Urban sprawl. Overcrowding. Suburbia. It all spells life in the city, where everything is at your fingertips. Enter the economy, otherwise known as the arch enemy of most Americans. Life is becoming increasingly difficult to afford. Unemployment rates continue to rise; foreclosures an endless plague. Wouldn’t it be nice to just get away from it all? Oh, to move to the countryside and live off the land. An American dream many of us share. That is all it will ever be for those who are barely hanging on. Home equity has disappeared, sucked up by declining real estate values, leaving families stuck in money pits they once considered their dream homes and longing to live a simpler, cheaper life.

The simple life ain’t so simple, at least not in the city. But, take heart, it isn’t impossible. Time, and definitely a lot of hard work are in your future, because the simple life does not mean easy and effortless. When the payoff comes it will be worth every drop of sweat and broken fingernail. Take on that I can do attitude, and get busy. Your home doesn’t have to be a burden. Put it to work for you. Certainly, there are challenges for the city homeowners who would like to live off their land. Space is always a major constraint. Most city lots are small, some even smaller than what would be considered a small country garden. But, you may be surprised how much food can actually be grown in tight spaces.

When you think of the simple life, what is it that you envision? Most people think farming or gardening, chickens in the backyard and homemade food. Life in the burbs may not allow for a chicken coop, although many cities do allow homeowners to keep a few hens. If you have room and are so inclined, build a coop and get some birds. Not only will you have eggs, you’ll have a  nice supply of garden fertilizer. That being said, a garden should be one of your top priorities. If you have a yard, a patio or balcony, and sunshine you have room for a garden. You may have to take out some of your beautiful landscaping and lush green lawn to plant your garden, and for some, that may be very painful. You cannot survive on flowers and shrubs, and while they may look beautiful, they are sucking up valuable resources that could be used to provide for your family. So give them a kiss goodbye, take a photo for the memories, and dig ‘em up.

Before mega supermarkets, home improvement centers and big box stores life was about being self sufficient. Today, most people in our country have no idea what that really means. Ironically, many of us, even those of us who live on smaller city lots, have the means to provide much of what we buy for ourselves. The problem is not that we don’t have the resources, we lack the know how and the motivation. If the current state of the economy isn’t enough motivation to at least try, I don’t know what is. Now is the time to put our homes to work for us. Grow that garden. Feed your family and put away food for the winter. But, don’t stop there.

Green is the thing. What began as a trend has evolved into a way of life. People want green, organic, locally grown, sustainable and environmentally safe. And, people are willing to pay to learn how to do it, or have someone do it for them. Beyond feeding your family, your gardening skills and even your home garden can provide a respectable income. Backyard gardeners are starting their own businesses in even the largest cities, planting and maintaining small to large vegetable gardens in clients’ homes, on rooftops and in the back lots at local restaurants.

Our home garden has turned into an urban micro-farm. We have completely busted out of the confines of our garden fence, and have spread out and up. Instead of flowers in our planter borders, we grow lettuce, spinach and strawberries. Instead of beautiful flower pots on the patio, we have edible greens growing in an assortment of containers. Vines on the trellises and gazebos are green beans, tomatoes, peas and cucumbers. Wherever we can grow food, we do. Over the past year we have uprooted ornamentals and redesigned our yards, transforming them into a sustainable edible landscape. Beautiful? More so than you can imagine. What could be more stunning than the lush colors of fresh, wholesome food growing right outside your door? The added bonus is the money we earn from the sales of the surplus. Nothing goes to waste, and our water and grocery bills are almost entirely funded by our urban micro-farm.

If you don’t have room to grow food for selling, put your green thumb to work in the neighborhood, growing gardens for people who can’t or won’t do it for themselves. Offer your services to local restaurants. Many chefs would welcome fresh greens and herbs grown on the premises. There are limitless opportunities for the resourceful urbanite. Find yours.

Related Articles

• Every Girl Needs a Good Hoe
• How to Start a Restaurant Gardening Business
• How to Plant a Honey Bee Friendly Garden
• How to Protect Your Garden From Raccoons
• Planting a Profitable Garden
• How to Plant a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden