Urban Homesteading at its Best

My plan this morning was to start working immediately after getting up and starting a pot of coffee. As usual, I distracted myself all weekend with gardening and homesteading—I made a loaf of bread in my new pullman loaf pan. I went to Home Depot and found containers on sale I plan to use for planting my chitted potatoes. I did 2 loads of laundry, cooked (made a free-range chicken stew with homemade chicken stock and homegrown cabbage), swished a couple of toilets, and other routine household chores. In short, I did everything but work.

The highlight, and I do mean highlight, of my weekend, though, was reading. My sister, Cori, sent me a book called "Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer" written by Novella Carpenter. I think it's the best gift she's ever given me and I know it's the best book I've read on urban homesteading. In short, it's the autobiographical tale of Novella's fascinating life journey of creating an urban homestead in the ghetto section of Oakland, California called Ghost Town. In an abandoned lot next to the apartment she rents, amid abandoned cars and homes, homeless people, gunshots, and poverty, she has created a thriving urban farm, complete with chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, goats, rabbits, vegetables, and fruit, and she documents it all with hilarious, descriptive clarity.

I haven't even finished reading it, but all I can say is it's a must-read for anyone interested in urban homesteading. Heck, it's a must read for anyone who enjoys reading.

A video interview with Novella Carpenter:

And where to buy it:

I can't wait to finish reading it!