Front Yard Farming
The single most irrigated crop in the United States is grassy lawn. Yep, 40 million acres of lawn for which Americans collectively spend about $40 billion annually on seed, sod and chemicals. And then there's all that water. If you include golf courses, lawns in America cover an area roughly the size of New York State and require 238 gallons of (usually drinking-quality) water per person, per day. According to the EPA, nearly a third of all residential water use in the US goes toward what is euphemistically known as "landscaping." - Planet Green
Growing food not grass. Providing not only beauty but food, medicine and income.
The other day we received a phone call from a young lady who was impressed over the front yard’s edible landscaping and wondered if we paid for any “professional help.” I informed her that “no, we did it ourselves.”
The transformation from home to homestead has been an organic evolution (25 plus years in the making) – slow with many trials and efforts.
The front yard has undergone several “edible” revisions over the last 20 years and we still do this day have grow along with our garden.
A DIY spirit resides with us urban homesteaders, we like get dirty and do things ourselves. And I think that’s what makes a garden successful is the personal input that you put into it – the garden is an extension of your heart and soul. You are the only one that know the hottest, coldest, driest, wettest and every idiosyncrasy of your yard.
"Practical P's"
Steps to making a successful front yard edible garden
1. pretty – be conscious of your neighbors. First thing is you should ask yourself “would I live next door to me.”
2. productive – be innovative and use every square inch, be willing to try new edibles varieties
3. practical – use natural growing methods to conserve water and resources
4. personal – DIY and let your edible garden develop into an extension of your very own needs and desires
Hopefully these steps will help you transform your front yards into something beautiful and productive.
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Oh, these practical p's rock!
See I wouldn't be good at that 1st P, I think fields planted with crops are pretty. Good thing I live in the country! Haha
#1 is the most important. If I lived next to you would love looking at your yard. However, I live next door to a lady that does nothing to her yard. If it were not for other neighbors and myself her yord would never have been mowed in the last 15 years. As it is, shrubs and trees have taken over her foundation to the point that you can't see the house form the road. The front grass is mowed by neighbors, without a thanks or even a wave. I would hate to think what the yard would have looked like if a neighbor like this attempted front yard produce.
I think that no mater where your garden is located in your yard it must be maintained to your neighborhhoods standards. Having said this I would never lilve in a neighborhood with restrictions, and I love the idea of front yard gardens. Two maple trees and a couple of dog- woods dominate our front yard. So maple surup seems the only thing possible there at this time.
[...] Front yard farming. With edible landscaping you sometimes sacrifice beauty for productivity and so it is with our front yard. Check out our Four Practical P’s to growing food in the front yard. [...]
Ok so being a new homeowner and excited to try and be a responsible one at that, I would love to have an edible front yard garden. However I'm also new to gardening and landscaping in general and would benefit greatly from a list of plants that fit into the practical P's and any ideas or suggestions you might have about where to put particular varietes.
The landscape above is a perfect example of form and function. We deal with below freezing temps here so our plan may look a bit different. You inspire me!