My Home Organic Sustainable Mini-Farm 2007

What a title. Sounds like a lot to live up to, but actually its very simple. My backyard is approximately 30' x 100'. I am permitted to keep 3 chickens on my property, according to my city ordinance. I live in Northern California, where the weather is mild year round. I plant a cover crop in the winter with fava beans, to add nitrogen back into my soil. I have been composting and improving my soil for 10 years. I don't use any pesticides or chemical fertilizers. I grow many flowers and herbs to attract beneficial insects. I don't have any disease problems.

Keeping Chickens - each chicken lays a delicious organic, free range egg daily (except during the shortest days of the year, between November and February). My chickens eat lots of insects and kitchen scraps, to produce the perfect combination of protein and fat, the healthiest food for me to eat.

Composting - decomposing kitchen and garden scraps to improve my soil, by adding nutritients back into it

Raised Beds - with copper barriers to keep snails out

Raised Beds - protected with bird netting to keep chickens out while growing vegetables