can be acid or alkalai, wet or dry, shady or sunny. Conditions dictate what types of backyard farming opportunities are realistic for your backyard farm.
Soils can be modified to adjust the ph to a level which vegetables prefer, roughly 5.5 to 8.0. Raised beds can be constructed to elevate the soil which improves drainage or in the other extreme pits can be dug in arid climates to conserve moisture. Shade is a bit more problematic. However, why not consider rooftop gardening or raising mushrooms. Rooftop gardens, parking garage top gardens all help keep buildings cool and get vegetables to the sunlight needed to flourish. Shaded areas can be a blessing. For example, shiitake mushroom logs like 90% shade.
As you assess your backyard farm potential don't forget microclimates. A microclimate is an area which due to surrounding structures or vegetation allows plants to grow which normally don't thrive in your climate. A great example of this would be a south facing wall of a home. Along that south facing wall temperatures may be several degrees warmer on average than in open areas of your yard. This might allow for growing tender plants like sub-tropicals or tropicals. For example, my house has a south facing wall. We often have geraniums and petunias which overwinter even though the average temperatures often fall below 20 degrees Farenheit.
If you just moved into your new home take stock of your new backyard farm area over a year before making any permanent installations. Watch how the native plants grow. "Weeds" are great indicators of wet soil or fertile soil. Learn about the native plants and the type of soil conditions where they thrive. Before you remove trees or shrubs learn about them. Behind my home grows a red bay tree which is a host for butterflies and a great bee tree.
Speaking of bees. Did you know that honey bees are not native to the New World (North and South America)? The Native Americans called them white man's flies. As you learn about your backyard environment be curious about the native pollinating insects or insect predators like mason bees, carpenter bees, wire waisted wasps, mud daubers, soldier bugs etc etc...an armada of beneficial insects that can bring balance to your garden...if they survive.
If they survive the ultimate backyard predator, the chicken. Yes, these creatures are popular in backyard gardens but just realize that they eat all insects, lizards, small snakes, small toads and probably even small mammals if they get a chance. But, chickens are really a great addition to the backyard farm. In addition to eating pests, plus a tomato or two, they provide eggs and meat. They also provide entertainment. Yes, watching the chickens patrol the yard is fun for both the young and the young at heart. Collecting eggs is even more fun. Butchering birds isn't as much fun but a silent morning sans rooster makes the chicken soup taste a little better. Imagine eating chicken soup made from your chickens (if you are so inclined) and your own vegetables grown organically in your backyard with maybe a few chopped mushrooms you grew added for flavor.
Or, how about making your chicken soup with backyard vegetables you canned during the summer. In our house we have a shelf of canned tomatoes, corn, relishes, pickles, pickled peppers, jellies and jams all harvested from our backyard. They are much better than most canned food you can purchase at the grocery store and they are delicious.
Delicious might be the key word for why a person wants to start a backyard farm. Delicious food grown on fertile soil with your own hands. Start planning and dreaming about the great food you will grow at your own backyard farm.
Want to tell everyone about your successes? Please send an email to jim@redbayfarm.com .
