A Brief Backyard Bird Farming Manifesto
Urban living has its perks. Living closer to cultural hubs and in dense city centers offers more possibilities for meaningful connections to other human beings, and even has certain environmental benefits over being spread out over a large area. However, we lose something important when we let go of our connection to the land and its bounty. There is value in seeing how food is produced and participating in the act of growing what you eat. Most people are constrained by demanding jobs, and too little time, money, and space to make backyard farming practical. I, for one, have never been able to tend a garden long-term, and the little veggies my planter boxes have yielded usually tasted worse than what I could buy at the grocery store. While I hope to someday work my way up to a thriving urban homestead, I am a pragmatist and an incrementalist. I want to start with something that is satisfying and that makes sense from an economic standpoint. As with all things, there is a balance –