A Simple Life in the City

by Julie McMurchie in Lifestyle Choices, June 22, 2009

Living a simple life is by no means an easy way out, but the payoff is worth every drop of sweat and broken fingernail. Urban micro-farming is becoming increasingly popular as a way to survive in today’s economy.

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.

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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.