City guy farming (Pictures)

kevincarter · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:04 am Post subject: City guy farming (Pictures)

Sadly my preparation plans that involved moving from the city to the rural area crashed frontally with a 10 ft wall of bureaucracy, since all I could do was wait and hope to fix it somehow I decided to do something while waiting, here is what I did.
I searched over and over for a gardening space in the city, I have no back yard, no terrace, nothing, so I went to all places I could think of till I found a group of young people in charge of an enormous space which included an immense garden, I asked them if I could start a food garden there and they saw no problem to it (this is the short version). The place was jungle like, so much that the first time they had cleaned it up they found a car!
All this I’m doing it in order to learn, the amount of food that I’ve been getting is quite small, but also the amount of time that I’ve been investing has been very very small too, what has been great is the teaching. I think if you are planning to have a food garden you should start right now, even if you only start by planting a lettuce on your window. Books can be inspiring, I read lots of them, but once its you and the dirt nothing quite goes as the book (any book) says, so I just try and try.
Starting was the hardest, the land was poor and hard and I had no idea what so ever, not even knew where what trajectory would the sun describe, that caused me A LOT of problems and extra work due to shadows, I’m getting better now.
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blukatzen · Moderator Joined: Apr 11, 2005 Posts: 693

Congratulations on your efforts, and yes, it is important to start right now.

Also important, looking at the soil structure in those pictures, is building compost to nourish and enrich the soil. Can you start a compost pile there at that site? Using compost to enrich the soil is at least a start in the success of the soil and what it has to offer a young plant in nourishment. Also important, manures, do you have access to them via zoos, riding stables, etc.?

Blu

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 893

Thanks for the photos. Glad you are working on it. We do what we can where we are at. Good luck with future plans.

http://www.kurtsaxon.com/foods008.htm

rdsaltpower · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 30, 2006 Posts: 127

Check out gardengirl.com for tons of info on urban gardening. Its an excellent site with many how to videos included.

Ludi · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:52 am Post subject: Re: City guy farming (Pictures)

Great job! Good for you for being persistent and not giving up! cachas

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prairiegyrl · Coal Joined: Jul 03, 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Oklahoma

Kevin,

Those are great pics and it looks like you have a fantastic start. I love the shopping cart garden!

okjoan

mercurygirl · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 1289

I love the shopping cart, too.

Good work. Like blu said, compost! Save your fruit and veg scraps, grass clippings, leaves, weeds, shredded paper, etc. You don't even need manure, unless you want to use it. Compost will make a great difference.

Lots of good info for you on the web. I like gardenweb.com and any of Ludi's posts.

Your avatar is my fave. Smile

taizee · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 22, 2008 Posts: 52

kevincarter · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:16 am Post subject: Re: City guy farming (Pictures)

Thanks for the replies! Yes I’m doing some composting, as a matter of fact I’ve been trying red worm composting and pile composting, red worm has worked better so far. A girl that works with horses has volunteered some horse dung, so I may be trying that too.
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When someone interprets as derogatory almost anything that is said about him (or about groups with whom he identifies) we conclude that he has inferiority feelings or low self-esteem.