Not quite a farm-yet

Several years ago when Dave's dad visited us he christened our little plot the "Farm in the City". We are in the city limits, and it isn't much of a farm yet, but it is a nice size piece of real estate for a city lot, a little over an acre. The neighborhood kind of has a country feel, or used to when we bought the house over ten years ago. There has been some development etc that has caused it to loose some of that feel, but the houses to our right and left and their lots have stayed much the same; mature oaks and hickorys, some grass, and the ever present kudzu.

We have talked off and on about adding to the small garden, hickory trees, two dogs and a cat that we have already, but the only real, permanent things we have done is to plant some blueberry bushes and a grape vine. Granted, they produce, but we could do so much more. And so it begins, our quest to have a real farm in the city. As of now I am ordering apple trees and blackberry canes and preparing the soil in various parts of  the lot for food next spring. Also, for the first time I am going to plant fall crops, I hope to get some broccoli and cabbage tomorrow. Oh yes, and we are going to get chickens. I am currently planning a coop that we hope to build completely, with the possible exception of the hardware, from salvaged and scrap material. So if you have some extra hinges..........

Spring square foot garden-broccoli, lettuce, cabbage

I thought that writing about what is going on might be interesting to someone else who is on the same quest; a bit of independence and good use of our God given resources. OK, so I thought at least my sister and my mom would read what I have to say. And maybe my brother. And if I'm really lucky, my kids, who are probably going to try to ignore the whole thing. So, off to the next thing, hopefully I'll not lose steam and stop writing, I think it is going to be an interesting year.