Contents Introduction ............................................................... 1 PART I: Getting to Know the Micro-Farm ................ 5
PART 2: Becoming a Micro-Farmer ....................... 155
Chapter 1: Suburbia: Civilization’s Opportunity .. 7 The Suburban Problem ........................................... 11 Suburban Micro-Farming Myths ............................ 12 The Suburban Micro-Farm Solution ...................... 14
Chapter 7: Organizing Your Micro-Farm ........... 157 Make a Garden Sketch ..........................................160 Make Seed and Supply Purchases .......................161 Month-by-Month Micro-Farming .........................164 Checklists and Monthly Calendars .......................169
Chapter 2: Managing Expectations ...................... 17 Prevent Garden Overwhelm Syndrome ................ 18 Life Hacks for the Busy Micro-Farmer ................... 20 When It’s Not Enough .............................................. 23 Overcoming Brown Thumbs ................................... 26 Setting Up Your Neighborhood for Success ......... 28 Chapter 3: Developing Healthy Soil ..................... 39 Building Soil Health and Fertility ........................... 40 Guide to Organic Soil Amendments ...................... 43 No-Till Micro-Farming .............................................. 60 Constructing a Simple Compost System ............... 69 How to Compost ...................................................... 73 Cultivate Worm Castings with Vermicomposting ............................................ 75 Chapter 4: Vegetables On The Micro-Farm ......... 79 The Efficient Micro-Farm ......................................... 80 Guide to Planting and Growing Vegetables .......... 85 Choosing Crops to Meet Your Needs .................... 94 How to Place Vegetables .......................................102 Extending the Season with Cold Frames .............110 Chapter 5: Fruit on the Micro-Farm................... 119 Growing Fruit Trees ...............................................120 Growing Berries for Beginners .............................123 Choosing Fruit for Your Circumstances ..............134 Chapter 6: Herbs on the Micro-Farm ................. 139 Kitchen Garden Herbs ...........................................140 Growing a Medicine Garden .................................142 Herbs in a Pollinator Garden ................................146 Create an Herb Spiral ............................................150
Chapter 8: Seed Starting & Planting .................. 173 Starting Seeds Indoors: A Step-by-Step Guide ...174 How to Sow Seeds Directly Outdoors..................181 How to Transplant Seedlings Outdoors ..............183 Chapter 9: Maintaining the Garden & Harvesting the Produce .................................. 187 Daily Garden Visits .................................................188 Mulching in the Garden.........................................188 Watering ..................................................................195 Pest Management ..................................................197 Guide to Harvesting Vegetables ...........................205 Cleaning up the Garden for Fall ...........................212 Easy Seeds to Save .................................................216 Storing Seeds ..........................................................220