PDF of entire issue – article page 50 - LA Guerrilla Gardening

116 Pages·2010·12.19 MB·English

From Hobby Farms® Magazine
MARCH/APRIL 2011
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1x2 toc 12/20/10 10:51 AM Page 1
MARCH/APRIL 2011 VOLUME 3 • NUMBER 2
40
features
24
12 Sustainability: Coming 44 Portable Sunshine
Build a grow-light stand for starting
to a City Near You
seeds this season. We don’t look at it
From accessible recycling facilities to as cheating, just padding your
green-building requirements, cities and seedlings’ odds. by Bill Bradley
towns are making sustainable strides.
48
by Pattie Baker Where Urban Meets Farm:
Clandestine Seeds
24 Coop Sweet Coop
You don’t need a cloak and mask to be a
Before you bring your new flock to
guerrilla gardener, just the creativity and
your yard, make sure their home
resolve these folks share for greening
meets their—and your city’s—needs.
city blocks. by Lora Shinn
by Christine Heinrichs
40 Springing Ahead 54 Blueprint for Blueberries
Don’t wait til the freeze breaks. Start If you share the UFeditors’ love for
your seeds now for your most productive these yummy little fruits, you can grow
some for yourself in containers or your
spring garden yet. by Debbie Moors
backyard. by Jessica Walliser
58 The Birds and the Bees
12 Fruits and veggies aren’t brought here
by storks, you know. It takes pollina- 54
tion with a little help from the birds
and the bees (and a few other
insects). by Amy Grisak
66 Arts and Grafts
Witha snip here and a tuck there,
these easy steps will have you on your
way to grafting an orchard for your
urban backyard. by Jim Ruen
72 A Garden for Every Plot
Think your yard is too steep for a
garden?Think again—and build this
tiered garden to make the most of
your lot. by Laura Hill
COVER PHOTO BY JOHN SWITHINBANK/ALAMY
MARCH/APRIL 2011 1
1x2 toc 12/20/10 10:52 AM Page 2
78 From the Ground Up
Starting a community garden is no easy
feat and often complicated by zoning
and soil issues. Read about how the
Venice Community Garden grew over one
season’s time. by Peter Bennett
84 Farm & Forage
Danielle and Justin Leszcz aren’t your
typical next-door neighbors, unless
your next-door neighbors grow corn in
their front yard and raise pigeons,
chickens, ducks and goats out back.
by Sharon Biggs Waller
92 Small-time Sugarin’
Make maple syrup from the trees in your
neighborhood. Seriously!
by Lynda King 84
100
Urban Farm Road Trip:
78
Detroit
departments
Motor City is seeing a renaissance like
few other towns can boast. What was
once chrome is going green.
3 UrbanFarmOnline.com
by John D. Ivanko
5 At Farm & Main
columns
6 Mail Slot
20 Backyard Coop 8 UF Newsfeed
Kelly Wood
104 Urban Storefront
32 Curbside Tools
Chicken-keeping Equipment 106 UF Connects
Christine Heinrichs
109 Marketplace
36 Green Thumb
Frank Hyman 111 Classified Advertising
88 Urban Feast
112 One Thing
Amy Cotler
Novella Carpenter
92
20 88
2 URBANFARM • urbanfarmonline.com
@
3 web col 2 12/20/10 11:16 AM Page 3
UrbanFarmOnline.com
Sustainable city living at your fingertips
Lay Eggs Here
Easter’s just around the corner, but you
don’t have to go on an egg hunt for
tomorrow’s breakfast. Give your hens a
comfy place to lay by building them a
nest box. Get step-by-step instructions at
www.urbanfarmonline.com/buildnestbox.
You Said It!
Have you ever tried grafting plants?
YES NO What’s
grafting?
25% 72%
3%
Ready for a new urban-farm project? Turn to page 66 A
M
to learn how to graft fruit and nut trees. NIKS
N
U
M
A
LIS
So Popular
Do you have a glamorous garden or coop others flock
to see? Share the details in your Farmer in the City
Mission
profile (www.urbanfarmonline.com/cityfarmer) and find
out how you can be named Farmer of the Month
Possible
(www.urbanfarmonline.com/fotm).
A brown lot is one enemy that must not
Chicken
prevail. The UFeditors reveal their tactics
for making seed bombs and take you Stats—STAT
along on a covert greening mission
at www.urbanfarmonline.com/
seedbombvid. Get a quick reference for vital
chicken info—physiological,
reproductive and anatomical—at
www.urbanfarmonline.com/chickenstats.
MARCH/APRIL 2011 3
4x5 mast farm main 12/20/10 11:19 AM Page 4
How to Contact
URBAN FARM® Magazine
www.urbanfarmonline.com
email: [email protected]
Twitter:@UrbanFarmMag
Facebook:www.facebook.com/ MARCH/APRIL 2011 ★ VOLUME 3 : NUMBER 2
urbanfarm
Editor:Lisa Munniksma Associate Publisher:Mark Hunkeler
P.O. Box 8237, Lexington, KY 40533
Managing Editor:Jason Russo Advertising Sales Manager, West:Tom Brazil
Advertising Sales Director, Detroit:
Associate Editor:Sarah Dorroh Sweeney
Mail Slot:Send comments about
Jeff Lantzy
articles, tips and personal experiences Associate Web Editor:Rachael Brugger
Advertising Sales Representatives:
you would like to share. Assistant Editor:Abby Tripp Kenrick Murrell, Angel Ross, Maya Salazar
Art Direction:Douglas A. Kraus Collateral Sales
UFNewsfeed &UFConnects:Submit
news, resources and calendar items you’d Contributing Editors:Sarah E. Coleman, Training and Project Manager: Michael Pavia
like to see in UFNewsfeed or UFConnects. Roger Sipe, Stephanie Staton Classified Designer:Terri Wazny
Classified Sales Manager:Shanda Ogas
Production Coordinator:Theresa Rahlwes
Urban Storefront: If you are a manu- Marketing Associate:Jennifer Ketchersid Classified Assistant Sales Supervisor:
facturer or distributor of products or Marketing Manager:Mica Matvia Debbie Grant
services for the urban farmer, please send Consumer Marketing Manager:Nikki Dutra Classified Support Coordinator:
a press release detailing your item, along Marketing and Fulfillment Specialist: Shawna Sandoval
with a high-quality, high-resolution Nancy Reinertson Prepress Team
digital color photo.
Imaging Team Karen Bartz, Frank Esteinou, Shawn Fung,
Gina Cioli, Pamela Hunnicutt Jorge Lopez, Myles Nguyen, Paul Rosales
Urban Feast: Contribute your food- or
kitchen-related tips, recipes or hints to
SALESOFFICES Urban Farm is published by
share with our readers.
IRVINE
P.O. Box 6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690-6050
UF Chef: Let us know about a sustain- 949-855-8822, fax: [phone] (A Division of BowTie, Inc.)
able-foods advocate who you’d like to
EASTCOAST Chairman of the Board: Norman Ridker
see profiled. 40 Broad St, Freehold, NJ 07711 CFO: Nicole Fabian
732-531-1995, fax: [phone]
V.P., Advertising: Jeff Scharf
Green Thumb: If you have a seasonal Shirley Pittman
V.P., Consumer Marketing: Dolores Whitlo
tip or tidbit related to urban gardening, 631-979-3585, fax: [phone]
V.P., Chief Content Officer: June Kikuchi
send it to us. CHICAGO
Controller: Craig Wisda
477 Butterfield, Suite 200, Lombard, IL 60148
Urban Farm Road Trip: If you’d like 630-515-9493, fax: [phone] IT Director:Charles Lee
UFto visit your city and experience the Mark Hunkeler Manufacturing Director: Rich Gomez
sustainable initiatives taking place DETROIT Editorial Director, Internet:Melissa Kauffman
there, give us the insider’s scoop on 1719 Crooks, Suite 101, Royal Oak, MI 48067 Production Manager:Laurie Panaggio
what’s happening. 586-713-5327, fax: [phone] Human Resources Director: Cherri Buchanan
Jeff Lantzy Marketing Director: Lisa MacDonald
One Thing: Who would you like to hear LEXINGTON Internet Marketing Director: Michelle Williams
sustainable-living advice from?Tell us! P.O. Box 8237, Lexington, KY 40533
859-260-9800, fax: [phone] EDITORIAL OFFICE
Angel Ross P.O. Box 8237, Lexington, KY 40533
Manuscript and Photograph
Submissions:Unsolicited manuscripts LOS ANGELES 888-245-3699, fax: [phone]
P.O. Box 57900, Los Angeles, CA 90057
and photographs are welcome on an 213-385-2222, fax: [phone] PRODUCTION OFFICE
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Tom Brazil, Kenrick Murrell, Stella Otero, P.O. Box 6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690-6050
edged or returned unless accompanied by
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a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Send
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photographs, but Urban Farmmagazine Visit us online: www.custmag.com/ubf
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constraints. 2804. Corporate headquarters is located at 2401 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057-0900. Postmaster:Send address changes to
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4 URBANFARM • urbanfarmonline.com
4x5 mast farm main 12/20/10 11:19 AM Page 5
A T F A R M A N D M A I N
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Turning Gray Skies Blue i
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ne thing I really don’t like about win- s
i
ter is that the skies are gray pretty l

much from November through March. y
b
I’ve found this is the case here in
Kentucky more than anywhere I’ve
lived. As I write this, it’s 31 degrees F and cloudy.
This weekend’s forecast: 47 and rain on Saturday;
28 and snow on Sunday. Ah, winter—why do you
keep spring away?
Being an outdoorsy person, I get antsy when
the weather drives me indoors for too long. We
were blessed with a mild fall, so I really shouldn’t
complain. The weather cooperated so well that
the Urban Farmeditors were able to do some fun
videos and photo shoots that you’ll be seeing
over the coming year.
Filming the video accompaniment to “Where
Urban Meets Farm: Clandestine Seeds” (page 48),
R
about guerrilla gardening, was a riot! Contributing GE
G
U
editor Stephanie Staton and I (shown here with our R
B
UF-shaped seed bombs) made seed bombs, donned AEL
H
our super-stealthy guerrilla-gardening gear and AC
R
seed-bombed lots that needed love. We attracted
The promise of a break in the winter
the attention of neighbors and even had a police
officer ask us what we were doing. (He was
weather that will allow us to put together
delighted by the idea and asked us to come back
again in the spring!) The video is more comedy
more fun video and photo shoots for you
than documentary, but you’ll learn how to make
seed bombs, and you might get a kick out of our
to enjoy gives me a boost, too.
Mission Impossible-style expedition. Check out the
video at www.urbanfarmonline.com/seedbombvid.
Just after that video shoot, the winds blew in
along with the clouds, and I’ve been partially chicken-keeper Kelly Wood’s “Backyard Coop”
cooped up since. But as we get over the hump of column (page 20) prepares you for what you might
winter, talk of springtime and new-chick arrivals find during the first year of your hens’ laying
livens up my dreary-weather blahs. How can efforts. (You might want to finish eating your
peeping chicks not make you smile? With this in breakfast eggs before you read this!)
mind, we deliver in the chicken department this So while I whine about the gray skies and
issue. If you’re new to backyard chickens, “Coop freezing temperatures, I can at least get a jump
Sweet Coop” (page 24) outlines what you need to on gardening by starting seeds indoors, thanks to
know to keep your chickens safe and comfortable in “Springing Ahead” (page 40) and “Portable
their home while keeping your neighbors happy in Sunshine” (page 44). And the promise of a break
theirs. Likewise, “Curbside Tools” (page 32) provides in the winter weather that will allow us to put
a round-up of chicken-keeping equipment so you together more fun video and photo shoots for you
can be ready for your hens’ arrival. And Portland to enjoy gives me a boost, too. uf
MARCH/APRIL 2011 5
6x7 mail 12/20/10 11:23 AM Page 6
l S L O T Readers sound off
i
a
m
Abuzz Over Bees Inspirational Brew
I’d like to commend I bought your Fall 2010 Urban Farmmagazine
Urban Farmin general because of the “BYOB” article and because my
and Cherie Langlois husband wanted to brew beer; however, the mag-
specifically for a very azine showed mehow things are doable and gave
nice article on top bar me a lot of ideas.
beekeeping in the Fall Some magazines make you feel like it is
2010 issue (“Bee Flys “beyond” what normal people can do, and—let’s
Into a Bar”). Obviously face it—Martha makes it look easy. But the reality
well-researched, using is, everything takes work. Gardening in a desert
sources from around is a challenge, believe me, and sometimes you
the globe, the article did a beautiful job of high- just get nothing for all your work. But I’m going
lighting the many good features and benefits of to keep doing it because I love it.
top bar hives. So thank you for giving me hopealong with
The origins of top bar beekeeping had much cool tools to make my life easier for the next
to do with its simplicity and ease of use. Every project. Can’t wait to get a subscription so I can
backyard beekeeper could do it. The simplicity keep learning more.
was overshadowed by increasingly mechanized Dana Pratt, Santa Cruz, N.M.
and industrial agricultural practices, in both
Sustainability Without Borders
farming and beekeeping. Mono-cropping, pesticide
sprays, chemical fertilizers, and—more recently—
migratory pollination, genetically modified crops Just received my first subscription issue and was
and systemic pesticides began to be thought of surprised to get it so early—happy, though!
as the “norm” in farming. The effects of these Although I do not live in the city and am a
*
practices are becoming apparent today, and they “country girl” on 10 acres in Alabama, I am thor-
are frightening. oughly enjoying your magazine. I think there are
Do you have some- But the SOLD farm—small, organic, local and articles for everyone, whether they live in the
thing to say about diverse—is returning, and one of the best things city, ’burbs or the country.
this issue or some- about such farms is that they are managed in I especially enjoyed the article “Permanent
thing you want to such a way that they support bees! On a small, Culture” by Erik Knutzen (January/February
share with Urban local farm, there is diverse, organic forage for 2011). It is something everyone should consider
Farmreaders? Let bees throughout the growing season. This may trying in their quest for sustainability.
us know at seem a minor thing, but it is huge—for people, Deborah Carlson, Prattville, Ala.
[email protected], for farmers and for bees!
We Asked Facebook
or write on our We need to relearn to farm in ways that sup-
Facebook wall at port bees, and thankfully, it looks like we’re
www.facebook.com/ going to do it! We said:The January/February 2011 Urban Farm
urbanfarm. Christy Hemenway, is on newsstands now. We’d love to hear your
Gold Star Honeybees, Bath, Maine thoughts about this issue.
6 URBANFARM • urbanfarmonline.com
6x7 mail 12/20/10 1:01 PM Page 7
And you responded: Will be reading on the mag stand this time; can’t
Great mag! Super stoked on the subscription! really stand to read in my living room about meat
Dan Klinge, Jr. rabbits when my pet rabbits are 3 feet away.
Other articles look good, though!
Great Issue! Although I am a bit biased—I am Kristen Menichelli
quoted and our company is mentioned in the
article, “The Great Garden Scheme,” starting on Kristen, I was thinking the same thing when I saw
page 42. Urban Farmmagazine rules! Thanks, guys! the article in the table of contents, but on reading
Michael C. Podlesny the article I found only a small section was devoted
to meat rabbits, fortunately. (I also have a couple
My first thought: Hooray! It came in the mail. My rabbits hopping around my living room.) Mostly, the
next thought: “Oh, look, a letter expressing the article lightly touched on all the many reasons for
same thing I was thinking earlier this year— owning and caring for rabbits.
written by someone with the same name!?” Took Alinda Sue Harrison
a full 30 seconds to notice the “Facebook” desig-
nation. Hah. In my defense, I was on Nyquil. I know some people who have pet turkeys, too,
Becky Leach but that doesn’t stop millions of Americans from
feasting on Thanksgiving. LOL! I don’t eat meat
Nice intro to permaculture. Would like to read rabbits, but lots of people do. They can be more
more about that. economical than chickens.
Brian Stretch Angela England uf
United States Department of Agriculture
Circle No. 129 on the Reader Service Card
MARCH/APRIL 2011 7
8x11 news 12/20/10 11:28 AM Page 8
f N E W S F E E D News and views for urban farmers
u
BY SARAH E. COLEMAN
Street Smart
SWAP-O
RAMA
USE
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www.nyc.gov/greencarts AU
L
Hotdog stands are a ubiqui- The New York City Department of If you’ve been thrifting lately, you know
tous and well-loved New Health and Mental Hygiene found 40 that sometimes just-out-of-fashion duds
York tradition, but stands percent of New York schoolchildren can be found for cheap. With new trends
selling fresh fruits and veggies? (250,000 kids) from kindergarten coming into style every season, a surplus of
They sound too good to be true. through eighth grade are overweight clothing results.
Although eating fruits and veg- or obese. The presence of Green In keeping with the reduce-reuse-recycle
etables is undeniably part of a Carts throughout the neighbor- theme, the Swap-O-Rama-Rama clothing swap
healthy lifestyle, sometimes it’s hoods encourages these kids to eat uses the existing surplus of clothing to create
tough to find fresh produce in the healthier foods instead of the more newly recycled goods without consuming addi-
city. Enter 1,000 Green Carts— readily available convenience-store tional raw materials. Incorporating local artisans
mobile food carts that sell locally junk food. Kids take field trips to and a do-it-yourself attitude, Swap-O-Rama-Rama
sourced fresh fruits and vegetables local Green Carts to learn about the helps break down the barrier between consumer
in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, nutritional value of fruits and veg- and creator by inviting individuals to lay claim to
Queens and Staten Island. When etables; after learning about the pro- the creativity lost to commercial textile arts.
fully implemented, it’s estimated duce, many kids ask their parents to Every swap begins with a big pile of clothing
this initiative will result in 75,000 shop there, providing whole-family brought by attendees. Participants dig in, find
New Yorkers eating more fresh benefits. Some Green Carts even their next new-to-them items from the pile, and
fruits and veggies, which could accept WIC allotments. head to a sewing station for a demonstration by
save an average of 50 lives per year Learn more about Green Carts at a local artist about how to make modifications to
in the long term. www.nyc.gov/greencarts. or totally transform these finds. All the materials
8 URBANFARM • urbanfarmonline.com