Urban Agriculture/Farming

Urban farming is the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in, or around a village, town or city. Urban farming is generally practiced for income-earning or food-producing activities. Urban farming contributes to our food system inpositive ways. It increases the amount of fresh food available to people living in cities, and it provides a close customer-base and income to the farmer. A common and efficient form of urban agriculture is the biointensive method, which allows more food to be grown in less space. Because urban farming promotes energy-saving local food production, urban farming is considered to be sustainable.

Resources for Small-Scale Organic Growers and Market Gardeners

This page is devoted to helping people who want to start marketing produce, but need some guidance and resources to get started. Our emphasis is on sustainable, local and small-scale agriculture. All of the resources listed  are geared toward this way of growing and will help you on your journey of making a living doing what you love. If you have a suggestion for a resource or website to add to our list, please contact us.

	The Sustainable Vegetable Garden (A Backyard Guide to Healthy Soil and Higher Yields) This is a less technical version of Jeavons’s best-selling book on biointensive gardening: How to Grow More Vegetables Written for both the beginner and the experienced gardener, this book is a great introduction to biointensive gardening theory, and includes information on preparing garden beds, composting, starting seeds, growing crops, and collecting seeds. They offer detailed instructions and equations showing how to calculate how many seeds to plant to get the necessary seedlings to fill the suggested garden plans and suggest ways to customize garden plots. Recommended especially for experienced gardeners interested in biointensive gardening.
	How to Grow More Vegetables This is an invaluable tool for anyone interested in growing food organically, and sustainably. This is the book we use to determine plant spacing, yields and planning our planting and harvesting schedules. A must-have for all organic growers! Note that the calculations and numerous charts may intimidate the beginner, who may also need more information on general gardening techniques. Also see The Sustainable Vegetable Garden for an overview treatment of biointensive techniques.
	Ecology Action Booklets These are the basic books for learning the BIOINTENSIVE method; the results of thirty years of research and experience. All you need to know to raise your own food and care for your soil sustainably is here in these books, information sheets and pamphlets, written by John Jeavons, staff, and apprentices.
	Dig It-(John Jeavons Double-Digging Video) This video shows how to prepare your soil better and much more easily by following the techniques John Jeavons has developed while double digging all over the world for the last quarter of a century. Learn directly from the master. These techniques will improve your garden, and its soil, wherever you live. Double-digging should not be viewed as intimidating or drudgery, and Jeavons’ video is the best way (next to a biointensive workshop) to see first-hand how the techniques are applied, and how easy double-digging really is. Have fun digging! Biointensive Workshops and Ecology Action Workshopswith John Jeavons. These workshops are invaluable for gaining a real-world understanding of the biointensive growing techniques. At the workshops you will learn, observe and participate in all aspects of biointensive growing, from planning your garden beds, to starting seeds, transplanting, harvesting and creating your own compost.
	The Backyard Homestead  (Mini Farm and Garden Log Book) For those who want to develop more self-reliance, are considering earning an income from market gardening, or just want to learn how to become more effective food growers. This companion book to How to Grow More Vegetables is the result of ten years of practical garden research and covers such subjects as food from your backyard, beginning to mini-farm, tools you can make (including the U-Bar), plans to build mini-greenhouses, crop profiles and tests, calendars, essential bookkeeping, and much more. This book includes plans for the mini-greenhouses that we use for growing throughout the winter.