Urban Farming

Urban farming or homesteading has become increasingly popular during the recent economic downturn.  Some families have begun producing their own food to save money.  Others enjoy the control over what goes into their food, and therefore, their bodies. Whatever your reason for raising chickens, keeping bees, or growing fruits and vegetables, we hope the resources below will help your urban farm thrive.

Catalog Links

• The Backyard Beekeeper
  

  This title makes the time-honored and complex tradition of beekeeping an enjoyable and accessible backyard pastime that will appeal to gardeners, crafters, and cooks everywhere. This edition also gives you information on "greening" your beekeeping with sustainable practices, pesticide-resistant bees, and urban and suburban beekeeping.

  
  
  
• The Backyard Goat
  

  This is the complete beginner s guide to raising goats at home. Whether you want to raise goats for their milk and fiber or keep them as pets or companion animals, this book covers all the essentials. You ll learn how to choose the right goats for your needs and space, house and feed them, keep them healthy, and train them to do simple tricks, pull and drive carts, and serve as pack goats. Y read more >>
  
  

  This is the complete beginner s guide to raising goats at home. Whether you want to raise goats for their milk and fiber or keep them as pets or companion animals, this book covers all the essentials. You ll learn how to choose the right goats for your needs and space, house and feed them, keep them healthy, and train them to do simple tricks, pull and drive carts, and serve as pack goats. You ll also learn how to milk, shear, breed, raise newborn kids, and more. The Backyard Goat makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of owning goats, with no experience necessary.

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• Chick Days
  

  There's nothing more local than an egg freshly laid right in your own yard. But what should you expect when you're adopting a couple of day-old chicks? This title offers an entertaining and informative photographic guide for today's fledgling chick parent.

  
  
  
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Urban Homesteading
  

  How to save money, time, and the environment-on the urban frontier. Anyone can learn how to live sustainably and responsibly-and save money and time-in any urban environment. Expert urban homesteader Sundari Elizabeth Kraft shares her hands-on knowledge of: growing organic foods and preserving them; composting; raising small livestock a read more >>
  
  

  How to save money, time, and the environment-on the urban frontier. Anyone can learn how to live sustainably and responsibly-and save money and time-in any urban environment. Expert urban homesteader Sundari Elizabeth Kraft shares her hands-on knowledge of: growing organic foods and preserving them; composting; raising small livestock and chickens; generating electricity and biofuels; and other ways to cut costs and live green. This book has all the information required to become a successful urban homesteader in any city. Practical advice on everything from composting to clean energy. 

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• The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables Book
  

  Growing vegetables is a rewarding-and cost-effective-way to eat better for less.  Look to this book to find affordable tips on how to plant and harvest more than thirty common vegetables, from spinach and eggplant to corn and beans.

  
  
  
• Homegrown Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs
  

  Like the Victory gardens of World War II, food gardens planted in sunny yards during these economically challenging times can provide families with nourishing, delicious food at a fraction of the cost to buy it at a supermarket. What's more, families know that the food they grow themselves using natural pesticides and minimal or no synthetic fertilizers is safe from the many E. coli and  read more >>
  
  

  Like the Victory gardens of World War II, food gardens planted in sunny yards during these economically challenging times can provide families with nourishing, delicious food at a fraction of the cost to buy it at a supermarket. What's more, families know that the food they grow themselves using natural pesticides and minimal or no synthetic fertilizers is safe from the many E. coli and other "tainted-food scares" of recent years.

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• Keeping Chickens
  

  Colorful, lively characters, chickens have become the hottest new garden accessory. This book shows enthusiasts exactly how to care for these endearing pets. The book covers everything from choosing the right breed to feeding and housing. Also, there are sections on egg recipes, feather-and-egg craft projects and even a look at how chickens interact with children and other pets.

  
  
  
• Your Farm in the City
  

  A fairly comprehensive book on urban farming, covering everything from growing organic produce and raising chickens, to running a small farm on a city lot or in a suburban backyard.

  
  
  

Web Links

• DeKalb County Code of Ordinances

  Be sure to check local ordinances to make sure you are in compliance.

• DeKalb County Extension Office

  The Extension Office serves the residents of DeKalb County by providing them with the most current information in horticulture, agriculture and the environment. This information is available through one-on-one visits, phone calls, emails, our website, public-training programs, mailings, newsletters, and media outlets. 

• Garden in the Parks Program

  Want information on starting a community garden?  DeKalb County's Gardens in the Parks website is a great place to start.

• Georgia Organics

  Georgia Organics is a member supported, non-profit organization connecting organic food from Georgia farms to Georgia families.

• Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association

  Contact this organization for answers to your hive management questions.

• UGA Center for Urban Agriculture Factsheets

  A lengthy list of factsheets from the University of Georgia's Center for Urban Agriculture. Although not restricted to vegetable gardening, the list includes such titles as: Herbs in the Landscape; Growing Asparagus; Mulching Vegetables; Snakes and their Control; How to Handle Dead Birds; Summer Vegetable Garden Care, and many more topics relevant to the urban farmer.