Housely
When you think farming or ‘organic food production’ the first thing that comes to mind is the countryside. Acres and acres of lush green vegetation but not for this Southern California family that has converted their 0.1 acre (4,000 square feet) backyard to an awesome ‘Urban farm’ that you have to see to believe. And that is not all; they’re only 15 minutes from the city. In the owner’s (Jules) words ‘I brought the country to the city.’ Typically it is always the other way around but there is nothing typical about this family.
It all began 10 years ago when Jules bought some taco shells for dinner and learned a bit too late they were being recalled as they had accidentally been made with genetically modified corn. He felt obliged to give his family nothing but the best which in this case was organic food. Genetically modified produce has been linked to having some adverse effects especially after prolonged use. “The path to freedom” is what he dubbed his radical plan to take control of the issue in his own hands, quite literally. He converted his ‘small’ backyard into the ultimate ‘urban farm.’
It’s a family affair and his 2 daughters and son are actively involved in the day-to-day activities of running the farm. Taking care of the crops and animals also provides a great bonding ground for the family in today’s world where everybody is glued to either the screens of their computers/tablets or smart phones.
Not only do they grow crops but they also keep a couple of different animals on site. The ducks and chickens lay thousands of eggs in a year and they also help in controlling the bugs which is a big bonus. With over 400 varieties of vegetables, fruits and edible flowers, this backyard garden is well diversified. The demand for organic food is high and chefs are always at their door seeking to buy the fresh produce in order to create the best meals.
The family earns $20,000 a year from their front porch sales alone. However, the family keeps their expenditures low. They only buy things they don’t grow such as wheat. They do not have microwave ovens or electricity powered blenders. Instead they opt for hand powered tools most of the time. The little electricity they use is generated by solar panels. A maximum of 12 dollars a month is what they spend on electricity.
To top it off, they have a self-service bio-diesel brewing station which translates to very little money being spent on gas. The diesel is generated from used grease by restaurants and the family gets it delivered to their doorstep for free.
Despite the farm being a huge success, it takes a lot of hard work to keep this urban farm up and running. Jules’ son Justin recalls different years when frost and destructive insects wiped out all the crops. The most recent and perhaps most alarming challenge is climate change. Justin speaks of a ‘June Bug’ that is supposed to come out in June just as the name suggests, but now comes out between July-August which is a definite sign of the effects of global warming.
An ancient irrigation method such as the clay pot irrigation is what the family uses to keep the crops alive as they cannot depend on nature to do so due to unreliable rainfall patterns. With about 6 million views a month to their website, the family is not technologically inferior either. They are a true pioneer in what the future of farming may hold.
Source: Valhalla Movement
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