You’ve read Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver. You’ve watched Jamie Oliver and vowed to eat healthier, organic and local food. You want to make some changes, but where do you start? The Urban Farm Handbook Challenge, of course!
Twelve months, eleven challenges and one reflection month, all on your schedule and at your level of ease.
How can you say no? Throughout the Urban Farm Handbook we walk you through a year’s worth of change from grains to dairy to vegetables to protein. We offer you both simple and crazy ways to get you on the bus. But now it’s time to get real. That bus is coming for you. Will you get on it?
To help convince you, we’re rounding up other inspiring bloggers to host monthly challenges. And I’ve got to say – I’m super excited about these hosts and challenges and I think you will be too. Let’s check them out:
February: Soil building. It’s too early to garden outdoors in most parts of the country but we can ready our soil. We’ll learn about worm bins, green manures, composting, biochar and amendments with some fun prizes thrown in for random winners.
March: Home Dairy. You don’t need goats or a cow to get started with home dairy. We’ll be learning about simple cheeses, yogurt, buttermilk and creme fraiche.
April: Gardening. It’s time to start sowing seeds indoors, outdoors, and in containers. Wherever you are you have room for something! Erica with NW Edible Life will share all the dirt.
May: Foraging. Hank Shaw from Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook will be challenging you to find food on the fly.
June: Botanicals. We’ll look at herbal oils, teas and tinctures to keep you glowing and healthy, both inside and out.
July: Seed Saving. Learn to save your own seeds from the garden or farmer’s market.
August: Preserving. From eating seasonally and cellaring to fermenting and canning, there will be something for everyone this month.
September: Bartering. Kate Payne, the queen of food swaps and author of Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking” will walk you through the process.
October: Protein. Choose your own challenge, from hunting to backyard meat to purchasing a whole animal to growing your own beans or making your own tofu. Find out how to make responsibly-sourced protein affordable.
November: Grains. With temperatures dropping and holidays on the way, it’s time to put on a few pounds with baked goods and homebrew. We’ll be baking with whole grains and brewing with all grain mash. No processed flours and malt syrups here!
December: Handcrafted holidays. Drop out of the ultimate commercial machine. We’ll look at home crafting gifts and simplifying the holidays. Slow down and celebrate the reason for the season.
January: Reflections and wrap ups. We’ll share our triumphs and failures in a highlight format. This will be your chance to shine or come clean and develop your personal 2013 goals.
This challenge will be what you make of it – the ultimate in crazy or just dipping your toe in. So join me, won’t you and take the pledge now? Add a little more urban farm to your life in 2012 by taking the challenge.
Perhaps an adaption for those in the southern hemisphere would be nice.
x te
Trace is there a good southern hemisphere gardening blog that I can try and rope in? I have zero information on gardening down there BUT the good news is gardening is just 1/12 of the challenge.
This is just what I need. I’m in!
And just a cute story to share. This weekend as my kids and I went out side to work in the yard my little 3 year old gave a heavy sigh. I looked over at his sad little face and asked what was wrong. He looked at me and said. “Mom, I’m a worker and I need a farm. When will we get a farm” I just scooped him in my arms and gave him big hugs! What a sweet little guy. I explained to him that we have a few chickens, a small garden, and a few apple trees. I asked him if it would be ok if we called our home a small farm. Then we can practice so that when we get a bigger farm we’ll be ready. He thought about it and then smiled really big and said “Mom lets get to work on our SMALL farm.” I’m SO lucky to have such a great worker and helper. I am also so blessed to have a reminder of both how far we have come and where we want to be. We enjoyed the sunny and almost warm weather all day on our Small Farm! Best part was that we did it together.
Waggie what a wonderful story!! I love it. Thank you for sharing. Those are the moments that make everything we do totally worthwhile, aren’t they?
Are you going to use Linky Tools so we can make our posts collective? I’ld like to know where to link back to.
Grace each challenge will have directions for you to link back and I do plan to do a roundup so everyone can see what everyone else is doing. This is about community!
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I did jump in on the other page to commit…how will it work?
@waggie–your little guy is special. This experience will probably never leave him!! Go for it!
I went from a CA neighborhood as a child complaining to my mom when I got dirty to a PNW farm as a slightly older child. I did the WHOLE deal and loved it. Left the field of ag and yet it still resides in my heart. I am back with my fingers in the dirt and lovin it!!
Hi Victoria, still pulling last minute details together (and prepping for two workshops at the Flower and Garden show this weekend) so I’ll kick it off hopefully by Friday. This month has been the craziest yet for me.
I am so excited about this! While we don’t live in the same town, or even country right now, my mom and I both will be joining you, and can’t wait! Thanks for the opportunity!!
At Unity Gardens we host year round education deries as well as support over 40 local Unity Gardens that make fresh produce available to everyone in our community. Since the Feb challenge was soil, I thought you might be interested in sharing our information with everyone. We have done “The Dirt on Soil” and Composting 101 educational classes, free to all. We post the PDF version on our e-newsletter for everyone to share. See http://www.theunitygardens.blogspot.com for more information!
I’m in!!!
This is completely up my alley and I am SO in. Thanks for the inspiration and the structure and the community! I’m looking forward!
I am in! New to homesteading… Excited too!
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