Urban homesteading takes root

Reap more than you sow with garden projects
By AMY STUMPFL
For Brentwood Home Page
Ask the typical Brentwood resident where to find fresh vegetables, and they’re likely to point you toward the nearest grocery store – or maybe the farmers market, depending on how “earthy” they’re feeling that day.

FHUMC market opens

The Forest Hills United Methodist Church Farmer's Market is now open for the season. Click here for details!

But thanks to a growing movement known as “urban homesteading,” more and more people are engaging in small-scale agriculture and related activities right in their own back yards. For some, it means achieving a level of self-sufficiency through gardening and raising poultry or small livestock. For others, it’s simply about global awareness and reducing our environmental impact through simple living and sustainable practices.

The view just outside Master Gardener Cindy Shapton’s kitchen door last year includes dwarf okra, basils, tomatoes, eggplant, thyme, lemon grass, lemon verbena, hyssop, mint, green beans, peppers and more.  “They sure are handy when you are cooking dinner and need a few tomatoes and herbs!”

At left, Shapton picked up a utility sink at a garage sale and found it to be the perfect place to plant cherry tomato, peppers, eggplant and lots of herbs to spice up dinner.

If you have enough acreage (a mininimum of three is required within Brentwood's city limits), consider having a few chickens. "A good laying hen can produce 24 dozen eggs a year,” says Cindi Shapton. See her gardening tips below.

Whatever the motivation, urban homesteading appears to be taking root in Williamson County. But before you rototill your front yard or buy a herd of alpaca, it’s important to consider your particular space and needs, along with city and county ordinances.

“The great thing about urban homesteading is that it means different things to different people,” says Cindy Shapton, a Master Gardener and herbalist, and former owner of Hyssop Hill Herb Farm in Franklin. “The economy has a lot of people looking for ways to save on the grocery bill, and there’s also a growing awareness of food safety and where our food comes from.

“People think they need a ton of space, but that’s not true,” she adds. “Containers are a great way to get started, especially with herbs and small veggies such as cherry tomatoes. In fact, you can get seeds that are especially designed for containers.

“You can also incorporate edibles right into your existing landscape, including lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes or blueberries. And many communities are allowing people to have chickens on their property now, which is great; a good laying hen can produce 24 dozen eggs a year.”

But before you go out and put in a chicken pen or plant a huge garden on your Brentwood acre, you need to know what the rules are.

 According to Jeff Dobson, planning director for the City of Brentwood, residents are required to have a minimum of 3 acres in order to keep livestock, including chickens. And while there are no specific size restrictions for gardens, fences can be an issue.

“We ask residents to submit a plan before adding any fence to their property,” Dobson says. “We’re not issuing permits, but it’s important to make sure the fence won’t impact public utilities and such.  It’s also important to check with your homeowners’ association before building a fence. It doesn’t happen often, but we do get the occasional call complaining about a neighbor with chickens and that sort of thing.”

Still, Shapton says that homesteading is a great way to get to know your neighbors – whether you’re trading gardening tips or fresh produce.

“Every year, I end up with a bumper crop of something,” she says with a laugh. “Last year, I called it my squash ministry – I took them to everyone I knew. And you never know what you’ll get in return – it can really bring a neighborhood together.”

In the case of Andy Meldrum, urban homesteading provides a meaningful way to give back to the community.

“I started out wanting my three children to eat better, but it quickly became more about helping others,” says Meldrum, who grew up on a small efficiency farm in northern Michigan and has lived in Williamson County since 1990. “A lot of people are struggling these days, but they forget they have a valuable resource right under their feet.”

Meldrum, who does live on several acres outside of Brentwood, last year started raising chickens for meat, putting in a small garden and eventually adding laying hens. He started sharing his bounty with local churches and charitable organizations and soon was approached by like-minded citizens about expanding his efforts. He estimates that he has given away more than 600 chickens over the last year, plus 25 dozen eggs a week and more fresh produce than he can count.

“People have forgotten what the American Dream is all about,” he says. “It’s not about wealth and possessions; it’s being self-sufficient and doing for others.

Learn more about gardening

Fruits of the Backyard – Free educational event on Tuesday, June 14, from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill. Tips on modern garden design, steps to growing healthy plants, and  demonstrations on edible landscaping. Information, visit middletennessee.tennessee.edu or call 931-486-2129.

“I firmly believe you can give your way into prosperity. And while I’m helping others, I can see that my family has benefitted as well. We certainly eat better, and our kids are learning about hard work and the satisfaction of doing it themselves. I can afford to eat wherever I want, but there is something special about growing your own food.”

Brentwood resident Renee Hart agrees, noting that urban homesteading represents precious time with her family.

“We live in such a disposable society,” says Hart, who started seriously gardening last year, planting everything from tomatoes and peppers to watermelon and zucchini. “The economy is not great, but that really wasn’t the driving factor for us. I just wanted to give my three kids a different experience, get them away from the television and electronics, and out in garden to see what they could do.”

The results have been impressive. Despite last year’s flooding and record heat, Hart says the garden was a great experience.

“The whole family is involved – it’s something we can do together,” she says. “I love watching them walk out into the garden, pick a tomato off the vine and eat it like an apple. And six cucumber plants produced fresh cukes all summer, plus 20 quarts of pickles.

“My 8-year-old is already talking about carving his own pumpkin for Halloween this year – the one that he planted himself.”

 

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Tips to Make Your Garden Grow

Master Gardener Cindy Shapton offers the following suggestions for novice homesteaders:  Start Small “It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you take on more than you can really handle. Start with containers or a small kitchen garden, pick a sunny area with easy access to water and plant away. Once you get a little experience under your belt, you can expand a little bit each year. And you’ll be amazed at how much produce you can grow in a small space.”  Consider Raised Beds “Soil can be problem in this area, but that’s where raised beds can help. Choose a sunny location with easy access to water and use rocks or boards to frame them up. Fill the beds with good compost – there are plenty of farms that sell compost and it’s well worth the small investment. Remember that if the soil is good, your garden will be good, with fewer pests and better production.” Stay Engaged “Gardening is not difficult, but you have to stay in touch with it. Too many people put their gardens out in the back corner of their property, and forget about it. Make a point of walking through every day – that way you’ll notice what’s working and what’s not, what needs attention or water. You can pull a couple of weeds before you’re completely overrun. It’s good for the garden, and it’s a great stress reliever.” Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor “A lot of people are nervous about canning and preserving fresh produce, but it’s really not that difficult. There are several methods and plenty of resources and information available on the topic. I personally do a lot of dehydrating, but freezing is probably the easiest way to enjoy homegrown produce all winter long.”