With food prices rising there has been a resurgence of interest in urban and suburban farming in our more developed communities. I've enjoyed gardening for many years. At one point my projects included rabbit production, a 1 1/2 acre vegetable garden, 15 fruit trees, 65 chickens, a half acre berry patch, and 6 honey bee hives. Scraps went to the very happy animals, their manure and weeds went to the compost pile, and everything was integrated.
With my time increasingly limited I gradually stopped most of my projects instead planting seedlings and creating a wetland area on the far back section of the property. With gas and food prices climbing I've again started growing vegi's and have 10 chickens that should start laying soon. I'll continue the wildlife areas - less labor and fuel intensive.
Edible landscapes from dwarf fruit trees, blueberry hedges, and nut trees are all ways we can introduce food production into our landscapes - and it's fun! When tastefully done edible landscaping can add to a home's value just as any other quality landscaping.
Some helpful links:
Edible Landscaping: Ohio State University
Fruits and Nuts for Edible Landscaping: Purdue University
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