“It’s important for people to grow their own food because ultimately food production is power and self-determination.”
What advice would you give to someone hoping to start urban farming?
Start small. Don’t take on too much or you’ll get frustrated. Also, grow food that you buy at the store/farmers market–this will guarantee you will harvest and eat your crop. For me that is carrots, potatoes, and salad greens–easy and delicious. My new book, the Essential Urban Farmer, covers how to start, and keep urban farming.
What is your favorite thing to grow? What is your favorite dish from the food that you grow?
My favorite thing on the farm is the honeybee hive. Bees are lovely creatures that help pollinate my fruit trees, and I get the most amazingly tasty honey from them. One of my favorite snacks is milk from my goats with a dollop of honey, warmed up.
Do you think it’s important for people to grow their own food, and why?
It’s important for people to grow their own food because ultimately food production is power and self-determination.
Do you think the urban farming movement is growing? Why?
Urban farming is growing, more people live in cities now more than ever and people are more open to urban agriculture. There’s more information on the internet and in books that advise best practices for growing food in a small scale. Also, increasingly, people are motivated by flavor, and home-grown food is usually the tastiest.
