Front Yard Food....

Here's  what we have growing just on our front porch. 

So you’re planting a veggie garden and think your only choices are backyard raised beds or a hidden batch of rows. Not so! Maybe it’s time to dive into the world of front yard food.

Now before your front yard becomes a pumpkin patch I have a few recommendations.

One, don’t plant in a location that has been inundated with chemicals and if you dig up some lawn add some new soil/compost into the area before planting. 

Two, certain plants like gourds or even tomatoes start to look a bit peaky towards the end of the season and may not remain the gorgeous greenery you had envisioned. 

Three, if you run out of room or are renting, note that many crops (especially smaller varieties) can be planted in pots. So even if your front yard is the size of a closet you can still garden. 

Four, some cities frown on such things as front yard raised beds and a fence lined with blackberries, but as far as I know the foothill cities do not have an ordinances against front yard food practices. But just to be sure, check with the city you live in and see what they allow. 

Five, if you’re worried about people plundering your harvest, plant closer to your residence rather than near the street.

Our yard will become a smörgåsbord this summer. I snuggled six heirloom tomato plants in between various peppers and herbs. Pole beans sit near a line of roses and potatoes occupy two pots. The carrots are in a pot on the porch and garlic surrounds the small apple tree near the street. Corn is in the corner and jalapeno peppers pop out from among the fence roses. Lettuce is in a few spots along with onions and more garlic. But driving by, you probably wouldn’t think twice if it wasn’t for the tomato cages. Why? Because the veggies are joined by a variety of perennial and annual flowers. That’s the beauty of front yard gardening. You reap the benefits of having a garden even if it doesn’t look like your standard garden.

That’s not to say you couldn’t have raised planting beds or a row garden out front just for crops. Do that too! You can border the beds with grass, roses or lovely flowering plants. Combine your crops with native plants or others that attract beneficial insects and pay attention to the rules of companion planting.  Find a design that works for you. And remember that just because you want to grow edibles out front doesn’t mean your yard can’t/won’t look good too!

If you want to completely transform your yard, many are chucking the grass and standard shrubs and creating lovely food forests. Look at some of these yards below and you can see just how lush and lovely they can be. These yards incorporate the principles of something called permaculture, which is homesteading at its best.

So whether it’s a single porch pot or a complete front yard transformation think about incorporating edibles into your front yard. You’ll be glad you did. 

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Spring has Sprung!....

The prevalence of blooms (and allergies) lets us know that spring has finally sprung! And I don’t know about you, but I am excited to get going on various projects around the homestead. So here’s a quick overview on a few things to get up and going.

Crop Shop

If you’ve delayed planting your spring/summer garden don’t fear. There’s still plenty of time. If you don’t want to mess with seeds find a nursery and get a few plants. Luis Nursery has a nice selection of heirloom tomatoes and organic herbs, as well as everything else you might need to get your garden growing. If you’ve never planted a garden before start with tomatoes, squash and maybe a couple pepper plants. If you’re an experienced gardener plant what you and your family like to eat. If you end up with too much of something, can or freeze it. Or give it away. Growing your own fruits and veggies is also a great project for kids.

Bunnies, chicks and ducklings, oh my!

Speaking of kids. Now I know you parents can’t resist those adorable chicks, ducklings, or bunnies at the feed store, but don’t get your kids one, or five as an Easter present on a whim unless you’re committed to raising them for at least a few more Easters. These animals require special care, especially in the hot summer months. If you’d like to get into backyard farming, educate yourself and your kids on proper care, get the equipment and then pick up a few critters.

Composting

A nice pre-summer project would be creating a compost pile. I spotted some discounted composters at Home Depot this past weekend (reduced 50%), or you can make your own using wooden pallets. Composting is the simple art of balancing green waste and brown waste like shredded paper, leaves, paper grocery bags, this newspaper, etc. Nature then gradually breaks these materials down with the help of heat and moisture, into rich soil, also known as “black gold” to gardeners. Leave out meat, bones, dairy products, cooking oils and pooh (cat, dog, Aunt Martha’s, etc).

Summer Sizzle

It won’t be long now till we start to warm up here in the Valley. But don’t despair, now is the time to get things ready for summer. From solar dehydrators to stoves, laundry lines to drip irrigation, now is the time to get ready for summer. We recently purchased a large umbrella clothes dryer to install outback and I am excited to dry loads of laundry outdoors all summer long. We’re also planning on building a cheap solar cooker using a Dollar Store reflective car shade so we don’t have to heat up the house using the oven. More details to come on that later.

Spring Cleaning

Now this one is a given, but if you're having trouble getting started it might be time to start with Freecycle.org or Craigslist. If you don't want to have a garage sale then it's time to give stuff away. The simple life stems from decluttering your life and home from unnecessary items. Store what you need and less of what you simply want. It's less to clean and throw out later. 

Grass Be Gone

We are still removing our large patch of green out front, but if you're planning on doing the same, now is time to do it. Recent rainfalls make it easier to dig up grasses like Bermuda and Crabgrass before the ground hardens from the heat. Replacing lawn with drought tolerant native plants can help lower your water usage and draw helpful beneficial insects to your garden as well.

To Market

Valley farmers' markets are now in full-swing. Visalia's is Thursday evenings in downtown. Exeter's is on Tuesday evening, also downtown. Lindsay's Friday night market takes place  near Sweet Briar Plaza. If you're looking for fresh, seasonal produce for cheap this is the place. Even if you don't grow something yourself, you can still dry, can or freeze it. To find a farmer's market near you visit www.cafarmersmarkets.com or www.localharvest.org.